Education has long been an area of political debate in the United States, with politicians and policymakers advocating for distinct societal and/or individual purposes of K -12 education. In this article, we examine the public opinion on the purpose of education, and we explore whether this political divide on the purpose of education is also…

Despite the long history of curriculum studies in the American Educational Research Association, few past presidents have used their presidential addresses to speak about the curriculum and its importance in education research and teaching. In this essay, I examined the presidential addresses (and paper) of three well-known curriculum…

The authors synthesize the findings of a research project to extend what is known about educative curriculum materials, or curriculum materials designed with the intent of supporting teacher learning as well as student learning. Drawing on a three-year program of research, including several close observational case studies and a large-scale…

Among the notable aspects of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the diverse array of interest groups supporting them. These organizations must now apply the strategies they used so effectively in advancing the Common Core to stem mounting opposition to it. This article draws on theories of political and policy learning and interviews with…

In the historiography on curriculum reform during the progressive era, one interpretive lens has dominated the study of 20th-century reform for more than 40 years: the idea of the "social efficiency" doctrine. In this historiographical essay, the authors briefly trace the rise of social efficiency as an idea in curriculum history, identify the…

We examine the distinction between teaching and teachers as it relates to instructional improvement. Drawing from work outside of education on improvement systems and from analyzing the Japanese system of lesson study, we contend that a focus on teaching can shape a coordinated system for improvement whereas a focus on teachers, common in the…

In this work, we explored the relationship of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) to student achievement. Building on techniques developed for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), we found a very high degree of similarity between CCSSM and the standards of the highest-achieving nations on the 1995…

This commentary on Porter, McMaken, Hwang, and Yang's "Common Core Standards: The New U.S. Intended Curriculum," which finds a lack of alignment between the Common Core State Standards and state standards and assessments, suggests possible reasons for the lack of alignment. It also offers possible reasons for Porter et al.'s finding of a…

This article responds to comments on the authors' "Educational Researcher" article "Common Core Standards: The New U.S. Intended Curriculum" (April 2011). The authors note points of agreement and difference with the commentators. They observe that Cobb and Jackson, in their response, and Beach, in his, appear to accept the…

Examines the longstanding argument between advocates of curriculum development and critical curriculum studies from the perspective of democratic inquiry artistry, highlighting the curriculum perspectives of Wraga (1999) and Pinar (1999). Suggests that the daily enactment of democratic inquiry artistry can help educational researchers by informing…

Presents a rationale for changing from the current emphasis of precollege computer courses on BASIC programming skills to a focus on teaching applications software skills. Reviews research regarding the quality of computer literacy courses. Discusses parallel cognitive and affective consequences of programming and applications software. Promotes…

Describes the processes and circumstances in which the school of education faculty at a research university grappled with questions about the proper preparation in research methodologies of doctoral students in education (e.g., how research methodologies should be taught and what proportion of doctoral study they should occupy). Explains how, in…

Discusses "book literacy" and questions its adequacy as a guiding framework for teaching students about computers. Describes what students need to know about computers and considers different proposals for developing instructional proposals. Focuses on curriculum development and the role of the teacher. (KH)

Criticizes the response by William Pinar as not addressing points raised in Wraga's essay on reconceptualized curriculum studies. Pinar's vision of hopelessness for reforming the curriculum field continues the insulation of curriculum theorists from the complex problems of school practice. (SLD)

The strong tendency toward incrementalism in educational policy-making has a number of sources. The increased complexity and politicization of curriculum policy-making and restraints upon policy innovation impede innovative policy initiatives. (Author/EB)