The Impact of a Foundations of Education Course on Attitudes: Results of a Longitudinal Study

This study investigated attitude changes of university undergraduate students enrolled in a foundations of education course assigned two different types of reading materials, (1) materials of a controversial and very persuasive nature, and (2) a traditional foundations textbook. Attitudes toward 13 concepts were measured by an evaluative form of the sematic differential. Ss were tested on the first and last day of class and again three and one-half years later. Results indicated that, for 10 concepts, the experimental approach produced attitude changes in the Ss; such changes were maintained over time for nine concepts. Furthermore, for five of the 10 concepts, the experimental approach resulted in greater attitude changes than did the traditional approach.