Category: Maths and Science Learning

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Achievement K-12 Education Maths and Science Learning

The Impact of Mathematics and Science Professional Development on Teacher Knowledge, Instruction, and Student Achievement

A recent meta-analysis by Lynch and colleagues examined the effectiveness of professional development (Professional Development) interventions for mathematics and science teachers in grades PK-12. Analyzing 200 effect sizes for teacher outcomes and 126 effect sizes for student achievement from 46 experimental studies published from 2001 to 2024, the authors investigated how PD programs affect teachers’ knowledge and classroom instruction, and whether these changes translate into improved student learning.

The authors employed Hedges’s g as the effect size metric, using randomized controlled trial designs to ensure causal inference. PD interventions were categorized by their focus areas: improving teacher knowledge (content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge), content-specific and content-general instructional strategies, and content-specific formative assessment. The researchers also examined contextual factors such as intervention duration, inclusion of curriculum materials, and school demographics.

The results revealed a significant positive impact of PD on teacher outcomes (pooled average: +0.52 SD). Specifically, teacher knowledge improved by +0.52 SD and classroom instruction by +0.49 SD. Importantly, programs with larger impacts on teacher outcomes also demonstrated significantly larger effects on student achievement. A 1 SD improvement in teacher-level outcomes was associated with a +0.18 SD gain in student achievement. Notably, improvements in classroom instruction showed a stronger link to student learning (+0.24 SD) than knowledge gains (+0.08 SD, not statistically significant). PD programs explicitly focusing on teacher knowledge development (effect size difference: +0.18 SD) and content-specific formative assessment (+0.27 SD) showed significantly stronger impacts on classroom instruction. Interestingly, intervention duration and the inclusion of curriculum materials did not significantly moderate outcomes.

The findings underscore that the quality and specific focus of professional development matter more than duration. Schools should prioritize PD programs that explicitly target both teacher knowledge and instructional practices, particularly emphasizing formative assessment strategies. The strong link between improved instruction and student achievement validates investments in high-quality professional development as a lever for enhancing educational outcomes in mathematics and science.

Source (Open Access): Lynch, K., Gonzalez, K., Hill, H., & Merritt, R. (2025). A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence linking mathematics and science professional development interventions to teacher knowledge, classroom instruction, and student achievement. AERA Open, 11, 23328584251335302.https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251335302… Read the rest

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Effective Teaching Approach Maths and Science Learning Primary School Education

Spatially-Enhanced Science Instruction in Elementary Schools: Evidence from a Randomized Study

Gagnier et al. (2026) examine whether embedding spatial thinking practices into elementary science instruction can enhance teachers’ and students’ spatial skills. Rather than relying on stand-alone spatial training, the study evaluates a spatially-enhanced (SE) science curriculum that integrates five spatial strategies—gesture, spatial comparison, spatial language, sketching, and explicit visualization instruction—into daily classroom teaching. The intervention was implemented across an academic year with 35 third-grade teachers and 572 students from a large urban U.S. school district serving predominantly historically underrepresented populations.

Using a randomized design, teachers and students were assigned to one of three conditions: business-as-usual instruction, an NGSS-aligned curriculum (NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards), or an NGSS-aligned curriculum with embedded spatial enhancements. The NGSS-aligned curriculum emphasized core disciplinary ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts specified in NGSS, but did not include explicit instruction targeting spatial thinking. By contrast, the spatially-enhanced condition incorporated the same NGSS-aligned content while systematically embedding the five spatial strategies into instructional activities.

Pre- and post-assessments of spatial skills were administered to both teachers and students. Hierarchical linear regression results indicate that teachers exposed to the spatially-enhanced curriculum demonstrated significantly stronger gains in overall spatial reasoning, particularly in spatial visualization, compared with their counterparts in the other conditions. In contrast, student gains in spatial skills were more modest and did not consistently reach statistical significance.

The findings highlight teachers as a critical leverage point for spatially-enhanced instruction. By integrating spatial thinking into everyday science teaching and professional learning, the study demonstrates a feasible, curriculum-embedded approach to strengthening teachers’ spatial competencies. While student outcomes appear more sensitive to implementation and contextual factors, the research underscores the promise of spatially-enhanced curricula as a scalable pathway for enriching STEM instruction in elementary education.

Source (Open Access): Gagnier, K. M., Holochwost, S. J., Tomazin, L., Alsayegh, S., Fatahi, N., Gold, B., & Fisher, K. R. (2025). Spatially-enhanced science instruction in elementary school: Impacts on teachers’ and students’ spatial skills. Learning and Instruction, 102248.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102248… Read the rest

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Achievement Maths and Science Learning Secondary School Education

Flipped Classroom vs. Traditional Teaching in Enhancing Mathematics Achievement and Interest Among Secondary School Students

Using a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest–posttest control group design, this study investigated how a flipped classroom learning approach influences mathematics achievement and interest among senior secondary one students learning circle theorems in Igbo Etiti, Enugu State, Nigeria. It evaluated changes in mathematics achievement and mathematics interest among 86 students drawn from a population of 673 students in 15 public secondary schools, with 45 students in classes assigned to the flipped classroom condition and 41 in classes taught with the conventional method. Intact classes in two schools with functional ICT facilities and reliable electricity were randomly assigned at the class level to the experimental or control condition, and students completed a 20-item Mathematics Achievement Test and a 20-item Mathematics Interest Inventory, both validated and reliable, before and after a four-week instructional unit on circle theorems. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance with pretest scores as covariates to examine the effects of instructional approach and gender on posttest achievement and interest.

The results indicated that the flipped classroom produced substantially greater gains in mathematics achievement than the conventional method: the experimental group’s mean achievement scores increased from 60.8 to 86.1, compared with an increase from 62.0 to 64.7 in the control group, and the treatment effect was significant with a large effect size (partial eta squared = 0.585) and no significant main effect of gender. For mathematics interest, the flipped classroom group’s mean scores rose from 58.7 to 68.4, whereas the control group remained virtually unchanged (57.8 to 57.6), with a significant treatment effect and a large effect size (partial eta squared = 0.419) and no significant main effect of gender. Within the flipped classroom group, both male and female students improved in achievement (from 63.2 to 84.9 for males and from 58.8 to 87.2 for females) and in interest (from 57.5 to 68.9 for males and from 59.8 to 68.0 for females), and analysis of covariance showed no significant gender differences in posttest scores on either outcome. These findings show that the flipped classroom approach outperformed conventional teaching in enhancing both mathematics achievement and interest without creating gender disparities.

The findings suggest that providing video-based pre-class instruction combined with interactive, activity-oriented in-class learning enables students to engage more deeply with circle theorems, thereby improving both their performance in mathematics and their interest in the subject. The authors conclude that mathematics teachers should adopt the flipped classroom approach, especially for geometry topics such as circle theorems, and that educational authorities and professional bodies should organise workshops, seminars and in-service training to build teachers’ capacity to design and implement flipped instruction. They further recommend that school principals ensure adequate ICT resources and reliable power supply so that flipped classrooms can be implemented effectively to enhance students’ mathematics achievement and interest.

 

Source (Open Access): Egara, F. O., & Mosimege, M. (2024). Effect of flipped classroom learning approach on mathematics achievement and interest among secondary school students. Education and Information Technologies, 29(7), 8131-8150.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12145-1… Read the rest

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Language Development Maths and Science Learning Primary School Education

A systematic review and meta-analysis of ECEC process and structural quality and early primary academic competences

A protocol-guided systematic review and meta-analysis examined how components of early childhood education and care (ECEC) quality relate to children’s language and mathematics competences in the first two grades of primary school. 17 peer-reviewed studies met inclusion criteria, and 11 provided effect sizes for quantitative synthesis. The review addressed two questions: (1) To what extent do process and structural quality show direct associations with academic competences in grades 1 and 2, and do component-specific differences emerge across teacher–child relationships, interaction quality, classroom organization, instructional support, and pre-academic activities. (2) Do these associations vary across sample type, continent, or study quality when individual study characteristics are considered.

A meta-analytic approach was used to estimate pooled correlations. ECEC quality was operationalized as process quality and structural quality. Process quality included student–teacher relationships rated with the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale and observed interaction quality with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, as well as classroom organization, instructional support, and targeted pre-academic activities in language and mathematics. Structural quality included class size, child–teacher ratio, teacher qualification, and global environment ratings. Academic competences were assessed with standardized tests or teacher reports in language and mathematics during grades 1 and 2.

Findings showed a small positive pooled association between student–teacher relationships and interaction quality and later academic competences (k = 8, N = 9,896, Δ = .11, p < .001, 95% CI [.05, .18]). Heterogeneity was high (Q = 40.91, p < .001; I² = 77.70%). Subgroup contrasts by continent, sample type, and study quality were not statistically significant. Pre-academic activities and supports also showed a small positive pooled association (k = 4, N = 1,856, Δ = .07, p < .001, 95% CI [.02, .11]) with negligible heterogeneity (Q = 1.07, p > .05; I² = .01%). Structural quality showed a pooled association that was not statistically significant and was highly heterogeneous (k = 3, N = 17,804, Q = 44.96, p < .001; I² = 93.94%). Publication bias tests suggested no small-study effects for the process and pre-academic models, while funnel asymmetry and a significant Egger test indicated bias for the structural model. At the study level, results were mixed. Some analyses linked closeness in kindergarten to later reading and linked teacher certification specific to early childhood to higher grade-1 reading and mathematics, while many associations for class size and child–teacher ratio were null.

This evidence base offers practical guidance for improving early learning trajectories. It underscores the importance of strengthening teacher–child relationships, enriching interaction quality, and implementing purposeful pre-academic activities that support early literacy and foundational mathematics. Structural inputs remain important as enabling conditions, yet clearer and more consistent measurement is needed to establish their longer-term academic links. The findings support professional development that targets relational competencies, classroom organization, and instructional support, together with careful design and implementation of pre-academic practices to promote equitable and effective learning outcomes.

 

Source (Open Access): Rademacher, A., Bäker, N., von Düring, U., Hiltunen, V., & Goagoses, N. (2025). The effects of early childhood education and care quality on academic competences in early primary school: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 40(4), 1-31.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-01005-w… Read the rest

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Achievement Kindergarten Maths and Science Learning Primary School Education

Early Math Difficulties: Growth Trajectories and Predictive Factors from Kindergarten to Grade 4

Math learning difficulties (MD) have been recognized as a crucial aspect of students’ daily life and their future educational advancement. While many students demonstrate math difficulties as early as kindergarten, researchers have a lack of understanding of achievement trajectories and factors influencing mathematical growth. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten dataset (N ≈18,000), they investigated math achievement patterns among students with MD from kindergarten through fourth grade.

To address this, Gesuelli, Miller-Cotto, and Barbieri (2025) employed latent class growth analysis to examine trajectories among 4,287 students scoring at or below the 25th percentile (MD criterion) in kindergarten. Researchers analyzed five time points using standardized item response theory (IRT) scale scores, examining predictors including cognitive factors (working memory, cognitive flexibility), academic skills (reading achievement), demographics, teacher ratings, and school supports (individualized education programme status, instructional support).

The results revealed three distinct growth trajectories emerged: mild MD (68.81% of students), progressing from 16th to 20th percentile; moderate MD (24.03%), advancing from 5th to 11th percentile; and extensive MD (7.16%), remaining below 1st percentile despite growth. Better trajectories were predicted by higher reading achievement, stronger executive function skills, higher teacher ratings, and absence of kindergarten individualized education programmes . The study confirmed the Matthew effect, where students with lowest initial performance continued falling behind peers .

The author suggested that most students with early math difficulties show improvement potential, with the majority maintaining performance just below the MD threshold. However, they identified educational equity concerns, finding fewer underrepresented minority students received appropriate supports in fifth grade. Findings emphasize early identification and intervention importance, suggesting math interventions should address executive function alongside content and integrate reading support for maximum effectiveness.

 

Source: Gesuelli, K. A., Miller-Cotto, D., & Barbieri, C. A. (2025). Variability in math achievement growth among students with early math learning difficulties and the role of school supports. Journal of Educational Psychology.

https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000928… Read the rest

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Maths and Science Learning Primary School Education

Effects of Zearn Math and balancing analyses in large-scale trials

A new EdWorkingPaper from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University highlights not only the effects of Zearn Math, a digital K–8 platform, but also how education researchers balance confirmatory and exploratory analyses in large-scale trials. Conducted by the RAND Corporation, the two-year randomized controlled study involved more than 10,500 students in Grades 3 to 5 across 64 schools in a large urban Texas district. The study focused on the STAAR state assessment as its preregistered confirmatory outcome, given the test’s central role in Texas accountability policy and its alignment with grade-level standards. The NWEA MAP served as a preregistered exploratory outcome. Researchers use confirmatory outcomes in preregistration to indicate the primary outcomes they will use to test their key questions and interpret as the main evidence of impact. Exploratory outcomes can still have hypotheses and be preregistered, but they are typically secondary measures (like a district test vs. the state test) and are interpreted with more caution, helping researchers see if patterns replicate across measures without overclaiming from secondary data.

The study provides important context on Zearn Math’s implementation and usage patterns. Schools received beginning-of-year training, biweekly coaching for instructional leads, and classroom-level incentives to promote engagement. In the second year, usage increased substantially. By the final semester, most students met recommended weekly usage goals, and half completed the full sequence of on-grade-level lessons for the year. On the confirmatory STAAR outcomes, students in Zearn schools showed small positive effects, with effect sizes of +0.07 for all students and +0.10 for those who were below proficient at baseline. Although these results were not statistically significant, they may suggest improvement relative to business-as-usual practice.

Exploratory analyses of the MAP adaptive math assessment revealed larger and statistically significant effects, including an effect size of +0.13 for students who began below proficiency. While these results fall outside the preregistered plan and are reported with caution, they suggest that Zearn Math may support broader math learning that extends beyond grade-level benchmarks. Clearly identifying preregistered versus exploratory outcomes helps ground the study’s conclusions in rigor while still surfacing insights that can inform future research. Together, the consistent direction of the findings, strong second-year implementation, and significant exploratory gains suggest that Zearn Math holds promise for helping students, especially those below proficiency, build foundational skills and make progress in math.

 

Source: Pane, John F., Christopher Doss, Ivy Todd, and Dorothy Seaman. (2025). Efficacy of Zearn Math over two years in grades 3 to 5: An experiment in Texas. (EdWorkingPaper: 25-1211). https://doi.org/10.26300/e3bq-7g59… Read the rest