A survey was conducted concerning teacher attitudes and knowledge regarding social studies goals, content, and curriculum development. The research involved 301 undergraduate social studies methods professors in 13 western and midwestern states. Indexes based upon responses to a questionnaire were created to reflect teacher orientation toward innovation in four areas: (1) goals for social studies in elementary and secondary education; (2) knowledge and utilization of national project materials; (3) preference for locally developed or nationally developed curriculum materials; and (4) attitudes toward the national curriculum project movement and federal involvement in curriculum development. Major findings indicated that elementary and secondary methods professors are overwhelmingly modern (innovative, interdisciplinary, and affectively oriented) in their attitudes toward social studies. Other findings indicated that instructors favor federal support, prefer locally developed curriculum materials, generally tell their students about new curriculum materials, and know more about new curriculum materials if they participate actively in social studies professional activities and associations. Recommendations were that curriculum development and dissemination of materials be federally funded, curriculum materials be systematically introduced to methods instructors and students, methods teachers participate actively in the social studies profession, and research be conducted to determine how information regarding curriculum materials can be diffused more rapidly. More than 125 tables accompany the report. (Author/DB)