The impact of computer-assisted coaching on the elevation of twelfth-grade students’ SAT scores (Doctoral dissertation).
McClain, T. B. (1999). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 9945906).
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examining40Students, grade12
ACT/SAT Test Preparation and Coaching Programs Intervention Report - Transition to College
Review Details
Reviewed: October 2016
- 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.
Please see the WWC summary of evidence for ACT/SAT Test Preparation and Coaching Programs.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Final SAT scores |
ACT/SAT Test Preparation and Coaching Programs vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Davidson Intervention;
|
765.44 |
765.50 |
No |
-- | |
|
Final SAT scores |
ACT/SAT Test Preparation and Coaching Programs vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Stanford Intervention;
|
756.08 |
765.50 |
No |
-- |
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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Female: 57%
Male: 43% -
Suburban
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Maryland
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Race Black 100%
Study Details
Setting
This study took place at one suburban high school in Maryland, near the Washington, DC area. The majority of students in the high school were Black. The school is located in a suburban county with a population of approximately 764,000. The author reported that residents in this county have an Effective Buying Income (EBI) that is 17% higher than the average US EBI.
Study sample
All 60 students in the sample were high school seniors. The sample of students included 26 males (43%) and 34 females (57%), all of whom were Black. No other demographic characteristics specific to the study sample were reported.
Intervention Group
Students were randomly assigned to participate in either The Stanford Study Guide for the SAT or Davidson’s Your Personal Trainer for the SAT. Intervention group students were excused from their regular classroom three times per week for 1 hour to use the test preparation programs. During this time, students would go to the computer lab, where they worked with one of the two computer coaching programs. Students receiving the intervention spent 26 hours with the program over the course of 9 weeks.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group were not offered the computerized coaching programs and continued with their curriculum in their regular classrooms. These students took the SAT at the same time as the intervention students, both at pretest and posttest.
Support for implementation
No information was provided regarding support for implementation.
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.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
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.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
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.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).