Organization Development, Classroom Climate, and Grade Level

Abstract

The focal issue is whether school participation in an organization devel opment (OD) program is associated with positive classroom climate and interpersonal behavior. Three experimental schools participated in a sixteen-month OD program that included organizational training for teams, interschool coordinating council, in-service training, and follow-up consultation. Three matched control schools did not participate. A classroom-climate measure was administered to 593 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade male students from the experimental and control schools. To evaluate interpersonal behavior, these students participated in three-choice experimental games. Students in experimental schools tended to report more positive classroom climate than did controls. The relation ship between OD participation and positive classroom climate declined as grade level increased. Interpersonal behavior and participation in the OD program were not related. Implications for school selection and implementation of OD interventions are discussed. © 1978, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.