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Curricular Resources and Classroom Use: The Case of Mathematics

Gabriel J. Stylianides
Publisher: 
Oxford University Press
Publication Date: 
2016
Number of Pages: 
149
Format: 
Hardcover
Price: 
89.95
ISBN: 
9780198749899
Category: 
Monograph
[Reviewed by
Woong Lim
, on
05/24/2017
]

In Curricular Resources and Classroom Use: The Case of Mathematics Gabriel Stylianides investigates the complex relationship between curricular resources (i.e., teaching materials) and how these resources are used by teachers in the classroom. While previous research has looked into curricular resources and their implementation separately, Stylianides offers a great deal of his “paradigmatic” ideas on researching the interplay between curricular resources and their classroom use.

The book comprises eight chapters. The first chapter orients the reader with key terms, the research context, and implications of curriculum development and teacher education. The following five chapters discuss the traditions (i.e., “the comprehensive approach” and “the practical approach”) of researching student learning as the outcome of teachers’ implementation of curricular materials. In the next two chapters, he discusses a synthetic approach (chapter 7) integrating the comprehensive and practical approach and provides fresh directions for future research (chapter 8).

Though I am careful to leave out spoilers, I will say that I am enlightened by how Stylianides unpacks these approaches, including theories and methods with concrete examples for illustration. I feel this book deserves recognition for the thoughtful examination (to an exhaustive degree) of the U.S. literature on mathematics curriculum as well as European scholarship — and for the author’s success in framing the interaction between student learning and use of curricular resources in the classroom with his own worldview.

Due to its focus on advanced research methods and theoretical musings, the book is undoubtedly written for experts in the field of mathematics education and curriculum studies. As such, it may not be appropriate for undergraduate students or practicing teachers; but the book can be a great text for special topics or directed reading courses for doctoral students in mathematics education, especially those seeking privileged knowledge of practices in implementing curriculum in the math classroom.

The book (first edition) is quite thin, but the size is somewhat misleading, because the print is tiny and there is an incredible amount of information to process. On the bright side, it helps that Stylianides has his thoughts in order in the first place and leaves no stone unturned with the subtlety of his analysis in remarkably sensible (and therefore repetitive and predictable) language. 


Woong Lim (woonglim@unm.edu) is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at University of New Mexico. His research interests include mathematics teacher education; and discourse, language, and equity in the mathematics classroom.

ABSTRACT
1. INTRODUCTION
2. INTRODUCING THE TWO APPROACHES
3. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
4. EXEMPLIFICATION AND OVERALL DISCUSSION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
5. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICAL APPROACH
6. EXEMPLIFICATION AND OVERALL DISCUSSION OF THE PRACTICAL APPROACH
7. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SYNTHETIC APPROACH
8. CONCLUDING REMARKS

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