The Impact of Subject Matter on Curricular Activity: An Analysis of Five Academic Subjects

Abstract

This article tests a framework connecting features of subject matter with curricular activities among high school teachers of five academic subjects. Using survey responses, it compares the conceptions of subject matter (defined, static, sequential) and curricular activities (coordination, coverage, consensus on content, standardization, course rotation, etc.) of English, social studies, science, math, and foreign language teachers from 16 high schools. Teachers differ in their perceptions of their subjects as defined, sequential, and static. For example, math and foreign language teachers score higher on those features than other teachers. In turn, certain curricular activities seem to differ depending on subject features. For example, in sequential subjects, teachers report more coordination with colleagues and more press for coverage of content than in less sequential subjects. Implications for research and policy are presented.