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The Motivational and Academic Consequences of Elementary Mathematics Environments: Do Constructivist Innovations and Reforms Make a Difference?
By Hickey, D. T., Moore, A. L., & Pellegrino, J. W.
(2001)
Summary and Review | Profile and Features | Complete Study | Related Studies
 Print Version of Review
APA Reference:
Hickey, D. T., Moore, A. L., & Pellegrino, J. W. (2001). The motivational and academic consequences of elementary mathematics environments: Do constructivist innovations and reforms make a difference? American Educational Research Journal, 38(3), 611-652.
Summary:
The district-wide systematic implementation of The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury (Jasper) mathematics educational software was examined by Hickey, Moore, and Pellegrino (2001). The Jasper software package (available on videodisc and CD) consists of twelve adventures (plus supporting material), grouped around four problem areas; distance/time/rate, probability, geometry, and algebra. Each Jasper adventure is written in such a manner as to present students with engaging, real-life situations, in which various mathematical skills are applied to presented problems. For example, the "Journey to Cedar Creek" adventure has Jasper Woodbury buying a boat that contains a limited amount of fuel. Students must determine, based on available fuel, time of day, and rate of travel, if Jasper can get the boat to his home before nightfall. According to Hickey et al., the Jasper software package combines the following characteristics: - Real-world narrative contexts.
- The integration of mathematics and other subjects.
- The integration of mathematical concepts within a single problem domain.
- The use of video and computer technologies.
- The provision of real-world relevance to abstract mathematical concepts.
- Support of extended collaborative learning activities.
- Provision of positive role models.
The implementation of the Jasper software was conducted within the context of a district-level mathematics education reform program. This reform program was based in large part upon the 1989 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics curriculum standards, and had a pronounced constructivist orientation. The Jasper software was specifically designed to be implemented within such an educational context. A total of 19 5th-grade math classes from four different schools participated in this study. Schools and classrooms were classified on the basis of whether they employed the Jasper software, SES, and the degree to which individual teachers incorporated constructivist reforms into their respective curriculum (less-consistent vs. more-consistent classrooms).Employing the Motivational Experience and Motivational Beliefs surveys, and mathematics subsections of the Iowa Test Basic Skills (ITBS) as dependent measures, Hickey et al. found the following results: - Students who used the Jasper software package displayed enhanced performance on the Problem-Solving and Interpretation subset of ITBS.
- Students who used the Jasper software package displayed lower performance on the Mathematics Computation subset of the ITBS.
- High-SES students who used the Jasper software package displayed enhanced performance on the Concepts and Estimation mathematical subsets of ITBS.
- Low-SES students rated the relevance of Jasper activities and comparison (i.e., traditional) math activities to be equal. However, high-SES students rated the relevance of the comparison activities to be more relevant than the Jasper activities.
- Students who used the Jasper software package in less-consistent classrooms initially reported lower levels of task competence than did students who used the Jasper software package in more-consistent classrooms. This difference in self-rated task competence vanished by the time of students’ second use of the Jasper software.
- Students who used the Jasper software package were less likely to be motivated by ego, or the desire to ‘look good’, than students who did not use the Jasper software package.
- Self-rated personal interest in math was maintained over the length of the more-consistent classrooms, but diminished over time in the less-consistent classrooms.
- Students in the more-consistent classrooms reported higher self-rated mathematical competence, than did students in the less-consistent classrooms.
- Performance was higher on the Problem-Solving and Interpretation, and the Math Concepts and Estimation subsets of ITBS for students in the more-consistent classrooms, than for students in the less-consistent classrooms.
Major implications for educators/decision makers:
The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury mathematics tutorial software package, when employed within classrooms that adhere to the 1989 National Council of Mathematics Teachers curriculum standards, has the following documented impact upon elementary school mathematics education:- It significantly improves student performance on national validated measures of mathematical problem solving and data interpretation (i.e., mathematics subsets of the Iowa Test of Basic Skill).
- It enhances high-SES students’ math conceptual knowledge and estimation skills for high-SES students.
- It improves students’ overall self-perceptions of math competency.
- Use of this software is also associated with lower performance on measures of computational ability.
Overall, Hickey, et al. provide persuasive evidence that the integration of classroom technology within an overall constructivist classroom environment is an effective approach to mathematics teaching. Although not directly mentioned, strong district-level support of educational technology in general was undoubtedly an important factor in the success of this district-wide implementation of the Jasper mathematical educational software.
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Major implications for educational researchers/evaluators:
The Motivational Beliefs and Motivational Experiences Surveys are interesting measures that reflect the psychological impact of educational technology upon student academic performance. - Further work need to be done, in order to confirm the external validity of the surveys with other groups of subject, and in other classroom environments.
- Demonstrating the effectiveness of the Jasper software with different groups of subjects and educational contexts would be useful information also.
Major intervention(s) or variables studied:
Studied effects of a school district’s one-year implementation of a mathematical problem-solving teaching program (K–5 classes) entitled The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury. Independent Variables: Instructional group (Jasper or non-Jasper), SES, & curriculum reform (more-or-less constructivist) orientation. Dependent Variables: Task relevance, interest, and self-competency, motivation orientation (learning, ego, or work avoidance as primary motivator), personal interest in math, and overall math self-competency. All these variables were self-rated. Scores on math subsets of the Iowa Basic Skills Test were also employed as dependent variables.
Major questions addressed:
Sources of evidence identified:
Student responses to the Motivational Experiences Survey, Motivational Beliefs Survey, & mathematical subsets of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
Replicable strategies, practices, and/or products:
The Jasper mathematics learning program is readily available through software vendors. Constructivist teaching aids and equipment are likewise easily available. The district’s system of program implementation seems to be quite replicable also.
Strengths and limitations of the study:
Strengths: Good use of matched comparison groups. Very sophisticated analysis of data. Clear summary of findings. The study draws conclusions would seem to draws conclusions that have high potential for practical application. Limitations: Causal relationships are notoriously difficult to specify within the framework of a quasi-experimental research design. Given these inherent limitations, the authors did a nice job of maximizing the statistical power of the experimental design, and of minimizing explanatory problems associated with quasi-experimental research.
Suggested related studies or resources to consider:
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