Eight-Year Study --What is it?

The Eight-Year Study I would say was a huge eye opener for the United States. Even though,
like most discoveries in the U.S, it took a while to come to the realization and even longer for it to
take affect. The study was formed to solve a debate on yes changing the curricula of secondary
schools is necessary but how do we do so "without risking students' chances of being
admitted to college.... if the student don't follow the patterns of the college subjects, he probably
won't be accepted" ( March & Willis, 2007, p.50).
Many educators feared change in the curricula because they weren't sure of the affect on
college admission although many agreed the curricula needed a change. So they decided to test
it. You can say the Eight-Year study was the stepping stone for curricula instruction.
Whats the purpose of this study?
In order to test the hypothesis and answer the unanswered questions a commission was formed
through the PEA, the commission formulated two purposes: 1) to determine a relationship
between high school and college that could support reconstruction in high school curricula, and
2) through experimentation how the high schools of the U.S better serve it's youth (Marsh &
Willis, 2007).
Whats the conclusion?
The commission chose 30 schools/districts that would develop their own curricula, then those
students would be accepted into college disregarding their requirements and scores, they were
observed for eight years, four years of high school and four years of college.
The results proved that students coming from schools using individualized curricula were just as
prepared as students coming from schools using the traditional curricula, even showed to be
better prepared for real life situations.
Although, the results could have changed curricula around the country immediately, the country
became distracted by WWII, and found other issues more important than curricula.Later the
study made a huge impact on "undermining the basic assumptions of traditional school-centered
secondary school curricula...also provided a forum and training ground for many educators who

ultimately became leaders in the field of curricula" and who we now study and learn from
( Marsh & Willis, 2007, p.50).
How does it relate to the Child-Centered Pedagogy?
The study is related to the Child-Centered Pedagogy, because it was the first major stepping
stone to proving individual-centered curricula does not hinder academic achievement levels
among students. We are now encouraged in our studies as educators to develop individualized
curricula and instruction to better assist the needs of our students in our classrooms. Yes, some
districts provide the curriculum but it is up to the instructors to adapt that curricula to our
individual student's needs. Without this study and its outstanding results, we may not have had
the great research that followed and an increasing number of students that fall beneath the
cracks in the school system because their needs aren't being met.
March, C. and Willis, G. (2007). Curriculum: Alternative approaches, ongoing
issues. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson Education, Inc.