Efficacy Study of AnimalWatch: An Intelligent Tutoring System for Pre-Algebra

What is the study?

WestEd is inviting you and your school to help study the effectiveness of the AnimalWatch system. This system is a web-based program designed to provide individualized mathematics tutoring for students in pre-algebra. AnimalWatch focuses on pre-algebra readiness topics while connecting mathematics content and authentic environmental science material. AnimalWatch includes word problems, basic skills practice, assessments, and feedback for teachers on how students are doing.

This is a scientific study in sixth grade math classrooms in which teachers participating in this study agree to be randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group. The "treatment" group will use AnimalWatch for two years while the "control" group will not use AnimalWatch during the two years of the study. After the study is completed, both groups will be given one year of free access to AnimalWatch.

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the study will take place over the course of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years. If you are chosen to be a treatment group teacher, you may use AnimalWatch in any of your classes; however, the study requires that you select one specific class from which student data will be sent to researchers.

Qualifications

To participate in this study, a teacher will:

• Be a sixth grade teacher.
• Have regular access to computers for student use, either in the classroom or a computer lab. Computers will need Internet access.
• Hold a valid mathematics teaching credential or supplementary authorization in mathematics and have at least two years of teaching experience
  or
  Hold a valid multiple subjects teaching credential and have at least five years of experience teaching mathematics.

Participation

Teachers in both the control and treatment groups will be expected to help in the following ways:

1. Agree to be randomly assigned to either the control or treatment group.
2. Complete an online curriculum survey.
3. Administer a pre-algebra readiness assessment to students as a pre- and post-test in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
4. Complete a mathematics assessment.
5. Support researchers in collection of student data for one specific class.

If chosen for the treatment group, teachers also agree to:

• Use AnimalWatch to replace the equivalent of at least 3 days per month of classroom instruction (about 20% of math lessons).
• Participate in brief online teacher training sessions.
• Complete short, weekly, online logs.
• Administer pre- and post-unit quizzes for selected AWS units.
• Support researchers in collection of student data.

If chosen for the control group, teachers agree to 1 through 5 above and to:

• Document any professional development experiences or changes in teaching.

If you have any questions please contact Bob Allen, Recruitment Coordinator, by email at ballen@wested.org or by phone: 650-381-6451.