This work explores the use of learning theories in curriculum development and gathers evidence for what good practice in this area looks like. By exploring the academic literature in this area, the authors hope to find information that curriculum documents do not provide. The following research questions were proposed: (1) Is there evidence of…

The evidence continuum is a five-domain model for building evidence through needs assessment, program theory, process evaluation, outcomes and impact evaluation, and optimization studies. In this conceptual article, the first two domains of the evidence continuum are used to design a learner centered course on advanced research methods, and…

Jacob Olivey set out to design enquiries which would enable his pupils to reconstruct, using evidence, the perspectives of people in the past. In this article he shares in detail the planning and outcomes of two enquiries: one for Year 7 and one for Year 8. Olivey offers a example of 'the curriculum as the progression model', considering how to…

Multiple intelligences (MI) theory was one of the first modern theories of intelligence to be based on neural evidence. The relationship between creativity and intelligence has been a matter of debate as has the role of MI theory in gifted education. An extensive array of neuroscience evidence is reviewed as it pertains to the validity of MI…

Designed by the meta-synthesis method, the researchers examined the studies designed on the Understanding by Design (UbD) and implemented and their findings were qualitatively evaluated. It tried to obtain a comprehensive and holistic perspective on the effects and reflections of the model. 48 UbD studies were accessed from 6 databases, and 12…

As well-developed as they may be, standards are not curriculum. It is the job of teachers and curriculum teams to use the Standards as the basis for designing the specific pathway for teaching and learning. In this article, the authors explore the use of Understanding by Design (UbD), a widely-used curriculum development framework, for honoring…

The purpose of this study is to design an argumentation activity for third-grade students learning about the features defining matter. The research was carried out with seven students who enrolled in a tutoring program in a science and art center in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey during the academic year of 2017-2018. The activities were…

Herein, we describe an intensive, week-long course design institute (CDI) designed to introduce participants to the scholarly and evidence-driven process of learning-focused course design. Impact of this intervention is demonstrated using a multifaceted approach: (a) post-CDI satisfaction and perception surveys, (b) pre-/post-CDI surveys probing…

In March 2019 the Ministry of Education (MOE) commissioned NZCER to conduct an exploratory study of curriculum levelling in the Science and Mathematics and Statistics learning areas of "The New Zealand Curriculum" (NZC). The study was prompted in part by a desire to probe possible reasons for patterns of achievement reported by the…

Environmental issues continue to divide opinion, sometimes in extreme ways. Almost everyone agrees that education has a role to play in ensuring the future of humanity on Earth. Some think we should all learn to leave a minimal environmental footprint; others argue that education should promote economic growth, because only growth can generate the…

In this study, tasks measuring digital media literacy developed by Stanford University were administered at a school in Finland to consider the efficacy and transfer of critical thinking (CT) skills of a 'pre-IB' cohort preparing to enter the two year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and a graduating 'IB2' cohort. While the IB2…

Founded in 1964 and housed within the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Education, the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) is one of the nation's oldest and most highly regarded education research and development centers. While there is notable diversity in the focus areas and methodological approaches of WCER scholars whose…

The field of entrepreneurship has struggled with fundamental questions concerning the subject's nature and purpose. To whom and to what means are educational and training agendas ultimately directed? Such questions have become of central importance to policy makers, practitioners and academics alike. There are suggestions that university business…

The concept of project-based learning (PBL) has garnered wide support among a number of K-12 education policy advocates and funders. This working paper builds on and updates a seminal literature review of PBL published in 2000. Focused primarily on articles and studies that have emerged in the 17 years since then, the working paper discusses the…

This study examines the impact of effective instructional strategies, evidence-based curricula, and professional collaboration upon implementing a Response to Intervention program. Qualitative research methods, including interviews and lesson plan document analysis comprise the research data from seven teachers and one administrator. This study is…