Research

Fourteen studies reviewed by the WWC investigated the effects of Cognitive Tutor ^® Algebra I. One study (Ritter, Kulikowich, Lei, McGuire, & Morgan, 2007) is a randomized controlled trial that meets WWC evidence standards. The remaining 13 studies do not meet either WWC evidence standards or eligibility screens.

Meets evidence standards

Ritter, Kulikowich, Lei, McGuire, & Morgan (2007) randomly assigned algebra course sections to the intervention or control curriculum to assess the impact of Cognitive Tutor ^® Algebra I on the math achievement of ninth-grade students in three suburban junior high schools in Oklahoma. During the 2000–01 school year, ten Cognitive Tutor ^® Algebra I classrooms were compared with nine classrooms using McDougal-Littell’s Heath Algebra I, a traditional, teacher-directed curriculum. The analysis sample for the end-of-course algebra assessment included ten Cognitive Tutor ^® Algebra I classrooms (153 students) and six traditional classrooms (102 students).⁶ Each of six study teachers taught both Cognitive Tutor ^® Algebra I and traditional classrooms.

Meets evidence standards with reservations

No studies meet evidence standards with reservations.

Extent of evidence

The WWC categorizes the extent of evidence in each domain as small or medium to large (see the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Appendix G). The extent of evidence takes into account the number of studies and the total sample size across the studies that meet WWC evidence standards with or without reservations.⁷

The WWC considers the extent of evidence for Cognitive Tutor ^® Algebra I to be small for math achievement.