Three-dimension framework for analyzing curriculum material design: mathematical emphasis, instructional approach, and support for teachers¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 qualitative), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article organizes its comparative analysis of curriculum materials around three design dimensions: "mathematical emphasis, instructional approach, and support for teachers." The framework treats curriculum materials as designed artifacts whose features shape the potential opportunities to learn available to students, and it links those design features to student outcomes via findings from a large-scale experimental study of the curricula's achievement effects. It is used to explain why curricula targeting the same content can offer qualitatively different learning opportunities.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Requires curriculum materials that can be subjected to documentary analysis of their design features
• Requires achievement or outcome data against which design differences can be interpreted

Constraints¶

• The framework was applied to four mathematics curricula commonly used in the United States; scope beyond that set is not established in the source text

Target Learners¶

• K-12 mathematics students in the United States

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Mathematics achievement and opportunities to learn

Claims¶

• Four Math Curricula Different Opportunities To Learn [+M]
• The authors hypothesize that differences in curriculum design could explain the achievement results of the experimental study [+W]
• A large-scale experimental study compared the effects of the four mathematics curricula on student achievement [+M]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• When evaluating curriculum materials, consider additional influential factors beyond curricular design features

Key Sources¶

• Janine T. Remillard, Barbara Harris, Roberto Agodini. (2014). The Influence of Curriculum Material Design on Opportunities for Student Learning. ZDM, The International Journal of Mathematics Education. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/the-influence-of-curriculum-material-design-on-opportunities-for-student-learning