PROMOTING INCLUSIVE MATHEMATICS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

The title of the training, as was presented to school principals and teachers, is “Matematica laboratoriale”. We provide teachers and school principals with the following information.
The study aims to evaluate the impact of mathematics teaching training specifically designed for primary school teachers and will be offered to grade 3 mathematics teachers in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Campania.
The training focuses on innovative methods of teaching mathematics, emphasizing active and cooperative learning, and is expected to improve math skills of all children, and thus to promote equity in math’s learning. Key elements of the methodology include the active engagement of students, peer interaction, idea sharing, and the development of problem-solving skills. The training develops around three main activities:
• “Numbers for Counting, Calculating, Estimating”
• “Numbers for Comparing, Measuring”
• “Numbers for Modeling, Conjecturing”
over nine sessions, totaling 18 hours. Between each session, teachers will have time to carry out the proposed activities with their pupils. They will also share their classroom experiences with their peers and instructors in follow-up discussions. To facilitate participation, 4 sessions are delivered face-to-face and 5 online. Participation is incentivized by offering teachers a 50-hour certification, covering training, self-study, and classroom experimentation. Teachers in the treatment group will be randomly selected from those who express interest in participating in the study. Teachers in the control group will have access to the training materials after the conclusion of the project.

2024-12-03

2025-04-30

1. the effect on teaching beliefs and practices
2. the average short-term effect on children’s math skills

The pre-test and post-test questionnaires for teachers assess the following dimensions:
• Teaching beliefs and practices. The questionnaire is adapted from the teachers’ section of the validated test designed by Swan (2006). Swan’s questionnaire is divided into two parts: one focusing on beliefs and the other on teaching practices. The test has been adapted in two ways: first, it was translated into Italian; second, an additional section has been developed to assess how teachers would handle typical classroom “situations”.
• Gender stereotypes and values
• Growth mindset vs fixed-mindset approach


Pre-test and post-test data on pupils (cognitive) are collected using paper-based booklets designed for children aged 8. University student tutors are tasked with distributing the booklets to students in the classroom. The cognitive section includes mathematics problems, structured as multiple-choice, true/false, and open-ended questions. This section has been designed by external experts in math education, involved in the construction of the national math assessment delivered by Invalsi.

1. the effect on children’s non-cognitive outcomes
2. medium-term effects on pupils’ math skills.
3. heterogeneity by gender in the short- and medium-term effect on pupils’ math skills

1. Pre-test and post-test data on pupils ( non-cognitive) are collected using paper-based booklets designed for children aged 8. University student tutors are tasked with distributing the booklets to students in the classroom. The non-cognitive cognitive section includes questions on gender stereotypes in mathematics, other school subjects and activities, self-efficacy, attitudes toward mathematics, and a growth mindset. The questions are adapted from validated questionnaires on non-cognitive children’s skills.
2. The medium-term effects on pupils’ math skills are measured by grade 5 math standardized test in the national assessment administered by Invalsi (Italian Institute for the Evaluation of Education and Training System)
3. Heterogeneity by gender in the short- and medium-term effect on pupils’ math skills are measured with the same test used for the short and the medium term outcomes.

The training will take place in two regions, Piedmont and Campania, one in the north and one in the south of Italy. Although not fully representative of the country as a whole, these regions are able to capture the existing territorial variability to a large extent. The training is delivered in groups of 10-15 teachers and in groups of 10-15 teachers and consists of 9 sessions of 2 hours each, 4 face-to-face and 5 online. After the first session to present the methodology and its rationale, the others will focus on the proposed activities. Teachers will try them out in the classroom, report the results, and discuss any problems that might have arisen in the following meetings.

The evaluation will follow an RCT design. The randomization unit will be at the school-building level. All the teachers in the same school building participating in the trial are randomized to either the treatment or the control group. The reason for this choice is to avoid spillover effects between treatment and control teachers sharing the same school building. To improve precision, we will use a block design with covariates. Schools define blocks if a school participates in the trial with 2 or more school builings, by pairs (or triads) of similar schools if a school participates with only one school building. Similarity is defined in terms of Invalsi test scores in previous cohorts, school size and school location.

Not available

Randomization by computer (Campania) and in-person lottery (Piemonte) done in front of all of the school principals who want to participate.

Randomization is made at the school-building level (plesso). All the teachers in the same school building participating in the trial are randomized to either the treatment or the control group.

Yes

We plan to recruit about 70 teachers, teaching in approximately 70 classes and 45 school buildings.

We plan to recruit about 70 teachers and 1200 pupils.

We planned to balance the control and treatment groups at the level of school building, which means around 35 teachers and 600 pupils each.

0.2 st.dev for children’s primary outcome, 0.55 st. dev. for teachers’ outcome