AN INVESTIGATION OF DOGMATISM AND THE TEACHING OF ADULTS: PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS IN THREE FLORIDA COUNTIES

Abstract

To explore the subject of the relationship between levels of dogmatism or open-mindedness and teaching style among adult education teachers, a series of specific hypotheses were formulated based on findings reported in the research literature of social psychology and adult education and on the opinion of a series of adult educators contacted for the purposes of the study. To test these hypotheses, a specially-designed survey was administered to a random sample of adult education teachers currently employed in three districts of Florida.

The instrument administered to the adult education teachers in the sample included a questionnaire and the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, Form E. The questionnaire had two parts: part one on background characteristics was designed to collect information on the demographic characteristics, previous experience and personal attributes of the teachers; part two on teaching style was designed to determine, insofar as possible, the teaching style of the respondents by the use of a Likert-type preference scale.

The results of the study of the relationship between level of dogmatism and certain aspects of teaching style showed a negative relationship between level of dogmatism and flexibility in adaptation to classroom situations (r = .50, p = .001), and between level of dogmatism and empathy and warmth (r = .41, p = .01). More open-minded teachers were both more flexible and more empathetic in their teaching style. No relationship between the level of dogmatism and a democratic classroom style was found, however.

As concerns relationship between level of dogmatism and personal characteristics, the sex of the teachers was the only variable found to be significantly related to level of dogmatism. Women proved to be less dogmatic. None of the other background variables examined--age, level of education, number of years teaching adults, amount of professional training in adult education, or variety of former experience-showed a significant relationship with level of dogmatism in the sample.

The primary importance of the study was to open up a new field of investigation in adult education and bring into focus one socio-psychological variable that may have an impact on the teaching style of adult education teachers. Findings must be regarded as tentative.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4246.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.