Adherence to mathematics professional standards and instructional design criteria for problem-solving in mathematics

This study investigated the extent to which teaching the recommended methods for problem-solving presented in third-grade mathematics textbooks adhered to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards and instructional design criteria. Results indicated that there were more variations than similarities within and across textbooks in meeting the Standards. In terms of the instructional design criteria, most were satisfied in only two textbooks and few discrepancies were evident across the textbooks that were evaluated. For example, instructional design criteria of clarity of objectives, sufficient teaching examples, and nonexamples were met in less than half of the textbooks. Additional findings and implications for practitioners meeting the diverse needs of students with learning problems are discussed.