The document discusses key concepts in research-based curriculum design including conceptual understandings, research methods, curriculum evaluation, and the relationship between theory, policy, and practice. It poses several discussion questions about the importance of distinguishing scientific research from curriculum development, how social factors influence curriculum research, and how learning theories, evaluation, teacher roles, and knowledge structures affect curriculum validity and scope. The questions also address how terminology, research methodologies, and contextual variables impact research reliability and the application of theory to practice.

1. Toward a Framework for Research-based Curricula

2. Conceptual Understandings Research –based Evidence Market Research Grounded Theory (Research Design) Teacher Personal Theory Curriculum Evaluation Cause and Effect Research Descriptive Research Process Research Research Bias Curriculum Research Validity Curriculum Research Reliability

3. Conceptual Understandings Curriculum System (Process dictates Product) Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation Research Variables (presage, context, process, outcome) Needs Assessment

4. Discussion Questions Why is the distinction between scientific research and curriculum development important for practitioners to understand? What contemporary social factors are currently influencing research on curriculum? How should curriculum theory, policy, and practice be interrelated within the context of educational research? How is the validity of any curriculum design dependent on a specific learning theory? (Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Maslow, Marzano)

5. Discussion Questions (2) How is evaluation significant to curriculum design and research validity? How does the role teachers expect to play in a curriculum development effort affect the actual working procedures when the effort gets underway? (Independent presage vs. dependent process variable). How does the structure of knowledge in a content area affect the ultimate scope of the curriculum? (Independent context vs. dependent outcome variable).

6. Discussion Questions (3) How specifically does a lack of established terminology affect research validity and reliability? What would be an example to justify this reasoning? Why is valid data analysis contingent upon specific research methodologies? For example, descriptive research may very appropriately use descriptive statistics whereas an experimental design may use statistics that determine cause effect results, and studies that want to demonstrate relationships may use correlational statistics.

7. Discussion Questions (4) What does the above statement mean in relation to a conceptual and operational definition of “teacher effectiveness?” This goes back to the old adage “sounds good in theory, but doesn’t work in practice.” The reality is that theory, or a curriculum that evolved from a specific theory, is not intended to be generalized into any classroom without first considering the varied contextual and presage variables that may affect the teaching/learning processes.