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Abstract:
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This study examined how student achievement data are used to guide the development of curriculum documents in public school districts and within a commercial curriculum supplier . Two research questions guided this study : (a ) How do public school districts in Central Texas use formative and summative assessment data to inform the written curriculum , and (b ) how do commercially produced curricular programs use formative and summative assessment data to inform the written curriculum ?
A qualitative multiple -case study included curriculum developers from public school districts and a commercial entity . Data included semistructured interviews with curriculum developers from each organization as well as an extensive document review from each entity . The data were coded according to first -level coding and pattern coding . These themes were then analyzed through pattern matching and cross -case analysis .
The research revealed that formative and summative assessment data were used to guide the development of the written curriculum in terms of guiding vertical alignment , determining the scope and sequence of the curricular content , adding specificity to the curriculum documents , identifying and correcting curriculum gaps , guiding development of formative assessment , and adapting to state and national change . In addition , the organizations utilized available resources in curriculum development and created a culture of data -rich dialogue . Findings also revealed that the ability of curriculum developers to use assessment data to inform the written curriculum is impacted greatly by organizational size and capacity . Sustainability of organizations to maintain a comprehensive , aligned curriculum is influenced by the rate of change coming from the state and national level .
In conclusion , districts need to develop or obtain a guaranteed and viable curriculum that is strategically planned , comprehensive and aligned , as well as shaped by assessment data . The research reinforced that how data are created , presented , and used is important . Data sources need to be valid and reliable and shared in a risk -free culture that allows educators to move beyond elementary data uses to use data to inform the written curriculum as an integral part of school improvement . |