A Study of the Relative Effectiveness of Two Types of Standard Arithmetic Practice Materials

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to accurately determine which of two types of drill material is most effective in developing skill in arithmetic computation as measured by the Public School Achievement Tests. As one of material included problems in arithmetic reasoning with those in arithmetic computation, it was decided that a measurement of the growth of arithmetic reasoning ability would indicate the value, if any, of problems of this type. For several years a of drill or practice material in arithmetic computation, referred to in this study as type material, has been used successfully in the Ithaca public schools. second of practice material designated as type in this study, has been represented as possessing certain advantages that result in greater pupil achievement. These advantages are principally of form, visibility, arrangement, print ing, and content. As the B material includes provision for formal practice in arithmetic reasoning, as indicated above, the scores in this field are included to indicate its effect. The practice materials, both A and B, together with the tests used to measure achievement in this study may be briefly described as follows :