As the education landscape evolves, an age-old question persists: How can we help students gain deeper levels of understanding and greater levels of proficiency? To answer this question, EDC has successfully extended the frontiers of knowledge of sound instructional design for over 60 years. With experienced teachers and students as our co-designers, we develop resources that make rigorous content relevant and accessible to all learners, close opportunity gaps, and enhance achievement. Our resources strengthen content knowledge, as well as fostering key workforce and employability skills such as problem solving, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. We build capacity to identify, select, implement, and scale and sustain the use of effective curricula—knowing that powerful curricula is necessary, but not sufficient, in school reform.
Interested? Contact us to learn how our instructional designers can help you advance your goals for students, and explore some of our current work:
Comprehensive Classroom Curricula
Digital Curricula and Instructional Resources
Curriculum-Embedded Assessment
Instructional Design for All Learners
Comprehensive Classroom Curricula
All students are naturally curious and capable learners. Guided by this belief, and drawing upon current research, we develop curricula that are academically challenging, align with current standards, and often combine disciplines to enrich students' learning. We also provide teachers with professional learning that supports them in implementing curricula and engaging students in rigorous learning that increases achievement. Featured projects:
- Beauty and Joy of Computing Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles Course
- EDC's Interdisciplinary Science and Literacy Resources
- Math for All
- Transition to Algebra
- Zoom In to History and Literacy Learning
Digital Curricula and Instructional Resources
Through research and development, we investigate how technology can support and improve what happens in classrooms. Digital curricula and instructional resources—challenging games, puzzles, Web adventures—seek to increase student engagement and motivation and enhance learning outcomes. To advance the field’s knowledge, we share our findings on how educators can effectively use these interactive learning environments to achieve their goals for students. Featured projects:
- iPuzzle
- Ocean Tracks and Ocean Tracks: College Edition
- Possible Worlds
- Real World, Real Science
- WebLabs
Curriculum-Embedded Assessment
Assessment can play a powerful role in improving achievement. Our curricula contain effective, ongoing forms of assessment that help educators accurately identify students’ challenges and strengths. Teachers use our approaches—problem-based learning, formative assessment, performance tasks, portfolios, and self-assessments as well as quizzes and tests—to observe learning over time and to refine their practices to meet students’ changing needs. Featured projects:
- Bringing Math Students into the Formative Assessment Equation
- EDC Earth Science
- FordPAS
- Law and Justice
- PARCC Performance Tasks
Instructional Design for All Learners
Many students—including those with disabilities and second language learners—are not engaged or well-served by traditional curricula. We believe that it is the right of all students to enjoy challenging, rigorous learning experiences. And, we believe that it is our responsibility to ensure they do. Our curriculum developers work to identify new ways to meet the needs of all learners—drawing upon universal design for learning (UDL), technology, and other methods. Featured projects:
- Foundations for Inclusive Practice Courses (developed for MA DESE)
- Mathematical Thinking and Communication: Access for English Learners
- Strengthening Mathematics Intervention Classrooms
We know that curriculum in and of itself cannot meet all education reform goals. Learn about our complementary professional development, research and evaluation, and technical assistance services.