Back to History Current Version

Play to Learn: The Impact of Technology on Students’ Math Performance

Last registered on September 03, 2019
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Play to Learn: The Impact of Technology on Students’ Math Performance
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0004661
Initial registration date
September 03, 2019

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
September 03, 2019, 4:53 PM EDT

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

Locations

Country
Brazil
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Guilherme Hirata
Affiliation
IDados
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2016-08-30
End date
2017-12-09
Keywords
Education, Other
Additional Keywords
technology, incentives, competition
JEL code(s)
I20, I29, C93, D91
Secondary IDs
Abstract
We analyze the impact of technology use in the classroom on student math learning. The technology is a software tool (electronic game) that can be installed on a tablet, smartphone, or personal computer and has been specifically designed for the student to learn and practice the four basic math operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. We implemented a cluster-randomized experiment: schools were randomly chosen to receive tablets with the software installed. Outcomes are measured at the individual level. Students were asked to solve a series of simple math operations before (once) and after (twice) the intervention. The outcomes are the proportion of correct answers, the proportion of items left blank, and the proportion of correct answers considering the items actually answered. As an additional component, two types of incentives (non-monetary prizes) to play harder were offered to the students: a pure incentive (winning the prize depends only on the student’s own performance) and a competitive incentive (only the best performing student of each class enters a lottery to win the prize).
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Hirata, Guilherme. 2019. "Play to Learn: The Impact of Technology on Students’ Math Performance." AEA RCT Registry. September 03. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.4661-1.1
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention Start Date
2016-10-06
Intervention End Date
2016-12-05

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Outcomes are measured at the individual level. Students were asked to solve a series of simple math operations before (once) and after (twice - immediately after, and one year after the intervention ended). The outcomes are the proportion of correct answers, the proportion of items left blank, and the proportion of correct answers considering only the items actually answered.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The trial was a cluster-randomized experiment: schools were randomly chosen to receive tablets with the software installed. Students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades participated. Three municipalities participated in the experiment - 4 schools each (half treated). The additional components (incentives) were given in two municipalities (randomly chosen). Each one received one type of incentive. The intervention lasted two months. Students should play every day for 20 minutes at most.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer - Stata software.
Randomization Unit
Schools
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
12 schools
Sample size: planned number of observations
36 classrooms; 1,000 pupils.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
6 schools control (18 classrooms control), 6 schools software use (18 classrooms software use)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
Yes
Intervention Completion Date
November 30, 2016, 12:00 +00:00
Data Collection Complete
Yes
Data Collection Completion Date
December 15, 2017, 12:00 +00:00
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization)
12 schools
Was attrition correlated with treatment status?
No
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations
867 pupils
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms
6 treated, 6 control schools
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

Program Files

Program Files
No
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Abstract
This paper analyzes the impact of technology use on student math learning using experimental data from Brazil. The technology is a software tool designed for elementary school students to learn and practice arithmetic. Contrary to most interventions in which computer-aided instruction extends the school day, students played the game during class time for about 2 months. First, second, and third graders who used the software increased their score on a math test by 0.56 s.d. in the short term ( just after the intervention) and by 0.17 s.d. in the medium term (1 year after the end of the intervention).
Citation
Hirata, Guilherme. "Play to Learn: The Impact of Technology on Students’ Math Performance." Journal of Human Capital 16, no. 3 (2022): 437-459.
URL
https://doi.org/10.1086/719846

Reports & Other Materials