Assignment quality improved between 1997 and 1999, yet math assignment challenge remained very low¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2002 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2005: local conditions change quickly

Subclaims¶

q2 i? The quality of classroom assignments in the sample improved between 1997 and 1999. → Wenzel 2002 q2 i? In 1999, more than 80 percent of sixth and eighth grade math assignments in the sample provided only minimal or no challenge. → Wenzel 2002 (2)

Evidence¶

Wenzel 2002¶

Wenzel, S., Nagaoka, J., Morris, L., Billings, S., & Fendt, C. (2002). Documentation of the 1996-2002 Chicago Annenberg Research Project Strand on Authentic Intellectual Demand Exhibited in Assignments and Student Work: A Technical Process Manual. Consortium on Chicago School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/documentation-1996-2002-chicago-annenberg-research-project-authentic-intellectual

q2 · i? · associational · r2

A longitudinal trend from a CARP data brief (Bryk, Nagaoka, and Newmann, 2000) summarized in the manual: "The quality of classroom assignments improved between 1997 and 1999." The manual provides no effect size for this trend.

"The quality of classroom assignments improved between 1997 and 1999."

Wenzel 2002 (2)¶

Wenzel, S., Nagaoka, J., Morris, L., Billings, S., & Fendt, C. (2002). Documentation of the 1996-2002 Chicago Annenberg Research Project Strand on Authentic Intellectual Demand Exhibited in Assignments and Student Work: A Technical Process Manual. Consortium on Chicago School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/documentation-1996-2002-chicago-annenberg-research-project-authentic-intellectual

q2 · i? · associational · r2

The manual quotes the 1999 data brief: "more than 80 percent of sixth and eighth grade math assignments provided only minimal or no challenge," noting the level of challenge in mathematics assignments remained quite low.

"more than 80 percent of sixth and eighth grade math assignments provided only minimal or no challenge."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Intellectually Challenging Assignments Remain Variable and Not Widespread in Chicago Elementary Schools — related
• Both high- and low-prior-achieving students benefited from high-quality assignments, with math favoring low achievers and reading favoring high achievers — related
• Classroom composition (prior achievement, race, socioeconomic status, gender) showed virtually no relationship to exposure to high-quality assignments — related
• The intellectual quality of classroom assignments in Annenberg Challenge schools improved between 1997 and 1999, though some 1999 averages were lower than 1998 — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• More than 80 percent of sixth and eighth grade mathematics assignments in 1999 provided only minimal or no intellectual challenge — related
• Writing assignments made more challenging demands than mathematics assignments across all three grades, with grade-level patterns differing by subject — related
• A majority of writing and mathematics assignments in 12 Chicago Annenberg schools fell into the lowest two challenge categories — related