Chapter 1: Educational Psychology: A Foundation for Teaching Cases To Consider

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Evaluating Curriculum in the Classroom: Some Research of Our Own

Jane Spivak and Mike Brown are both teachers at the elementary level. Susan Esposito teaches in the district's high school. John Hammond coordinates the K through 12 math curriculum and teaches at the middle school. They serve on a districtwide committee to evaluate the current math program and choose a new one:

Jane: I like some of the new programs we've looked at. They incorporate problem-solving strategies even in first grade, and they encourage cooperative learning.

John: But do they teach the basic skills? I mean, we're still getting kids in the sixth grade who don't know their basic math facts.

Susan: I agree. But they definitely need more critical thinking about math at earlier ages if they are going to handle some of the expectations at the high school level.

Mike: I think these would work out great if you started the kids out with it in kindergarten, but how about the upper grades? Are you just going to switch them from the relatively traditional program we have now into one that is much more problem-solving oriented and less teacher directed?

John: OK, OK-another consideration is the expense of these programs, both in time and money to us and the district. I think we all agree that the easiest thing would be to keep what we've got but that the students need more.

Susan: How about a pilot study? You know, purchase materials for one or two classes at selected grade levels and do a careful comparison. We can find out both the difficulties and the benefits, then make our decision. We've certainly done some research already-the workshops we've gone to, visits to other schools using the program. But how about some research of our own?

Jane: OK, but it will have to be well done, a matched control group class using the old program for each one piloting the new. We should compare how each class does at reaching the same set of objectives we've decided on for those grade levels.

Susan: I want some qualitative feedback from teachers too. Maybe some rating scales. We could send a questionnaire home to parents. . . .

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