Intervention > Evidence Snapshot

Rational Number Project
Elementary School Mathematics

As of July 2007 no studies of Rational Number Project were found that fell within the scope of the Elementary School Mathematics review protocol and met WWC design standards. Therefore, the WWC is unable to draw any research based conclusions about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of Rational Number Project to improve outcomes in this area.

The Rational Number Project was a cooperative multi-university research and development project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 1979-2002 (with the exception of 1983-84). One of the results of this project is a curriculum of lessons designed to introduce students in grades 4-8 to fractions, decimals, ratios, and measurement and meet the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Lessons are conducted in large and small group settings, with daily hands-on activities involving manipulative kits. Along with a spiral-bound lesson book, colored tiles and pie piece shapes are among the manipulatives used to assist students in fraction operation and comprehension.

A group of closely related outcomes.

A summary of the effectiveness of an intervention in an outcome domain, based on the quality of research, the statistical significance of findings, the magnitude of findings, and the consistency of findings across studies.

Effectiveness Rating Key

Positive: strong evidence that intervention had a positive effect on outcomes.

Potentially Positive: evidence that intervention had a positive effect on outcomes with no overriding contrary evidence.

Mixed: evidence that intervention’s effect on outcomes is inconsistent.

No Discernible: no evidence that intervention had an effect on outcomes.

Potentially Negative: evidence that intervention had a negative effect on outcomes with no overriding contrary evidence.

Negative: strong evidence that intervention had a negative effect on outcomes.

For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for rating of effectiveness.

Evidence Tier

The Department of Education’s evidence tiers. For more information, please see the WWC Glossary entry for evidence tiers.

The percent of each characteristic is based on the sample size of all studies meeting standards that reported data on the characteristic.

Percentages below may not add to 100 percent.

Last Updated: July 2007

Related Resources

WWC Summary of Evidence for Rational Number Project

Elementary School Mathematics Evidence Review Protocol

See related studies

This intervention report was prepared for the WWC by American Institutes for Research under contract ED-02-CO-0022.

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