This investigation of secondary geometry teachers' decision making in a mathematics curricular reform context examined the following questions: (a) What planning and interactive decisions were secondary geometry teachers making during this time of reform, and (b) what factors influenced the decisions that these teachers made? In addition, comparisons were generated between influential factors identified during a mathematics reform context and the stable context of previous decision making studies. A multi-case study approach involving detailed examination of five geometry teachers' decision making was used. The data collected and analyzed included a questionnaire, interviews, observational field notes, audiotapes and videotapes of classroom instruction, and written instructional documents. Teachers' profiles were created describing geometry and teaching biographies, views toward curricular change, the classroom, planning decisions and influential factors, and interactive decisions and influential factors. Findings were developed by searching for similarities and differences across the sample. Teachers' decisions generated descriptions of their geometry courses. One teacher promoted geometry as a mathematical system using predominantly a lecture approach. The other four teachers advocated a multifaceted view of geometry recognizing geometry as a mathematical system and as a setting for developing communication and problem solving skills. In addition, the four teachers' courses included references to connections between geometry and the real world. These four teachers used a variety of instructional approaches that encouraged students' active involvement in their geometry learning with an emphasis on developing student understanding. Factors influencing teachers' decisions included: (a) past geometry experiences, (b) professional development experiences, (c) articulated course goals, (d) advanced planning decisions, (e) teachers' beliefs, (f) the geometry textbook and other materials, (g) teachers' school settings, and (h) students' needs and actions. Some findings highlighted differences between this study and previous decision making studies. All teachers in this study appeared to be influenced by their beliefs about the nature of geometry as a discipline. Teachers were also influenced by whether they viewed the process of becoming an effective teacher as a life-long process. For four of the teachers, reform agendas were influential as another source of curriculum ideas. / Graduation date: 1997

The study was designed with a dual purpose. First, the study was designed to develop and assess a systematic decision making procedural 'model which would aid in the resolution of critical issues. Second, the purpose of the study was to assess the decision making procedures of the school's chief executive officer when dealing with critical issues. The study was conducted by interviewing ten chief executive officers of Indiana school corporations. The data generated was reported in narrative and table form. The data was used to assess the developed model for comprehensiveness and adaptability and to assess the decision making procedures of chief executive officers for comprehensiveness and systematization.The findings reported herein were based on the evaluation and analysis of the data reported by public school chief executive officers and a review of related research.1. The Decision Support System model was found to be comprehensive and provided a thorough description of the processes needed by the chief executive officer in the decision making processes.2. In all cases, the Decision Support System model processes adapted to the processes of the chief executive officer.3. The chief executive officers selected and analyzed a limited amount of data to support the identification of impacts, options, and alternatives in the decision making process.4. The chief executive officers identified a limited number of impacts, options, and alternatives in the decision making process.5. The process of decision making by the chief executive officers was arranged in a form which was not consistently orderly, methodical, or well organized.6. The data in the table has shown that twenty-four of thirty-eight identified critical educational issues concerned financial problems.7. Eighty percent of the interviewed chief executive officers utilized the trade-off processes of the Decision Support System model as the option for the solution of the 8. The trade-off processes of eighty percent of the chief executive officers utilized the option of exchanging qualitative resources for quantitative resources or deleted qualitative resources in the absence of adequate funds.9. The trade-off processes of eighty percent of the chief executive officers resulted in problems involving attitudes and motivation.

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