This project examines the impact of standards-based and curriculum reforms on the role of materials in educational systems in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia. The project focused on identifying activities undertaken by publishing companies and in educational systems to develop, select and use materials in the context of standards-based and curriculum reforms by investigating: (1) research literature about the publishing industry, the policies controlling the adoption of materials, and the patterns influencing the use of materials in schools in the United States; (2) the perceptions of educational publishers about the impact of these reforms on the new materials developed by their companies to meet the needs of schools in implementing these reforms; (3) the impact of national curriculum reforms in the United Kingdom on the materials� marketplace; (4) the impact of the national standards movement in the United States on the materials� marketplace; (5) the impact of state standards in the United States on various aspects relating to materials designed to support these reforms; (6) the impact of national curriculum collaboration in Australia on the materials� marketplace; and (7) the impact of state and territory curricula in Australia on various aspects relating to materials designed to support these reforms. The report concludes by applying categories defined in a typology to classify various activities relating to the development, selection and use of materials identified in educational publishing and educational systems in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Samples and questionnaires relating to surveys and a bibliography are appended.

Studiens syfte är att kartlägga hur lärarhandledningar kan stödja lärares matematikundervisningmed digitala lärresurser, samt att belysa eventuella skillnader mellan olika lärarhandledningar med avseende på detta. Tre lärarhandledningari matematik för grundskolans årskurs tre undersöks med hjälp av riktad kvalitativ innehållsanalys och de valda lärarhandledningarna jämförs mot ett teoretiskt ramverk beståendes av Davis och Krajciks (2005) principer för hur läromedel bör utformas så att de stödjer lärares undervisning. Resultatet visar att lärarhandledningarna skiljer sig åt ifråga om vilka av Davis och Krajciks (2005) principer som finns representerade och hur detaljerat stödet gällande digitala lärresurser skrivs fram. / The aim of this study is to identify how teachers’ guides can support mathematics teaching with digital curriculum resources, and to highlight possible differences between teachers' guides in this regard. Three mathematics teachers' guides for grade three are examined by means of targeted qualitative content analysis and these chosen teachers’ guides are compared against a theoretical framework consisting of Davis and Krajcik's (2005) design heuristics for educative curriculum materials. The results show that the teachers' guides differ in terms of which of Davis and Krajcik's (2005) design heuristics are represented and how detailed the support regarding digital curriculum resources is.

School constantly changes and adapts methods to teach and contents according to the society. The change has led to a growing trend for digitalcurriculum resources in the classroom and mathematic as a subject. Thepurpose of this paper is therefore to investigate usage of digital curriculum resources in learning mathematics and teachers’ opinion about thedigital curriculum resources. The data was collected by a questionnaire,in total 87 respondents participated. The data was interpreted with thedidactic triangle and external factors.As a result, teachers express that the digital curriculum resources can leadto a wider scale of teaching methods and increases motivation for the pupils. On the other hand, teachers also express that the digital curriculumresources can lead to a distraction for the pupils and that they tend to hassle. The result shows that less teachers express that digital curriculum resources are used rather than analogue material. / Skolan är i ständig förnyelse och anpassar sig både i arbetssätt och innehållsmässigt utefter hur samhället ser ut och fungerar. Det har bidragit tillatt det i matematikundervisningen idag finns ett stort intresse för att använda digitala läromedel. Denna studie har därför som syfte att utforskaanvändningen av digitala läromedel i matematikundervisning samt vadlärare som undervisar i årskurs 1–3 uttrycker om de digitala läromedlen.Studien genomfördes med forskningsmetoden enkät och 87 respondenterhar använts till studien. Empirin som samlats in har tolkats med den didaktiska triangeln och ramfaktorer.Resultatet av studien visar att lärarna uttrycker att de digitala läromedlenkan bidra till ökad variation i undervisningen och till att öka motivationenhos eleverna. Lärarna uttrycker även att de kan bidra till en distraktionhos eleverna och att de digitala läromedlen krånglar. Resultatet visarockså att det är en mindre andel lärare som uttrycker att de använder digitala läromedel i sin matematikundervisning än analoga läromedel.

The aim of this quantitative study was to determine whether there were significant relationships between cultural factors and academic achievement of secondary school female learners in the Chimanimani district of Manicaland in Zimbabwe. According to literature, home environment variables, school environment variables and learner variables influence academic achievement of learners. The home environment includes family's expectations, the family's socio-economic status, exposure to role models and child-rearing practices. The school environment includes teacher's attitudes and the curriculum. Learner variables encompass self-concept, gender role concepts as well as the learner's attitude and aspirations. The empirical research found significant correlations between all cultural factors and academic achievement, particularly in English and at times in mathematics. These correlations were low but positive. The investigation also revealed that diverse age groups did not differ significantly in academic achievement in mathematics or in English. However, females from diverse socio-economic backgrounds differed significantly in their academic achievements. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

The aim of this quantitative study was to determine whether there were significant relationships between cultural factors and academic achievement of secondary school female learners in the Chimanimani district of Manicaland in Zimbabwe. According to literature, home environment variables, school environment variables and learner variables influence academic achievement of learners. The home environment includes family's expectations, the family's socio-economic status, exposure to role models and child-rearing practices. The school environment includes teacher's attitudes and the curriculum. Learner variables encompass self-concept, gender role concepts as well as the learner's attitude and aspirations. The empirical research found significant correlations between all cultural factors and academic achievement, particularly in English and at times in mathematics. These correlations were low but positive. The investigation also revealed that diverse age groups did not differ significantly in academic achievement in mathematics or in English. However, females from diverse socio-economic backgrounds differed significantly in their academic achievements. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)