Defining and Investigating the Need for High-Quality Instructional Materials in Social Studies

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young girl in classroom working at her desk

Social studies curricula are influenced by many political and social factors, including national policy discussions, states’ revisions to standards, and guiding frameworks. Many of these influences, as described in AIR’s report on the K‒12 social studies curriculum landscape, have sparked discussion about what curriculum materials are needed to address teacher needs and student learning outcomes. For instance, states and national organizations in the field are more frequently and seriously considering what high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) look like in social studies.

On January 30, 2025, AIR hosted a panel discussion with leaders in the field of social studies curriculum development on the state of HQIM in social studies. The discussion focused on the definition of HQIM, the current usage and challenges with HQIM, and lessons learned from other content areas. Policymakers, practitioners, technical assistance providers, and others interested in social studies curricula development attended this event.
 

Recording of Panel Discussion
 

 

Expert Panelists
 

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Courtney Alison

Courtney Allison 
Chief Academic Officer, Ed Reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Melissa Diliberti

Melissa Diliberti
Associate Policy Researcher, RAND
 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nicholas Kryczka

Nicholas Kryczka 
Scholar in Residence at the Newberry Library in Chicago

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moderators
 

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Courtney Gross

Courtney Gross 
Researcher, AIR

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kimberly Immel

Kimberly Imel
Researcher, AIR
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Files


For more information, visit AIR’s Standards and Assessment in Social Studies webpage.

Event Information
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