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Research Commentary: From Effective Curricula Toward Effective Curriculum Use

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    November 2016, Vol. 47, Issue 5

    Research Commentary: From Effective Curricula Toward Effective Curriculum Use

    Megan Westwood Taylor Sonoma State University

    When it comes to improving student achievement in mathematics, a core belief is that curriculum materials are of the utmost importance. However, the link between a curriculum program and student learning is affected by the ways in which teachers use resources to design learning experiences. In the first half of this commentary, the author raises questions about the emphasis in research on finding the most effective curriculum programs. In the second half of this commentary, she suggests how researchers can build on existing work to define, describe, and support teachers in learning more effective practices for using curriculum.

    When it comes to improving student achievement in mathematics, a core belief is that curriculum materials are of the utmost importance. However, the link between a curriculum program and student learning is affected by the ways in which teachers use resources to design learning experiences. In the first half of this commentary, I raise questions about the emphasis in research on finding the most effective curriculum programs or the most effective teaching practices as separate from one another, and I claim that research should prioritize understanding the most effective ways in which a teacher can use available materials, including expanding the definition of “effective.” In the second half of this commentary, I suggest how researchers can build on existing work to define, describe, and support teachers in learning more effective practices for using curriculum in ways that bring together research on curriculum effectiveness and teaching effectiveness.