Does Comparing Solution Methods Facilitate Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge? An Experimental Study on Learning to Solve Equations
Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Star, Jon R. (2007). Journal of Educational Psychology, v99 n3 p561-574. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ772031
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examining69Students, grade7
Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: October 2019
- Practice Guide (findings for Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Conceptual knowledge subtest of study generated test |
Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
67.06 |
67.10 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Procedural flexibility subtest of study generated test |
Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
56.00 |
55.90 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Procedural flexibility subtest (shortcut solution methods) of study generated test |
Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
0.17 |
0.10 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Procedural knowledge subtest of study generated test |
Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
46.48 |
46.40 |
Yes |
|
|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Urban
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Race Black 10% Other or unknown 9% White 81%
Study Details
Setting
The study includes all 7th grade students at a "selective, private, urban school" in the United States.
Study sample
Eighty-one percent were Caucasian and ten percent were African-American. About ten percent received financial aid. The students were located in four separate classes, all of which were taught by the same (single) teacher. Eighteen pairs (36 students) were in in the treatment condition and 17 pairs (34 students) were in the control condition.
Intervention Group
Students worked with partners to study 24 solved problems presented in pairs on the same page. The solved problems were linear equations with one unknown. Each page displayed the same problems solved in two different ways. Students studied problems over a 2-day period. A separate set of problems was used on each day.
Comparison Group
Students worked with partners to study 12 solved problems presented in pairs on the same page. The solved problems were linear equations with one unknown. Each page displayed 2 problems of similar structure solved with the same method. Half of the problems illustrated the conventional solution method, and half illustrated a shortcut method. At the end of each day, students received 4 problems and were asked to solve each problem using a single method of their choice.
Support for implementation
On days two and three of the study, two members of the study team circulated in each class to answer student questions and ensure that students were complying with directions. All whole-class lessons were scripted and a member of the study team followed the script during each lesson to ensure that each key idea was presented and that the teacher did not present additional information. The observations conducted by the study team showed the study guidelines were followed.
Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students
Review Details
Reviewed: April 2015
Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students Practice Guide- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 51%
Male: 49% -
Urban
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Race Asian 3% Black 10% Native American 3% White 84%
Improving Mathematical Problem Solving in Grades 4 Through 8
Review Details
Reviewed: May 2012
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 51%
Male: 49% -
Urban
-
Race Asian 3% Black 10% Native American 3% White 84%
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
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The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
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The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
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Study findings for this report.
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