BETWEEN SYSTEMIC REFORMS AND THE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE CLASSROOM - THE DYNAMICS OF INNOVATION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

This review assembles studies and analyses of large-scale systemic ref orm initiatives aimed at mathematics and science education, especially those undertaken by state governments and the National Science Founda tion. The review concentrates on qualitative investigations, which rev eal whether and how these initiatives converge on the improvement of i nstruction. The evidence to date, though inherently incomplete, has mu ch to say about the logic of systemic reforms, the avenues by which th ese reforms may reach the classroom, and the kinds of classroom-level impacts that are apparent so far or likely to occur in the near term. The implementation and effects of these reforms can be understood prod uctively in the theoretical terms applied to the study of innovation a nd change, implementation of governmental policies, and professional a nd organizational learning.