Structured Abstract
Setting
The evaluation is being conducted in three inner-city, high-poverty, high-minority middle schools in the Philadelphia school district.
Sample
The participants are low-income students in grades 5 and 8 with low standardized test scores in math.
The computer and team-assisted mathematical acceleration course (CATAMA) is an elective middle school math course that combines computer-based instruction, peer-assisted learning, and small group and individualized tutoring. By combining instruction in math concepts as well as skills, CATAMA also avoids the repetitive practice of low-level skills, which is a traditional criticism of remediation programs. CATAMA is taught by a regular math teacher who is familiar with the regular math curriculum at the school and receives intensive initial training. Class size is reduced to 15–18 students, and each student attends for one trimester. Therefore, a lab operating for 5 periods per day can include about 225 students per year. A quasi-experimental study has shown evidence of promise.
Research design and methods
The study is a randomized controlled trial in three middle schools. Students in grades 5 and 8, whose previous year's district standardized math test score identifies them as behind-grade in math, are randomly assigned to the lab or non-Lab group. Students in the lab (treatment) group take the lab for one grading period during the school year. This process will be repeated in year 2 with new students entering grades 5 and 8. Over the 2 years, the sample will consist of 300 CATAMA students per school (150 in grade 5 and 150 in grade 8) and an equal number of control students, for a total of 900 treatment and 900 control students.
An implementation study is being conducted using observational protocols to measure fidelity of implementation at each school and within each lab class. For year 3, when Johns Hopkins ends CATAMA support, the study will examine the sustainability of the labs by tracking whether implementation declines.
Control condition
Students assigned to the CATAMA (control) group attend another elective in place of the lab.
Key measures
In the spring of their first year in the study, students will take both the district and state math assessments that will serve as their post-test. Year 1 fifth grade students' math achievement can be tracked through the sixth grade to see if there is a longer-term effect of CATAMA. Classroom observation data on fidelity of implementation will be collected on a weekly basis.
Data analytic strategy
The analytic strategy uses regression analysis to examine whether CATAMA can effectively enhance underperforming students' math achievement. The short-term (1-year) analyses will analyze data for students in fifth and eighth grade. The fifth-grade students in year 1 of the study will be followed to test for longer term gains. The analytic strategy will attempt to tease apart whether any effects of the lab are due to additional instructional time from the lab, the content of the material, or both. Also, the analysis will investigate differential impacts for students with differing levels of initial math underachievement.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Publications:
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Questions about this project?
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