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The effects of content organization and curriculum implementation on students' mathematics Learning in second-year high school courses

Abstract:

We examined curricular effectiveness in high schools that offered parallel paths in which students were free to study mathematics using 1 of 2 content organizational structures,an integrated approach or a (traditional) subject-specific approach. The study involved 3,258 high school students, enrolled in either Course 2 or Geometry, in 11 schools in 5 geographically dispersed states. We constructed 3-level hierarchical linear models of scores on 3 end-of-year outcome measures: a test of common objectives,an assessment of problem solving and reasoning, and a standardized achievement test. Students in the integrated curriculum scored significantly higher than those in the subject-specific curriculum on the standardized achievement test. Significant student-level pbkp_redictors included prior achievement,gender,and ethnicity. At the teacher level, in addition to Curriculum Type, the Opportunity to Leam and Classroom Learning Environment factors demonstrated significant power in pbkp_redicting student scores, whereas Implementation Fidelity, Teacher Experience,and Professional Development were not significant pbkp_redictors.