Spreading Curricular Reform: A Social Network Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to inform not only the education field but also any industry undergoing large-scale reform of the types of organizational roles and relational ties that drive momentum. This study offers an explanation for the spread of organizational change in the context of teacher education reform, specifically in that of University–School Partnerships in the Renewal of Educator Preparation (US Prep). Knowledge of relationships in organizational change informs administration, policy makers, and curriculum change agents of requisite social structures to launch the programs they want to grow, and halt the programs they want to stop. Through social network modeling and a quantitative analysis of social capital exchange, this study illustrates the relational ties within two large state universities implementing the US Prep curricular reform model. The findings of this study support the social network theory of the strength in weak ties or that loosely connected networks foster greater change momentum. The social network analysis illustrates the integral roles and relationships driving the expansion of the coalition and suggests to policy makers that these roles and the types of social capital exchanged are imperative for change efforts that spread.