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The WWC review of elementary school mathematics curriculum-based interventions addresses student outcomes in mathematics achievement.
The Carroll (1998) study reported a statistically significant positive effect of Everyday Mathematics on geometric knowledge. After accounting for pretest differences between Everyday Mathematics students and comparison students, the WWC determined that this finding was substantively important but not statistically significant. Based on this study finding, the WWC categorized the effect of Everyday Mathematics on geometric knowledge as being a substantively important positive effect.4
The Riordan and Noyce (2001) study reported a statistically significant positive effect of Everyday Mathematics on overall math achievement. Using school-level data provided by the authors, the WWC determined that this finding was statistically significant for the 48 early-implementing schools. For the 19 later-implementing schools, however, the WWC determined the finding to be not statistically significant. Based on this study finding, the WWC categorized Everyday Mathematics as having a statistically significant positive effect on overall math achievement for the 48 early-implementing schools and an indeterminate effect for the 19 later-implementing schools.
The Waite (2001) study reported a statistically significant positive effect of Everyday Mathematics on overall math achievement. After accounting for the misalignment between the school as the unit of assignment and the student as the unit of analysis, the WWC determined that this finding was substantively important but not statistically significant. Based on this study finding, the WWC categorized the effect of Everyday Mathematics on overall math achievement as being a substantively important positive effect. The Waite study reported subtest results (concepts, operations, and problem solving). After WWC calculations, these results were found to be positive but not statistically significant. The subtest analyses do not factor into the rating.
The Woodward and Baxter (1997) study reported no significant effect of Everyday Mathematics on overall math achievement. After accounting for pretest differences between Everyday Mathematics students and comparison students, the WWC confirmed this finding. Based on this study finding, the WWC categorized the effect of Everyday Mathematics on overall math achievement as indeterminate. The study also reported subtest results (computation, concepts, and problem solving) and found a statistically significant positive effect on the concepts subtest. WWC calculations revealed a substantively important, but not statistically significant, positive effect for the concepts subtest and a substantively important, but not statistically significant, negative effect for the computations subtest. The subtest analyses do not factor into the rating.
Four studies examined outcomes in math achievement: One study (Riordan & Noyce, 2001, 48 early-implementing schools) found statistically significant and positive effects. Three studies (Riordan & Noyce, 2001, 19 later-implementing schools; Carroll, 1998; Waite, 2001) found positive effects. And one study (Woodward & Baxter, 1997) found indeterminate effects.
The WWC rates interventions as positive, potentially positive, mixed, no discernible effects, potentially negative, or negative. The rating of effectiveness takes into account four factors: the quality of the research design, the statistical significance of the findings (as calculated by the WWC), the size of the differences between participants in the intervention condition and the comparison condition, and the consistency of the findings across studies (see the WWC Intervention Rating Scheme). The WWC found Everyday Mathematics to have potentially positive effects on math achievement.
|Institute of Education Sciences
