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Field
Abstract
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Before
About TIME (Technology in Math Education) explores how technology can best be used to promote the acquisition of math skills among young children and reduce the gap in skill development between high- and low-income children. We hypothesize that digital apps may improve young children’s math skills over the long run compared to similar non-digital learning materials both because children are likely to spend more time using digital apps compared to non-digital learning materials and because digital apps may be more efficient at conveying math skill. About TIME will proceed in two parts. The first is a series of field experiments to help us understand how technology works to promote learning. The second is a large-scale randomized controlled trial intended to compare the increase in math skills among preschool-age children who are provided with a tablet containing high-quality math apps and a group of children provided with high-quality non-digital materials of the sort recommended by experts in math learning and intended to promote the same skills as the digital apps (corresponding to this registration). The results of the About TIME Project will: 1. compare the increase in math skills for children provided with a digital tablet containing high-quality math apps to the increase for children provided with high-quality nondigital materials intended to convey the same skills, 2. estimate the extent to which parent characteristics and barriers to parent engagement influence the effect of both digital and non-digital learning tools in building child math skill, 3. estimate how parent involvement moderates the effect of digital apps relative to non-digital materials on children’s math skills, 4. estimate how digital apps affect children’s and parents’ enthusiasm for math, 5. describe which apps are used the most, when are they used, and which features of apps are most often used by children.
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After
About TIME (Technology in Math Education) explores how technology can best be used to promote the acquisition of math skills among young children and reduce the gap in skill development between high- and low-income children. We hypothesize that digital apps may improve young children’s math skills over the long run compared to similar non-digital learning materials and the business-as-usual scenario both because children are likely to spend more time using digital apps, and digital apps may be more efficient at conveying math skills. About TIME will proceed in two parts. The first is a series of field experiments to help us understand how technology works to promote learning. The second is a large-scale randomized controlled trial intended to measure the increase in math skills among preschool-age children who are provided with a tablet containing high-quality math apps and a group of children provided with high-quality non-digital materials of the sort recommended by experts in math learning and intended to promote the same skills as the digital apps (corresponding to this registration). We will have a control group without intervention. The results of the About TIME Project will: 1. compare the increase in math skills for children across three groups, 2. estimate the extent to which parent characteristics and barriers to parent engagement influence the effect of both digital and non-digital learning tools in building child math skill, 3. estimate how parent involvement moderates the effect of digital apps and non-digital materials on children’s math skills, 4. estimate how digital apps and non-digital materials affect children’s and parents’ enthusiasm for math, 5. describe which apps are used the most, when they are used, and which features of apps are most often used by children.
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Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
Overall effectiveness (a combination of time on task and efficiency of time on task) of digital v. non-digital math learning materials in conveying numeracy skills to preschool-aged children analyzed by parent socio-economic status
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After
Overall effectiveness (a combination of time on task and efficiency of time on task) of digital and non-digital math learning materials in conveying numeracy skills relative to the control for preschool-aged children analyzed by parent socioeconomic status
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