An evaluation of the third edition of the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project Transition Mathematics
Thompson, D. R., Senk, S. L., & Yu, Y. (2012). The University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. http://ucsmp.uchicago.edu/resources/Transition_Mathematics_Third_Edition_Technical_Report.pdf .
-
examining282Students, grade7
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math Intervention Report - Primary Mathematics
Review Details
Reviewed: March 2021
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a quasi-experimental design in which the analytic intervention and comparison groups satisfy the baseline equivalence requirement.
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 University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test: Form 1 Fourth Edition |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
40.40 |
41.70 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test - Translating to Symbols |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
9.80 |
9.70 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test - Using Symbols |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
10.20 |
10.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test - Interpreting Mathematical Information |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
9.30 |
9.90 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test - Finding Relationships |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
11.20 |
11.90 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UCSMP Algebra and Geometry Readiness Test: Part One |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
24.70 |
23.30 |
No |
-- | |
|
UCSMP Algebra and Geometry Readiness Test: Part Two |
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Transitions/Pre-transitions Math vs. Business as usual |
0 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
11.20 |
11.60 |
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.
-
Female: 55%
Male: 45% -
Rural, Suburban, Urban
-
Race Asian 5% Black 6% Other or unknown 23% White 66% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 12% Not Hispanic or Latino 88%
Study Details
Setting
This study took place in 16 classes at four schools across multiple states. The study does not provide any information about the states in which the schools are located.
Study sample
The study included grade 7 students from eight UCSMP classes (142 students) and eight comparison classes (140 students) across four schools. Across students in the four schools, approximately 66% were White, 6% were Black, 5% were Asian, and the race of 23% of students was not specified. Twelve percent of students were Hispanic. Approximately 55% of the students were female. The study does not provide any other student background characteristics for the students in the schools or for the analytic sample.
Intervention Group
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) is a core mathematics curriculum that includes materials and a routinized instructional approach with an option for teacher training. The curriculum uses an inquiry-based approach with a focus on active learning where students frequently engage in hands-on activities and small-group activities. The intervention group used UCSMP’s Transition Math course (third edition, field trial edition). Teachers implemented the intervention for the full school year during 50- to 55-minute daily lessons at three schools and 43-minute daily lessons in one school.
Comparison Group
The comparison group used several curricula that varied across schools, including teacher-created curriculum materials, Middle School Math Course 2 provided by Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley, and Passport to Algebra and Geometry and Mathematics: Concepts and Skills Course 2 provided by McDougal Littell. Three schools had math for 50 to 55 minutes daily and one school had math for 43 minutes daily.
Support for implementation
UCSMP teachers did not receive any formal training or professional development to implement the curriculum. Teachers met with the curriculum developers in person in Chicago twice—once in the fall and once in the spring. The focus of these meetings was to provide feedback to the developers on the curriculum materials, and teachers could raise issues and get feedback from developers or other teachers who might have helped their curriculum implementation. Instead of formal training, during the study, the University of Chicago provided teachers written guidance and sections from the second-edition textbook at three different points in time. Teachers received chapters 1–4 at the beginning of the school year, and chapters 5–12 were provided to teachers throughout the year. In addition, for the purposes of supporting implementation during the study, teachers received lesson notes and answers to frequently asked questions throughout the school year. This process of sharing written guidance and notes was done to incorporate ongoing refinements to the UCSMP curriculum over the course of the study in preparation for the release of the commercial version of UCSMP Transition Mathematics (third edition). Small modifications to the curriculum included adding Guided Examples to the lesson text and Quiz Yourself sections in each lesson, and reordering chapters on decimals, fractions, and variables. UCSMP researchers worked with Texas Instruments and Casio to obtain enough calculators—either TI-84 Plus or Casio 9750—for each student and loaned calculators to the schools to distribute for in-class use. Some schools also lent calculators to students for use at home.
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).