Designing for and With Teachers: Supporting Teacher Learning Through Collaborative Curriculum Development

• In Event: Participatory and Community-Driven Design in Research on Learning

Abstract

To ground curriculum materials in the needs of classroom teachers, curriculum designers can benefit from partnering with teachers through participatory and collaborative design processes. However, these processes must be carefully designed in order to meaningfully incorporate teachers’ contributions. In this design case, we describe a collaborative design process between university researchers and five elementary school teachers who taught in Title I and rural schools across the country. This article offers concrete examples of how to design for and with teachers, which can support future researcher-teacher partnerships. Implications of this work can also support curriculum designers in considering both student and teacher learning in the design of classroom materials.

Authors

• Paulina Haduong, Harvard University

• Karen A. Brennan, Harvard University