The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction on Number Combination Skill in At-Risk First Graders

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the potential for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to enhance number combination skill among children with concurrent risk for math disability and reading disability. A secondary purpose was to examine the effects of CAI on spelling. At-risk students were assigned randomly to math or spelling CAI, which they received in 50 sessions over 18 weeks. Acquisition and transfer effects were assessed. The results indicated that math CAI was effective in promoting addition but not subtraction number combination skill and that transfer to arithmetic story problems did not occur. Spelling CAI effects were reliable on acquisition and transfer spelling measures, with small to moderate effect sizes on transfer to reading measures. These results provide the basis for additional work with larger samples.

Neural predictors of individual differences in response to math tutoring in primary-grade school children

“…math learning | intervention | prediction | multimodal neuroimaging | educational neuroscience M athematical problem solving skills are crucial for academic and professional success (1)(2)(3). Fluency with basic arithmetic provides a foundation upon which more complex skills are built (4)(5)(6). In the past two decades, math-tutoring programs designed to improve basic arithmetic fluency have been developed and tested in classroom and one-to-one tutoring settings (7)(8)(9)(10).…”

“…Behavioral studies of primary-grade school children by Fuchs and colleagues have shown that the combination of computer-aided intervention and one-to-one tutoring can significantly improve mathematical abilities (6,9). Critically, they found that interventions emphasizing number knowledge and speeded practice with efficient counting strategies can improve math skills in primary-grade school children (9,10,13).…”

Preventive Support for Kindergarteners Most At-Risk for Mathematics Difficulties: Computer-Assisted Intervention

“…In earlier CAI studies (other than NR), positive intervention effects in basic addition have been found in groups of at-risk children with performance below the 25th percentile (e.g., Baroody et al, 2012Baroody et al, , 2013Fuchs et al, 2006). Furthermore, the between-group comparison revealed a significant difference in gain scores of basic arithmetic, favoring the NR group.…”

“…As studies have shown individual variation in intervention responsiveness to be large in a group of children with MD (e.g., Dowker & Sigley, 2010;Fuchs et al, 2012;Geary, 2011), we would recommend examining the effects of a tailored, targeted training based on qualified screening assessments. The potential intervention benefits also should be followed by delayed assessments (e.g., Fuchs et al, 2006;Wilson et al 2009). In addition, game log data could provide more detailed information on an individual level, as well as generate insight into how children actually act while using the programs (see Käser et al, 2011 for more on using log file data in analyses of CAI effectiveness).…”

“…Researchers have conducted a similar study with significant effects for kindergarteners regarding the add-0 and add-1 rules (Baroody, Eiland, Purpura, & Reid, 2012). With the first graders at-risk for reading and math difficulties, the effect of CAI was significant for addition fact fluency (sum ≤ 18) (Fuchs et al, 2006). Children's basic arithmetic (Praet & Desoete, 2014), numeral recognition (McCollister, Burts, Wright, & Hildreth, 1986), enumeration (Ortega-Tudela & Gómez-Ariza, 2006), and symbolic comparison (Wilson, Dehaene, Dubois, & Fayol, 2009) skills have also been significantly enhanced by CAI.…”