Ian D Westbury

Ian Westbury’s current program of research focuses on state-level curriculum-making and educational decision-making. He is completing a cross-national study of state-based curriculum-making in Illinois, Finland, Norway, Germany, and Switzerland and a study of the management of the NCLB supplemental services program by the Illinois State Board of Education. He is general editor of the Journal of Curriculum Studies.

My research agenda has focused on the interface between ideas about education and educational research and the institution of the (high) school. I have worked on this agenda as I have looked at (1) the relevance of the German Didaktik tradition for enhancing the idea of reflective teaching and (2) cross-cultural achievement in mathematics as seen comparatively and empirically in the IEA international math studies.

Currently my work has two foci: I am beginning a cross-national study of curriculum development which will involve a study of the development and implementation of the Illinois Standards; I am completing a study of school outcomes and their contexts in metro Chicago.

I teach courses in curriculum theory, educational assessment and evaluation, and web-based teaching in high school social studies.

I am General Editor of the Journal of Curriculum Studies.