When I started designing my survey for my Wicked Problem Project (WPP), I thought I had my question nailed down. I quickly realized I didn’t. Back to the drawing board.
After refining, I landed on this:
Why is elementary curriculum typically structured in isolated, subject-specific programs instead of integrated frameworks that support cross-curricular learning?
Wicked, I know.
This question feels especially important right now. With teacher burnout and staff turnover high, asking educators to juggle multiple disconnected curriculum programs with minimal planning time feels unsustainable. What would it look like if, instead of five separate books, we had one cohesive framework?
Clarifying my problem helped me clarify my audience. While many stakeholders influence curriculum design, elementary teachers made the most sense as they live this structure every day.
Designing the survey was more layered than I expected. I included a filter question to ensure respondents teach multiple core subjects so my data aligns with my question. I also placed demographic questions at the end to avoid unintentionally priming responses, aligning with survey design research on question order and bias (Gehlbach, 2015). I balanced forced-choice and open-ended questions to gather both patterns and lived experiences.
Even small design choices were intentional. I chose a calming green background and a books-themed header to reflect the multiple programs that sparked this inquiry.
Ultimately, this process pushed me to think about alignment. My survey now reflects clarity, not just frustration. I’m curious to see what patterns emerge about the systems shaping elementary curriculum.
If you are an elementary teacher responsible for multiple core subjects, you’re welcome to take my survey here: Understanding Integrated Instruction.
References
Davis Bowman, J. (2015). Curriculum conversations: Do’s and don’ts. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/curriculum-conversations-dos-and-donts-jennifer-davis-bowman
Gehlbach, H. (2015). Seven survey sins. Journal of Early Adolescence, 35(5/6), 883–897.
Alexis Flanders 
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