Category: Maths and Science Learning

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Kindergarten Maths and Science Learning Programme Evaluation

Cardinal number knowledge and finger counting

A recent pretest-training-posttest study of three-year-old numerical development by Orrantia and colleagues provides insight on the role of finger patterns in the acquisition of cardinality. The study consisted of 51 children randomly assigned to one of two separate classrooms, each with a similarly qualified teacher.

The instructional technique practiced in the first classroom consisted of the teacher first labeling a set’s quantity on flashcard for the class, then having the class count the set aloud while the teacher pointed to each item, and finally having the children point to their own cards, count, and label. The authors identified this as the label-count-label (LCL) condition and effectively used this classroom as the control group. The technique in the second classroom followed the same pattern, but each step was supplemented with the teacher and students holding up the corresponding number of fingers for each quantity, which the authors identified as the LCL-plus-finger condition.

A variety of tests were conducted to serve as control variables, but the primary test of interest in the study was the Give-N Task. In this exercise, a child had a set of 15 balls and was asked to first give one ball to a plastic bear, then two balls, and so on until the child was unable to produce the correct number of balls. A pretest of this task was conducted and children who were able to correctly produce five or more balls (12 percent of children in the study) were not included in the analysis, as they were determined to already have an understanding of cardinality prior to instruction.

  • Children in the classroom using the LCL-plus-finger technique outperformed children in the classroom using the LCL technique on the posttest.
  • Analyses comparing the gains from pretest to posttest indicate that children in the classroom using the LCL-plus-finger technique demonstrated significant improvement in the number of balls accurately produced while gains for children in the classroom using the LCL technique were less apparent.

This study, while limited in size, suggests that the understanding of cardinality can be supported with relatively simple and practical classroom approaches.

 

Source (Open Access): Orrantia, J., Muñez, D., Sanchez, R., & Matilla, L. (2022). Supporting the understanding of cardinal number knowledge in preschoolers: Evidence from instructional practices based on finger patterns. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 61, 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.05.009… Read the rest

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Maths and Science Learning Programme Evaluation Secondary School Education

Evaluation of an online computer programming training approach with precision feedback

Due to the rapid development of information technology, acquiring programming knowledge is growing in prominence, and computation thinking becomes a fundamental skill for children just like reading and math. Using the Two-Tier Test-Based Programming Training (T3PT) approach, Hwang and Tung developed an online learning system for beginners and conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effect of the system on secondary school students’ computer programming learning.

The Two-Tier Test-Based Programming Training (T3PT) consists of two tiers of questions:

  • The first tier assesses students’ understanding of the programming concept
  • The second tier investigates the reasons for students’ choice in the first tier test to detect whether students have misconceptions about the programming.

The learning system then, based on students’ responses, provides timely precise feedback to students to enhance their understanding of the correct concepts of programming logic.

Two classes of 99 eighth grade students (mean age = 14.2) from Taiwan were divided into an experimental group (n=49, female = 21) and a control group (n=50, female = 24). Students in the experimental group used a learning system based on the T3PT approach, while the control group used a conventional learning system. Both groups were taught by the same teacher using content of Scratch programming for 90-minute learning over 2 weeks. Authors designed measures that were used to assess students’ programming knowledge and programming logic. Problem-solving awareness was assessed with a self-reported questionnaire. The results indicated that:

  • After controlling for pre-test scores, there was no significant difference between the two groups in programming knowledge w.r.t. memory-type questions (ES = 0.21). However, the T3PT approach was significantly better than the conventional approach in terms of programming logic-type questions (ES = 0.46).
  • After controlling for pre-test scores, the experimental group had significantly higher problem-solving awareness than the control group (ES = 0.47).
  • By comparing responses after the training, students in the experimental group had higher satisfaction with the learning approach than the control group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of technology acceptance.

Though the results of this study may not be able to be generalized because of the small sample size, short experimental period, and author designed measures based on learning content, this study does provide preliminary evidence of the impact of the T3PT approach on students’ programming learning achievement. The authors believed this approach can be extended to other environments, such as game-based learning or cooperative learning.

 

Source: Hwang, G. J., Tung, L. H., & Fang, J. W. (2022). Promoting students’ programming logic and problem-solving awareness with precision feedback: A two-tier test-based online programming training approach. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 07356331221087773. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331221087773… Read the rest

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Maths and Science Learning Primary School Education Programme Evaluation Secondary School Education

The best of two worlds: A systematic review on combining real and virtual experiments in science education

A recent study published in the Review of Educational Research examined the relative effectiveness of combining real and virtual experiments versus a single type of experimentation, and which sequence of real and virtual experiments was most effective for the acquisition of scientific literacy.

In contrast to previous reviews focusing on a comparison of real experiments (RE, hands-on with actual materials) versus virtual experiments (VE, interactive computer simulation), in this review the authors focused on the effects of combining RE and VE.

The results were based on a sample of 42 studies meeting the inclusion criteria set. In relation to the relative effectiveness of combining real and virtual experiments compared with a single type of experimentation, the results showed that:

  • Twenty-five of the 30 studies reported a significant advantage of the experimental groups that used RE and VE in combination, compared to control groups that used only one single experiment type for learning.
  • Four studies reported no difference between the combination groups and the single experiment groups.
  • Only one study reported an advantage of the single RE compared to the combination of a VE preceding the RE.

In relation to which sequences of combined RE and VE were most effective, the results of 18 studies were very mixed:

  • Three studies found an advantage of VE-RE, whereas three other studies found an advantage of RE-VE.
  • The remaining 12 studies found no difference between different sequences.

These results of this review are limited due to the use of “vote-counting”, which doesn’t allow the results of the individual studies to be statistically combined.  Even so, no clear conclusion could be drawn about which sequence of experiments was the most effective for conceptual understanding in science.

 

Source (Open Access): Wörner, S., Kuhn, J., & Scheiter, K. (2022). The best of two worlds: A systematic review on combining real and virtual experiments in science education. Review of Educational Research, 00346543221079417. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543221079417… Read the rest

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Maths and Science Learning Programme Evaluation

Mathematics summer learning

Open notepad, fractions, chart, pencils on a beige background. Close up parts of yellow math fractions. Back to school, fun study, mathematics

A recent meta-analysis by Lynch and colleagues provides fresh insight on contemporary research focused on the effects of summer programs for mathematics. The authors noted that studies cited in previous meta-analyses of the effects of summer programs on mathematics achievement are now approximately 20 years old, and thus a new meta-analysis on the topic was warranted. The authors used data from 37 studies to analyze the effects of summer programs on mathematics achievement, the characteristics of summer programs which moderate their effectiveness, and the relationship between summer learning programs and noncognitive outcomes. The primary finding of the meta-analysis was shown below.

  • Summer programs demonstrated an overall positive effect (ES = +0.10) on all mathematics outcomes
  • A positive effect (ES = +0.10) also found on standardized mathematics test scores.
  • For context, this is equivalent to approximately a 4 percentile point difference on a standardized test.

Delving more into the details of these summer programs, the analysis found that:

  • Average effect sizes were larger for programs focused specifically on mathematics than for those with a more general academic focus.
  • Programs focused on work from textbooks were less effective than those that did not incorporate textbook work.
  • Moreover, students who participated in summer programs performed better in noncognitive skills, but only eight studies in the analysis included these noncognitive measures.

This meta-analysis provides a better understanding of the impacts of summer school in the context of more recent schooling experiences and provides a much-needed update to the literature. Despite demonstrating that certain aspects of summer school were more effective than others, the authors pointed out that programs with less effective elements (e.g., textbooks) were still more effective than the absence of summer programs. The authors connected these findings to the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that summer programs may be a valuable tool in helping students catch up on material missed during school closures.

 

Source: Lynch, K., An, L., & Mancenido, Z. (2022). The impact of summer programs on student mathematics achievement: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 00346543221105543. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543221105543… Read the rest

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Maths and Science Learning Programme Evaluation Secondary School Education

Doubling down to improve school climate

A recent study by Grant and colleagues evaluated the effect of implementing Restorative Practices and Diplomas Now on school climate and teachers’ intentions to leave their school. Restorative Practices refers to a schoolwide shift away from punitive disciplinary methods and toward open dialogue that allows students to make amends by processing how their behavior affects others. Diplomas Now, another schoolwide reform model, focuses on building collaborative teacher teams, providing professional development, using early warning systems to provide students with tiered supports, and incorporating all supports by providing additional human resources to accomplish the work. It was hypothesized that when implemented together, the interventions would have a positive effect on school climate by improving student-teacher relationships, providing students with relevant and engaging learning opportunities, and increasing teacher retention.

The analytic sample for the study included 25 schools from large urban school districts that were randomly assigned to either implement both interventions or continue business as usual (control group). For the school climate measure, students and teachers responded to a survey designed for each stakeholder group. The intervention was implemented over two years. Because whole-school reform is complex and challenging to implement long-term, schools varied in their level of execution. Thus, Grant and colleagues conducted an intent-to-treat analysis. This means that they compared the average effect of intervention schools to the average effect of control schools without considering differences in implementation fidelity.

The study found that students and teachers in schools that implemented both programs reported perceiving a more positive school climate than in the control group (student ES= +0.15; teacher ES= +0.27). However, the study did not find that implementing both programs was associated with teachers’ intentions to continue working in their schools. Although modest, these findings suggest that implementing Restorative Practices in conjunction with Diplomas Now can have a positive effect on student and teacher perceptions of school climate such that teachers and students believe they have the support they need to be successful.

 

Source: Grant, A. A., Mac Iver, D. J., & Mac Iver, M. A. (2022). The impact of Restorative Practices with Diplomas Now on school climate and teachers’ turnover intentions: Evidence from a cluster multi-site randomized control trial. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 15(3), 445–474. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2021.2018745… Read the rest

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Effective Teaching Approach Maths and Science Learning

Comparing mathematical games

In a recent meta-analysis, Gulsah Kacmaz and Adam K. Dubé analyzed the findings from 26 studies on mathematical games to better understand the types of pedagogical approaches supported in mathematical games, the types of mathematical knowledge emphasized in these games, and the overall effectiveness of different varieties of games. The authors suggest the improvement of mathematical games may bolster performance in math while appealing to the interests of students. However, the abundance of choices and inability to separate effective and ineffective mathematical games has limited their utility.

The most common pedagogical approach in the studies reviewed was direct instruction (n = 10), followed by experiential learning (n = 7), discovery learning (n = 3), and constructivist learning (n = 3), leaving 3 studies unclassified. The strongest effects were noted for direct instruction (g = 0.51), followed by experiential learning (g = 0.46), discovery learning (g = 0.24), and constructivist learning (g = 0.21). All effects were significant (p < .001).

Many of the studies focused on more than one type of mathematical knowledge, with conceptual knowledge being the most popular (n = 19), followed by factual knowledge (n = 12), and procedural knowledge (n = 6). Of the studies focused on direction instruction, 5 focused on factual knowledge and showed a significant effect (g = 0.58, p < .001). The other studies focused on a combination of knowledge types but did not demonstrate significant effects. Of the studies focused on experiential learning, 4 focused on conceptual knowledge and showed a significant effect (g = 0.47, p = .011). Of the studies focused on discovery learning, 2 focused on a combination of procedural and conceptual knowledge and showed a significant effect (g = 0.36, p < .001). Finally, of the studies focused on constructivist learning, all 3 focused on conceptual knowledge and showed a significant effect (g = 0.21, p < .001).

Thus, games based upon a direct instructional approach demonstrate the strongest effects, but also are generally limited to a focus on factual knowledge. Games focused on other instructional approaches show smaller effects but may also be better suited for procedural and conceptual knowledge acquisition. More studies on the combination of different pedagogical approaches and mathematical knowledge types may be needed to further elucidate these effects.

 

Source:
Kacmaz, G., & Dubé, A. K. (2022). Examining pedagogical approaches and types of mathematics knowledge in educational games: A meta-analysis and critical review. Educational Research Review, 35, 100428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100428… Read the rest