National Academies Press: OpenBook

Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education (2002)

Chapter: CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System

« Previous: CHAPTER 6 Assessment and Accountability: What Kinds of Assessment Are Used and for What Purposes?
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 71
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 72
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 73
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 74
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 75
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 76
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 77
Suggested Citation:"CHAPTER 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System." National Research Council. 2002. Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10023.
×
Page 78

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

C H A P T E R 7 Contextual Forces That Influence the Education System n addition to affecting aspects of the education system, standards I may also interact with various sectors of society and the general public in numerous ways. This chapter explores the public and political arenas within which the U.S. education system operates. Fullan (2000) uses the term “outside forces” to characterize those external factors and their possible pressures on the education system. He notes that in this era of education reform “outside forces” tend to move “inside” accompanied, for example, by demands for better educational performance and greater account- ability. This chapter explores ways that key outside forces can interact with components of the education system—and with nationally developed standards. WHO AFFECTS THE EDUCATION SYSTEM FROM “OUTSIDE”? Publicly supported education is a mainstay of U.S. democracy. The public’s high interest in and concern about education are well documented in public opinion polls and by the prominence of education issues in political campaigns (Rose and Gallup, 2000; Johnson and Aulicino, 1998; Robelen, 2000; Sack and Jacobson, 2000; Keller, 2000). Overall public support for “high academic standards” in public schools has remained strong since national educational goals were established in 1989 by President George H.W. Bush and the nation’s governors (Public Agenda, 2000; Johnson and Aulicino, 1998). One study within nine states and 71

Contextual Forces that Influence the Education System Outside Forces Affecting Decision Making Education-related decisions by officials at all levels of govern- ment may be influenced by varied concerns. The U.S. recession of the early 1980s and pressures created by global competitiveness heightened the public’s economic concerns, and in particular, those of business leaders. Some influential leaders who view education as the key to a stronger economic future have promoted new account- ability initiatives and provided incentives to stimulate improve- ments in schools. Similarly, corporations and their representatives have become involved in influencing education policy at local, state, and federal levels, in their pursuit of employees who possess the skills and knowledge needed by a productive workforce. Individually and through organizations such as the Business Roundtable, businesses offer advice to elected officials regarding educational policies. Educational concerns may motivate professional organizations, parents, and others to work toward particular goals. For example, education and professional associations and their government relations representatives lobby federal and state lawmakers regard- ing policy decisions, including financial allocations. Teachers and administrators may use information from national associations to encourage local school officials to limit the sizes of classes assigned to laboratory rooms, select particular textbooks or curricular pro- grams, or increase funding for instructional technology. Parents concerned that their children’s educational interests are not well served by high-stakes assessments may speak out in opposition to state-level testing or even keep their children at home on state- testing days. In particular, concerns regarding equity, stemming from efforts of organized groups, federal legislation, and court orders, may affect decisions about resource allocations, testing accommodations, and curricular offerings. At local levels, parents and guardians may work to ensure their children’s access to high-level mathematics courses, 73

Contextual Forces that Influence the Education System educators, such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathemat- ics, the National Science Teachers Association, the International Technology Education Association, and their chapters and affiliates, contribute to the ongoing professional development of their members by producing a wide range of periodicals and other publications; holding conventions and workshops at national, regional, and local levels; and organizing other programs. Some informal educational institutions, such as science centers and museums, and some professional societies, such as the American Chemical Society, also create and publish curriculum materials and provide elementary and secondary teachers with professional development opportunities. HOW CAN NATIONALLY DEVELOPED STANDARDS INFLUENCE THOSE “OUTSIDE” THE SYSTEM? HOW MIGHT THEY, IN TURN, INFLUENCE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM? Standards are more likely to have an influence on the education system if they are supported by the “outside” forces, rather than being ignored or even opposed. If the standards are influencing individuals and groups external to the education system as in- tended, decisions enacted by elected officials and policy makers would show support for standards-based reforms. Professional associations in the forefront of the development of national stan- dards for mathematics, science, and technology would lead national and local efforts to implement the standards, as well as work with elected officials and leaders to build a consensus in support of institutionalizing standards-based reforms. The traditional school priorities of reading, writing, and arithmetic would be joined by science, technology, and a broader view of mathematics as new “basics” for all students. State and local school boards, reflecting and responding to constituents’ views, would ensure that schools have adequate funding to provide students with learning experiences that will enable them to meet the nationally developed standards. 75

Contextual Forces that Influence the Education System • How have politicians, policy makers, the electorate, parents, business and industry, education organizations, and others responded to the introduction of nationally developed standards? • How are the standards being received and interpreted by those outside forces? • In response, what actions have politicians and the public taken regarding policies and funding in support of, or in opposition to, stan- dards-based curricula, teacher development, and assessment and account- ability systems? • What changes, if any, have occurred in the opinions, activities, and decisions of governmental leaders and various public groups regarding mathematics, science, and technology education? • What has been the resulting impact on the adoption of standards- based policies, programs, and practices in schools and districts? • Who has been affected and how? Studies that address such questions will enable educators and policy makers to begin accumulating evidence and formulating answers to the Framework’s two overarching questions: How has the system responded to the introduction of nationally developed standards? and What are the consequences for student learning? The next—and final—chapter reviews the Framework in light of the channels and forces interacting within the education system, suggests a range of research-based uses for the Framework, and offers final comments from the Committee to those who use the Framework to consider the educational impact of nationally devel- oped standards. 77

Next: CHAPTER 8 Using the Framework »
Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $38.00 Buy Ebook | $30.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

Since 1989, with the publication of Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for Mathematics by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, standards have been at the forefront of the education reform movement in the United States. The mathematics standards, which were revised in 2000, have been joined by standards in many subjects, including the National Research Council's National Science Education Standards published in 1996 and the Standards for Technical Literacy issued by the International Technology Education Association in 2000.

There is no doubt that standards have begun to influence the education system. The question remains, however, what the nature of that influence is and, most importantly, whether standards truly improve student learning. To answer those questions, one must begin to examine the ways in which components of the system have been influenced by the standards.

Investigating the Influence of Standards provides a framework to guide the design, conduct, and interpretation of research regarding the influences of nationally promulgated standards in mathematics, science, and technology education on student learning. Researchers and consumers of research such as teachers, teacher educators, and administrators will find the framework useful as they work toward developing an understanding of the influence of standards.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!