Effects of an online collaborative elementary math program using team-based games to improve student math achievement, attitude and motivation.

Abstract

The U.S. mathematics education system is failing to produce enough technically skilled workers for it to stay globally competitive. One of the key problems is that U.S. students are not learning the foundational math skills they need during the elementary school years. This research study evaluated the effects of an online collaborative elementary math program using team-based games (Sokikom) to improve student math achievement, attitude and motivation. The research questions focus was on achievement, attitude and motivation. Sokikom, (pronounced so-kee-kom) is an online collaborative math program developed through grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), where elementary students help each other learn through a team-based game as well as adaptive, independent learning games. Though a quasi-experimental design, the researchers studied the effects of using Sokikom for 1 year in 2 elementary schools in Oxnard, CA. Specifically, effects on students' mathematics achievement as measured through the end-of-year CA state test. The results showed that there was a significant and positive association between the number of new lessons mastered and mathachievement as measured by the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores (p<.0001), which use the Smarter Balanced Assessment. For each additional new lesson mastered a student's CAASPP math score increased 0.58 points. Notably the change in mean on the CAASPP score and the students' intrinsic motivation to learn math. End of study data showed students that used Sokikom reliably, had significantly higher CAASPP math scores (18% higher) than other students, independent of teacher or school. In addition, students that used Sokikom reliably had more than twice the amount of students that significantly improved motivation and attitude toward learning mathematics compared to other students independent of teacher or school. The research study also examined the effect reliable-use of Sokikom had on positively changing student math motivation and attitudes for students who find math difficult and boring and students who are curious and excited about math. The latent transition analysis(LTA) findings showed a higher probability of transitioning from the subgroup that found math difficult and boring to the subgroup that were curious and excited about math was for students who used Sokikom reliably, suggesting that Sokikom may have had a positive impact on students’ math motivation. For the treated group, the probability of transitioning from the subgroup that found math difficult and boring to the subgroup of students who were curious and excited about math was 0.29, from Time 1 to Time 2. By contrast for the intent to treat group, the probability of transition from the subgroup that found math difficult and boring to the subgroup of students who were curious and excited was 0.14, from Time 1 to Time 2. In general, this research study found that regular use of an online collaborative elementary math game program (Sokikom) by elementary students has the potential to improve math achievement and provide positive motivation in the learning of mathematics.