Rounding Up: An Analysis of Math Curriculum Effectiveness Studies

Bellwether. 650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20001. Tel: 877-636-0909; Web site: https://bellwether.org/

N

36

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics Curriculum; Curriculum Evaluation; Instructional Effectiveness; Research Reports; Research Methodology; Trend Analysis; Teaching Methods; Kindergarten; Elementary Secondary Education; Mathematics Education; Educational Quality; Educational Improvement; Academic Achievement; Mathematics Achievement

In this analysis, the authors describe current approaches to assessing the effectiveness of math curricula and identify potential opportunities to further tailor effectiveness studies to the needs of the practitioners who rely on the research to make adoption decisions. Through analysis of 61 effectiveness studies, supplemented by expert interviews, the authors cataloged various characteristics (including the source, curriculum component of interest, unit of analysis, outcomes, research methods, duration of study, and others) and identified common themes and gaps. Based on the trends that surfaced in their sample of math curriculum effectiveness studies, they conclude with recommendations for funders, researchers, and practitioners as they fund, design, and consume future research.

ERIC

2023

ED629262