Effective Use of Mathematical Instructional Materials

Education Development Center, Waltham MA

Investigators

Abstract

This EDC project will implement a landscape study designed to understand mathematics curriculum leaders' needs for research that informs their decision making. The proposed project aims to identify and organize research that is most useful to K-12 mathematics curriculum decision makers and to develop improved mechanisms for them to make good use of such research. Products will include research reports and an annual seminar. The goal is to create an infrastructure designed to support K-12 mathematics leaders in their efforts to better use research to inform curricular decision-making processes. The project will address three primary audiences. The first and broadest is district, regional and state curriculum leaders responsible for designing and managing the selection and implementation of mathematics instructional materials. These include people in positions such as mathematics supervisors, curriculum coordinators, assistant superintendents of curriculum and instruction, state mathematics directors and leaders of regional consortia providing curriculum support to local districts. The second audience is teacher educators in graduate and undergraduate mathematics education programs who work with developing teachers and administrators. The project's third audience is the mathematics educational research community, particularly those conducting studies of mathematics curriculum, its use and its effectiveness. The project will host an annual research seminar to discuss the challenges of curricular change and related research.