Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum

Major Products/Accomplishments (2004-2015)

A summary of the major products/accomplishments of the Center is organized around the three major goals of the Center.

Goal 1.  Develop leadership capacity related to K-12 mathematics curriculum design, analysis, implementation, and evaluation.

Since 2004 the Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum (CSMC) has recruited 52 doctoral students (47 have completed their doctorate and 5 are in the dissertation phase). The focus of the doctoral programs at CSMC partnering institutions is on mathematics curriculum design, analysis, evaluation and research.

CSMC doctoral graduates are employed at 34 different institutions of higher education around the country. They are involved on curriculum development teams, actively pursuing a curriculum-focused research agenda, and/or supporting K-12 teachers and district administrators in research-based curriculum decision-making. They contribute to the knowledge base related to innovations in curriculum design, teacher enactment of curriculum, analysis of curriculum materials, and teachers’ use of curriculum policy documents such as state standards.

In addition to the educative influence of the Center on doctoral students in the partnering institutions, CSMC also developed and distributed a set of materials focused on mathematics curriculum to be used in the doctoral preparation at other institutions. These materials include difficult-to-find curriculum reports from the past century as well as a collection of readings, PPTs, and brief summaries of curriculum trends. The materials have been widely used throughout the country (see: http://mathcurriculumcenter.org/curriculum_course_resources.php)

Goal 2. Advance a research agenda related to K-12 mathematics curriculum, including the impact of curriculum materials on student and teacher learning.

Since 2004, the CSMC faculty, research associates, and doctoral fellows have initiated, completed, and reported on an impressive set of studies related to the curriculum research agenda outlined by the project (see: http://mathcurriculumcenter.org/research_framework.php). Thirteen books and dozens of book chapters/journal articles summarizing this work have been published (see: http://mathcurriculumcenter.org/reports_publications.php). For example the 2006 publication, The Intended mathematics curriculum as represented in state-level curriculum standards: Consensus or confusion? and a subsequent national conference in 2007 organized by the Center were major influences on discussions regarding the generation of common standards developed in 2010 under the direction of the National Governor’s Association. CSMC faculty, research associates, and doctoral fellows have pursued independent lines of research and service activities, prompted in part by CSMC networking. For example, Jeff Choppin (CSMC research associate at University of Rochester) with new funding from NSF, is studying how teachers and school districts select and implement CCSSM and improve mathematics instruction for all students. Under the CSMC umbrella several other NSF-funded research studies were initiated to study the impact of various types of curriculum materials on teacher instructional practices and student learning (Grouws, et al., 2013; Tarr, et al., 2008). The CSMC group also established a website for sharing instruments and tools for doing curriculum related research (see: http://mathcurriculumcenter.org/InstrumentDatabaseNew.php).

Goal 3. Create an organizational structure that stimulates productive collaboration among constituents concerned with K-12 mathematics curriculum.

Since 2004, CSMC has organized, hosted, or collaborated on five national and three international confe...

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