Constructing Powerful Interactions in Mathematics with Preschoolers

Last registered on April 17, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Constructing Powerful Interactions in Mathematics with Preschoolers
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0015639
Initial registration date
April 13, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 17, 2025, 7:10 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Nore Wijns
Affiliation
KU Leuven
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Bert De Smedt
PI Affiliation
KU Leuven
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PI Name
Joke Torbeyns
PI Affiliation
KU Leuven
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-09-01
End date
2026-05-29
Keywords
Education
Additional Keywords
Early Childhood; Mathematics
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Despite the importance of early mathematical skills for children's further development, research has shown that preschool teachers lack knowledge on how to optimally design mathematical learning opportunities in their classrooms. We therefore developed a professional development (PD) program for preschool teachers within the domain of mathematics. The PD program focuses on children's mathematical learning trajectories and provides teachers with specific tools to build powerful mathematical interactions by including rich mathematical language in their modelling, questioning and feedback. We will evaluate the impact of this PD program on the quality of mathematical interactions provided by the teachers, as well as on children's mathematical and language skills.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
De Smedt, Bert, Joke Torbeyns and Nore Wijns. 2025. "Constructing Powerful Interactions in Mathematics with Preschoolers." AEA RCT Registry. April 17. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.15639-1.0
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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We developed a professional development program with four tools to build powerful mathematical interactions in preschool: rich mathematical language, modelling, questions and feedback. During three workshops, preschool teachers will learn to apply these four tools in three mathematical domains: (1) numbers and operations, (2) measurement, and (3) geometry and spatial skills. Every workshop will focus on one of the three domains and contain two parts: a theoretical part on the learning trajectories of the most important competencies within this domain, and a practical part in which the four tools of powerful interactions will be applied to concrete materials and activities.
Intervention Start Date
2025-11-03
Intervention End Date
2026-04-03

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Quality of mathematical interactions provided by the teachers
Teachers self-efficacy
Mathematical & language ability of preschoolers
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Quality of mathematical interaction will be measured by evaluating several variables including: mathematical language, modelling, questions and feedback. These variables will be assessed via a self-developed observation instrument.
Teachers' self-efficacy will be measured by a self-developed questionnaire
Mathematical & language ability of preschoolers will be measured by means of a validated measure, namely the CITO.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
All schools will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) an intervention condition in which all preschool teachers of the school will receive professional development at three occasions throughout the school year, and (2) a business-as-usual condition in which the preschool teachers will not receive any additional training or professional development.
In each classroom, we will randomly select 4-5 children that represent a diverse range of socio-economic status (SES) and dual-language-learner status (DLL). SES will be defined based on the educational background of the mother, and DLL will be defined as speaking the language of instruction (i.e., Dutch) at home or not.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Coin flips will be used to randomly assign schools to a condition, and to randomly select children from each classroom.
Randomization Unit
Entire schools will be assigned to a condition, so randomization will be on the level of the school. Within each class, we will make four strata based on language (Dutch mother tongue or not) and SES (low vs. high as defined by the educational level of the mother). From each class, we will randomly select one-two children per stratum.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
The number of schools will depend on the size of the schools. We aim for 40 preschool teachers, and assuming there are on average two classrooms with each one teacher per age level (4 year olds and 5 year olds), we aim for 10 schools with each 2 to 6 participating teachers.
Sample size: planned number of observations
40 preschool teachers and 200 preschoolers
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
20 preschool teachers and 100 preschoolers in control group
20 preschool teachers and 100 preschoolers in teacher training
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
SMEC KU Leuven
IRB Approval Date
2025-03-07
IRB Approval Number
G-2025-9129
Analysis Plan