The 5-year development process of this revision included: 1) gathering and analyzing input for the revision; 2) development and formative evaluation (activity testing and unit testing); and 3) full-year field testing and final revision for publication. Activity testing, unit testing, and field testing involved more than 50 field-test teachers representing 26 school districts.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Gathering | X | ||||
| Activity Testing | X | X | |||
| Unit Testing | X | ||||
| Full-Year Field Testing | X | X | |||
| Final revision, editing, design | X | X | X |
Initial Data Gathering
In Year 1, TERC authors gathered data about the activities and units that have worked well and those that have been problematic (and why); the revisions and adaptations that teachers or school systems have made (and why); the logistical, practical, and/or sequential aspects that need to be improved; and professional development needs.
Design and Formative Evaluation: Activity Testing and Unit Testing
Activity testing involved the design and trial of new activities—usually a series of connected lessons. The activity tests were carried out by the classroom teacher, alone or with the developer, with extensive field notes taken by an observer. Activity testing was carried out for new or significantly revised activities. Unit testing took place when a complete curriculum unit was ready in draft form. The unit, 3 to 6 weeks in length, was tested in 3 to 5 classrooms. Classrooms were observed once or twice per week; student work was collected; and teachers were interviewed several times, during and after the unit trial.
Full-year Field Testing and Revision
Year-long grade-level testing was carried out for each complete grade level at local sites that could be observed by staff and also at several distant sites. During year-long testing, data was gathered from local sites as follows: carefully documented classroom observations; periodic meetings with teachers (individually, in grade levels, and as a whole K-5 group); selected student work (including assessments); notes written on units by field-test teachers. The authors gathered data from distant sites as follows: selected student work (including assessments), written reports from teachers at the conclusion of each curriculum unit; staff visits to observe classrooms; meetings with site coordinators. Revision of the curriculum was ongoing as the grade-level testing proceeds.
From: Russell, Susan J. Research: Development and Evaluation. GREATER THAN: A Prepublication Report Investigations in Number, Data, and Space © 2009. Scott Foresman. Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Used by permission.”
