Vertical and Horizontal
Running head: VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ORGANIZATION
Analysis 5: Vertical and Horizontal Organization of the Iowa Core Curriculum
J. Michael Dillon
Walden University
Curriculum Theory and Design
EDUC-8807-001
Dr. Linda Crawford, Professor
10-12-08
Week 6
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Vertical and Horizontal
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Analysis 5: Vertical and Horizontal Organization of the Iowa Core Curriculum
Posner (2004) stated that a curriculum can be organized in many ways, but the vertical
and horizontal arrangements are significant characteristics that frame the structure of that
curriculum. An analysis of the vertical and horizontal components can shed light on the intent
behind the sequencing for how content should be presented as well as the relationships between
different areas of content. In order to gain a better understanding of the organization of the Iowa
Core Curriculum, the mathematics portion will be analyzed with respect to the vertical and
horizontal components of the curricular framework.
Vertical Organization
In general, the vertical organization of a curriculum refers to the sequencing of content
and provides guidance regarding the order in which the content is presented (Posner, 2004). The
Iowa Core Curriculum is designed to be a general document that local school districts will use as
a guide for reforming their mathematics curricula. For this reason, the document lacks a distinct
vertical structure. The authors of the curriculum simply outline the key characteristics that each
strand of the math content should include. For example, the area of algebra should include
instruction on functions, equations and inequalities, expressions, rates, and recursion (Iowa
Department of Education, 2006). Curriculum teams for individual school districts are left with
the responsibility of determining how various topics (i.e. coordinates, geometric properties,
trigonometry, and so on in the area of geometry) within each area should be sequenced. Each
district must also determine how the various areas will be sequenced with respect to one another.
Horizontal Organization
In the same way that the Iowa Core Curriculum lacks a specific vertical framework for
content sequencing, limited details are provided for the horizontal organization. Horizontal
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organization refers to areas of the content that are taught simultaneously (Posner, 2004). The
authors describe the topics that should be found in a “world-class mathematics curriculum”
(Iowa Department of Education, 2006, p. 6), but they refrain from specifically stating how these
topics should be arranged alongside of one another. Individual school districts must determine if
and how the various areas of the content can be aligned concurrently.
Integrated Curriculum
The description of the mathematics content lacks specific direction regarding the
sequencing and alignment of the essential topics. However, the authors of the Iowa Core
Curriculum do provide an indication for how individual districts should consider developing the
vertical and horizontal organization—an integrated mathematics curriculum. An integrated
curriculum does not present content through distinct classes that center around specific topics,
but, instead, it presents material in a manner that ties the various content strands together through
common ideas, themes, and/or units (Iowa Department of Education, 2006). The Iowa
Department of Education stressed that an integrated mathematics curriculum not only reflects a
high-quality curriculum but is also essential in order for American students to keep pace with
their counterparts from other countries.
A structure based on integration has implications for both the vertical and horizontal
organization of the curriculum. From a vertical perspective, school districts might consider a
spiral-type curriculum where the various mathematical strands are revisited throughout a
student’s mathematical career. With respect to horizontal organization, concepts rooted in areas
such as algebra, geometry, and statistics may be incorporated simultaneously in the course of
learning, problem-solving, and the application of ideas in specific situations. As individual
school districts reorganize curriculum along the guidelines set forth by the Iowa Department of
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Education, they will be required to think carefully about how to sequence the content and how to
unify the various strands into educational units where various skills can be learned and utilized
simultaneously.
Summary
The curriculum provides details about the content that students are expected to learn.
Beyond the actual content, though, the sequencing and alignment for how that content is
presented has a significant impact on the learning process. Therefore, curriculum developers
must carefully consider both the vertical and horizontal organization of the curriculum. The
Iowa Core Curriculum is a general description of mathematical content that individual school
districts across the state will be expected to use as a guideline for reorganization. Although the
document does not provide specific organizational details, a curricular design based on
integrated content is strongly emphasized. Therefore, individual school districts will be expected
to carefully examine how the mathematics content is organized in order to achieve the goal of a
“world-class mathematics curriculum” (Iowa Department of Education, 2006, p. 6).
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References
Iowa Department of Education. (2006). Iowa high school mathematics model core curriculum.
Retrieved September 13, 2008, from
http://www.iowamodelcore.org/docs/Mathematics%20Model%20Core%20Curriculum.p
df.
Posner, G. J. (2004). Analyzing the curriculum (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.