| Session Title: A Series of Evaluations of the Core-Plus Mathematics Curriculum: Methods, Results, and Issues |
| Demonstration Session 677 to be held in Room 111 in the Convention Center on Friday, Nov 7, 3:25 PM to 4:10 PM |
| Sponsored by the Pre-K - 12 Educational Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Steven Ziebarth, Western Michigan University, steven.ziebarth@wmich.edu |
| Abstract: Since the early 1990s many new mathematics curricula have been developed, tested, and evaluated in response to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (1989). A 2004 NRC Report examined approximately 700 evaluations of curricular effectiveness noting a wide variety of methods used to evaluate their effectiveness. This session examines three longitudinal evaluations of Core-Plus Mathematics, a four-year high school mathematics curriculum designed for all students that balances procedural and conceptual learning in real world contexts. The three studies are: 1) the formative evaluation of first edition materials including their development (1992-1998), 2) a focused longitudinal study of the published materials (1997-2002), and 3) the evaluation of a second edition of the curriculum (2002-2008) now concluding. We examine not only the various evaluation methods used and interesting results, but also how the earlier studies informed the work of the most recent. |