Research and Evaluation for Excellence and Equity in STEM Education

Inside the Classroom

Organization: Horizon Research, Inc.
Funding agency: National Science Foundation
Program: Project & Program Evaluation
HRI Role: Research

Project Description
The Inside the Classroom study provided the education research and policy communities with snapshots of mathematics and science education as they exist in classrooms in a variety of contexts in the United States. These snapshots include both the instruction that takes place and the factors that shape that instruction. The study, designed specifically to complement and extend findings from the 2000 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education, included observations of over 350 mathematics and science lessons, selected to be representative of lessons nationally. In addition, teachers were interviewed regarding their instructional decision-making, e.g., why they pick the content and pedagogy for the lesson. Lessons were documented, analyzed, and assessed in a number of different areas, including the quality of the mathematics/science content and the extent to which the classroom culture facilitated learning. The lessons were ultimately assessed on the extent to which they were likely to impact student understanding in mathematics/science and develop their capacity to successfully “do” mathematics/science. The project was led by Iris R. Weiss.

Report Links:
Looking Inside the Classroom: A Study of K-12 Mathematics and Science Education in the United States
Highlights Report Looking Inside the Classroom: A Study of K-12 Mathematics and Science Education in the United States

Research Purpose
Inside the Classroom addressed the following research questions:

Among the questions addressed by the study:

  1. How does mathematics/science instruction “look” in the nation’s classrooms? To what extent are mathematics/science portrayed as inert collections of facts and algorithms, as opposed to dynamic bodies of knowledge continually enriched by conjecture, investigation, analysis, and proof/justification?
  2. Are students actively engaged in pursuing questions of interest to them, or simply “going through the motions,” whether they are doing individual “seatwork” or working in groups?
  3. To what extent do mathematics and science lessons engage students intellectually with important mathematics and science disciplinary content?
  4. Is teacher-presented information accurate? Do teachers display an understanding of mathematics/science concepts in their dialogue with students?
  5. When teachers ask questions, are they posed in a way that is likely to enhance the development of student conceptual understanding?
  6. Are adequate time and structure provided for student reflection and sense-making?
  7. To what extent is there a climate of respect for students’ ideas, questions, and contributions? Are students encouraged to generate ideas, questions, and conjectures?
  8. To what extent does each of the following factors shape teachers’ decisions about curriculum and pedagogy:
    • Teacher beliefs about how students learn;
    • Student characteristics;
    • School and district administration; and
    • School, district, and state policies regarding curriculum, textbook adoption, testing, and professional development.
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