Professor Emeritus, Curriculum & Instruction
College of Education
1310 S. Sixth Street (mail code 708)
Champaign (UIUC Campus Mail), IL 61820
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.
Sivesind, K., & Westbury, I. (2016). State-based curriculum-making, Part I. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(6), 744-756. link >
Sivesind, K., & Westbury, I. (2016). State-based curriculum work and curriculum-making: Norway’s Læreplanverket 1997. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(6), 766-782. link >
Westbury, I., Aspfors, J., Fries, A. V., Hansén, S. E., Ohlhaver, F., Rosenmund, M., & Sivesind, K. (2016). Organizing curriculum change: an introduction*. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(6), 729-743. link >
Westbury, I. (2016). State-based curriculum-making: the Illinois Learning Standards. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(6), 783-802. link >
Westbury, I., & Sivesind, K. (2016). State-based curriculum-making, Part 2, the tool-kit for the state’s curriculum-making. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(6), 757-765. link >
Westbury, I. (2016). Talk, decisions, and action in curriculum-making: reflections on the ILS and L97 case studies. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(6), 803-814. link >
Westbury, I. (2013). Reading Schwab's the 'Practical' as an invitation to a curriculum enquiry. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45(5), 640-651. link >
Westbury, I., Hopmann, S. T., & Waks, L. J. (2008). Making curricula: Why do states make curricula, and how? In The SAGE Handbook of Curriculum and Instruction (pp. 45-65). SAGE Publishing. link >
Westbury, I., & Milburn, G. (2006). Introduction: Rethinking schooling-twenty-five years of the Journal Of Curriculum Studies. In Rethinking Schooling: Twenty-Five Years of the Journal of Curriculum Studies (pp. 1-6). Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. link >
Westbury, I., & Milburn, G. (2006). Rethinking schooling: Twenty-five years of the Journal of Curriculum Studies. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. link >
Westbury, I. (2005). Reconsidering Schwab's "practicals": A response to Peter Hlebowitsh's "Generational Ideas in Curriculum: A Historical Triangulation". Curriculum Inquiry, 35(1), 89-101. link >
Westbury, I., Hansén, S. E., Kansanen, P., & Björkvist, O. (2005). Teacher education for research-based practice in expanded roles: Finland's experience. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 49(5), 475-485. link >
Westbury, I. (2003). Evaluating a National Curriculum Reform. In P. Haug, & T. A. Schwandt (Eds.), Evaluating Educational Reforms: Scandinavian Perspectives (pp. 189-208). (Evaluation and Society). Information Age Publishing Inc..
Westbury, I. (2002). Introduction: Toward an Understanding of the "Aims" of Music Education. In R. Colwell, & C. Richardson (Eds.), The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning: A Project of the Music Educators National Conference (pp. 105-112). Oxford University Press.
Westbury, I., & Osborne, M. D. (2002). JOSEPH J. SCHWAB 1910–88. In L. Bresler, D. Cooper, & J. Palmer (Eds.), Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education: From Piaget to the Present Day (pp. 73-79). Routledge. link >
Westbury, I. (2002). “The Educational Situation as Concerns the Elementary School”: Implications for Our Time. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 17(2), 120-129.
Westbury, I. (2002). Theory, Research, and the Improvement of Music Education. In R. Colwell, & C. Richardson (Eds.), The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning: A Project of the Music Educators National Conference (pp. 144-161). Oxford University Press.
Westbury, I. (2000). Introduction. In P. Menck (Ed.), Looking Into Classrooms: Papers on Didactics (pp. xi-xx). Ablex.
Westbury, I., Hopmann, S., & Riquarts, K. (1999). Preface. In I. Westbury, S. Hopmann, & K. Riquarts (Eds.), Teaching as a Reflective Practice: The German Didaktik Tradition (pp. ix-xiii). Taylor and Francis.
Westbury, I. (1999). Teaching as a reflective practice: What Might Didaktik teach curriculum? In Teaching As A Reflective Practice: The German Didaktik Tradition (pp. 15-40). Taylor and Francis. link >
Westbury, I., Hopmann, S., & Riquarts, K. (1999). Teaching As A Reflective Practice: The German Didaktik Tradition. Taylor and Francis. link >
Westbury, I. (1999). The Burdens and the Excitement of the “New” Curriculum Research: A Response to Hlebowitsh’s “The Burdens of the New Curricularist”. Curriculum Inquiry, 29(3), 363-364.
Laih, H. L., & Westbury, I. (1998). The transformation of Taiwan's upper secondary education system: A policy analysis. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 6.
Westbury, I. (1998). Didaktik and Curriculum Studies. In B. B. Gundem, & S. Hopmann (Eds.), Didaktik and/or Curriculum: An International Dialogue (pp. 47-78). (American University Studies). Peter Lang Publishing.
Westbury, I. (1997). Editorial. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 29(3), 257-258. link >
Westbury, I., & Hsu, C. (1996). Does State Control of the Curriculum Matter? A Response to Stevenson and Baker. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 18(4), 343-347. link >
Westbury, I., & Hsu, C. S. (1996). Structures of curriculum governance and classroom practice in mathematics. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 18(2), 123-139. link >
Westbury, I., Ethington, C. A., Sosniak, L. A., & Baker, D. P. (Eds.) (1994). In Search of More Effective Mathematics Education: Examining data from the IEA Second International Mathematics Study. Ablex.
Westbury, I. (1993). American and Japanese Achievement … Again: A Response to Baker. Educational Researcher, 22(3), 21-25. link >
Westbury, I. (1992). Comparing American and Japanese Achievement: Is the United States Really a Low Achiever? Educational Researcher, 21(5), 18-24. link >
Westbury, I., & Doyle, W. (1992). Die Rückbesinnung auf den Unterrichtsinhalt in der Curriculum- und Bildungsforschung in den USA. Bildung und Erziehung, 45(2), 137-158. link >
Travers, K., & Westbury, I. (Eds.) (1988). The IEA Study of Mathematics I: Analysis of Mathematics Curricula. Pergamon Press.
Westbury, I., & Purves, A. C. (1988). Cultural Literacy and the Idea of General Education. University of Chicago Press.
Westbury, I. (1988). How should we be judging the American high school. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 20(4), 291-315. link >
Damerow, P., & Westbury, I. (1985). Mathematics for All - Problems and Implications. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 17(2), 175-184. link >
Westbury, I. (1984). A nation at risk. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 16(4), 431-445. link >
Westbury, I., & Reid, W. A. (1984). Foreword. In L. Anderson (Ed.), Time and School Learning: Theory, Research and Practice (pp. vii-viii). Taylor and Francis. link >
Westbury, I. (1983). How Can Curriculum Guides Guide Teaching? Introduction to the Symposium. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 15(1), 1-4. link >
Reid, W. A., & Westbury, I. (1982). Foreword. In J. Olson (Ed.), Innovation in the Science Curriculum: Classroom Knowledge and Curriculum Change (pp. 1-2). Taylor and Francis.
Westbury, I. (1982). EDUCATING. Educational Theory, 32(2), 97-101. link >
Westbury, I. (1980). Review Article - Ideology and Curriculum. Educational Theory, 30(2), 169-175. link >
Westbury, I. (1980). The Impact of the Journal of Curriculum Studies: a Citation Analysis. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 12(2), 149-156. link >
Schwab, J. J., Westbury, I. (Ed.), & Wilkof, N. J. (Ed.) (1978). Science, Curriculum, and Liberal Education: Selected Essays. University of Chicago Press.
Westbury, I. (1978). Research into Classroom Processes: a Review of Ten Years ’ Work. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 10(4), 283-308. link >
Westbury, I. (1977). Educational Policy-Making in New Contexts: The Contribution of Curriculum Studies. Curriculum Inquiry, 7(1), 3-18. link >
Arlin, M., & Westbury, I. (1976). The leveling effect of teacher pacing on science content mastery. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 13(3), 213-219. link >
McKinney, W. L., & Westbury, I. (1975). Stability and change: The Public Schools of Gary, Indiana, 1940-70. In W. A. Reid, & D. F. Walker (Eds.), Case Studies in Curriculum Change: Great Britain and the United States (pp. 1-53). Taylor and Francis Inc.. link >
Westbury, I. (1973). Conventional Classrooms, “Open” Classrooms and the Technology of Teaching. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 5(2), 99-121. link >
Westbury, I. (1972). The Character of a Curriculum for a "Practical" Curriculum. Curriculum Theory Network, (10), 25-36. link >
Westbury, I., & Steimer, W. (1971). Curriculum: A Discipline in Search of Its Problems. The School Review, 79(2), 243-267.
Westbury, I. (1970). Curriculum evaluation. Review of Educational Research, 40(2), 239-260. link >
Westbury, I. (1969). Essay Review: "A System for Analysing Lessons". The School Review, 77(2), 157-163. link >
Westbury, I. (1966). Supervision and the careers of teachers a Canadian study. Melbourne Studies in Education, 9(1), 96-127. link >
Westbury, I. (1961). The Sydney and Melbourne arts courses, 1852–1861. Melbourne Studies in Education, 5(1), 256-284. link >