Blazing New Trails - Connexions

Principals and Teachers Stated Beliefs as Compared with Their Perceptions of Multiage Implementation 187
The survey data for the individual item scores for teachers were presented in Tables 1
through 6. Each of the six sections was above the minimum score of 13, which indicated a
very high agreement with the principles of nongradedness. The ranges of scores were: Goals
of Schooling 15.23; Organization 14.36; Curriculum 13.23; Instruction, 15.54; Materials
14.52; and Assessment 14.4. The sum of 90.28 or 85 percent exceeded the score of 81 or 75
percent which Pavan (1993) indicated as a very high agreement with the Principles of
Nongradedness. The assumption that had the highest score was in the category of instruction
which stated: “Since people learn in different ways, multiple learning alternatives should be
available.” The assumption that had the lowest scores was under the category of curriculum
which stated: “Sequences of learning are determined by the student.” The second assumption
that had a low score stated: “Children formulate their own learning goals with guidance from
their teachers.” The data indicated that the teachers in the study had a high level of agreement
with Pavan’s assumptions about multiage education.
Research Question Two: To what extent do principals of multiage schools agree with
Pavan’s assumptions about multiage education?
The results of the 19 principals’ item scores on Pavin’s Principles of Nongradedness
Education survey are listed in Tables 7 through 12. The Goals for Schooling category had the
highest total, 15.57, of the six categories for the principals with all assumptions with means
above 2.53 (see Table 7).
Table 7. Principals’ Item Scores on Principles of Nongradedness: Goals of Schooling.
A. Goals for Schooling N Mean SD
1. Self directing individual 19 2.53 0.513
2. Maximize individual potential 19 2.58 0.607
3. Variability vs. conformity 19 2.53 0.612
4. Development of child 18 2.67 0.686
5. Group skills 19 2.58 0.067
6. School atmosphere 19 2.68 0.478
Total 15.57
The assumption with the lowest mean was Individual Placement and the highest was
Co-learner teams. The total score of 14.36 was above the 13.00 which indicated a high degree
of agreement with the Principles of Nongradedness (see Table 8).
Table 8. Principals’ Item Scores on Principles of Nongradedness: Organization.
B. Organization N Mean SD
1. Individual placement 19 2.11 0.937
2. Change as needed 19 2.26 0.086
3. Flexible groups 19 2.63 0.597
4. Many Sizes 19 2.63 0.496
5. Task, materials, needs 19 2.26 0.653
6. Co-learner teams 19 2.47 0.697
Total 14.36
The category of Curriculum had the lowest total score for the principals with a total of
13.00 which is the minimum score which indicated a high degree of agreement with the
principles of nongradedness. The assumption Individual Sequence had the lowest mean score,
1.94, of all 36 assumptions in the survey (see Table 9).