Abstract
Background
The loss of mathematics learning during the summer term, commonly referred to as “summer learning loss”, has been studied mainly in Anglo-Saxon countries, sparking debate about its intensity and relevance to the formation of learning inequalities. Very little is known about learning loss in the Italian context, which is characterized by a suspension of school activities in the summer period longer than the majority of developed countries.
The project "Coming to terms not only with the pandemic. Mathematics learning loss in primary school: underlying factors and interventions," funded by the Italian competitive grant PRIN 2022 (code 2022TWCJAS) aims to: i. investigate the ways in which, from the very beginning of elementary school, attitudes and skills in mathematics are formed, and so the related inequalities between social groups; ii. study summer learning loss in mathematics learning among second graders; iii. identify and experimentally evaluate an intervention to counter summer learning loss and enhance logical thinking in mathematics. The target of our intervention are second graders.
The experimental design
To achieve the purposes of the project, 50 elementary school institutes (88 individual schools) were recruited between September and November 2023 in the provinces of Milan and Naples. These schools will be randomly assigned during the spring 2024 to two groups: the treatment one will receive actions to countering learning loss in the spring/summer of 2024; the control one will have access to the same activities in the spring/summer of 2025.
Data
We plan to collect data on teachers, students, and parents of both experimental and control groups. Teacher and parents will be involved in on-line surveys before the administration of the treatment. Pupils will be administered a math test during September 2024 (to estimate the summer learning loss and short-term effects of the treatment) and in late spring 2025 (to evaluate medium-term effects of the treatment; this latter survey is subject to availability of funding). Questionnaires investigating attitudes towards mathematics and summer learning activities will be administered along with the mathematics test. The data collected on pupils during the project will be connected to the tests the students sit at the end of the second grade via unique anonymous identifiers. Students’ data will be connected with the data of their teachers and parents via pseudo-anonymous codes. Qualitative in-depth surveys will also be developed, targeting exclusively adults, by means of in-depth interviews and focus groups. No sensitive data will be collected in any of these surveys.
The experimental intervention
The intervention to counter learning loss will be based on two activities: i. training to teachers; ii. an app of math games for parents and children to be used during the summer break. Participation in these activities will take place on a voluntary basis, by all those involved (teachers, parents and pupils). There is in no way perceived risk that the activities fielded may generate harm to the participants. The risks arising from children's exposure to digital devices will be dealt with as following: a. by providing joint activities between parents and children, so that the latter will not be alone in front of the devices when using the app; b. by making explicit to the parents both the timing of each activity and the need for their presence, including forms of parental control; c. by taking the opportunity of our intervention to raise awareness among parents about the risks associated with the use of mobile devices in childhood.