Bridging the Gap: Fourth Grade Before-School Computer Math Lab and Its Impact on California Standardized Test Scores

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between participation of low achieving math students in a before-school computer math lab and how their participation affected the fourth grade California Standardized Test (CST) math scale scores at San Joaquin Elementary School. Students participated in the lab based their below proficient performance on multiplication facts tests. The lab was available from January through April in both 2010 and 2011. Students used interactive computer software called IXL. The focus in the lab was for students to master their multiplication tables (0 through 12). To evaluate if there was a statistically significant change in the CST scores because of the treatment, an Abbreviate Interrupted Time Series analysis was applied. The two years before the lab was implemented, the two years with the lab in place and the year after the lab was discontinued were compared. A t-test evaluation of the mean scores in a year-by-year comparison was run. The Levene Test using Homogeneity of Variances test was run which showed similar variances. For this reason, the ANOVA was then used along with the Tukey HSD post-hoc test to identify which groups showed a significant difference from each other. There was a significant improvement in the CST mean scores for fourth grade at San Joaquin Elementary School during the years the treatment was in place. By extending the school day and using interactive computer software together they showed a positive impact on student's CST scores.