Curriculum & Program Evaluation

Research in Curriculum & Program Evaluation

Organizations that develop and implement educational programs are increasingly interested in evidence-based practices to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of a specific program or curriculum. The ERC provides evaluation of education programs and curriculum materials to assist schools, state agencies and non-governmental organizations to assess the efficacy of educational programs. ERC curriculum and program evaluations provide detailed feedback to stakeholders that allow identification of practices that could be modified to improve the program or curriculum.

Using multiple research approaches and various sources of data, the ERC staff has completed program evaluations for several organizations. For example, the ERC is conducting a complete curriculum review of United Way of Houston’s Bright Beginnings‘ professional development (PD) curriculum for early childhood center directors and staff. The final report for the review will include recommendations on how to improve cost efficiency for professional development while maintaining program integrity and standards.

In addition, the ERC is working with the non-profit International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization to evaluate the implementation of different curriculum components or attributes within the IB program. Outcomes from one of these IB studies will include a multiple case study analysis of 6 to 9 IB diploma program schools in North America exploring case-site specifics of:

• Instruction,
• Assessment,
• Perceived value, and
• Environmental supports

that facilitate or inhibit successful integration of “reflective”, an IB learner attribute.