Skip to main content

The Relationship between Gender, Ethnicity, and Technology on the Impact of Mathematies Achievement in an After-School Program

An RCT examining the impact of ALEKS on 6th grade students. The ALEKS group had a smaller gap between ethnic groups than the control group.

  • PreK-12
  • Education Research
  • ESSA Tier III (Promising)
  • Math
  • Supplemental
  • ALEKS
  • Tennessee
  • 6th Grade
  • Middle School

Description

This study examined the impact of ALEKS on reducing achievement gaps in mathematics among 6th-grade students in an after-school program. Conducted in a west Tennessee school district, the study involved 102 students across five schools, randomly assigned to either ALEKS or teacher-led instruction. Results showed that ALEKS helped narrow the achievement gap between African American and White male students. ALEKS adaptively tailored instruction to individual student needs, benefiting both high and low performers, while teacher-led instruction primarily supported average performers. The findings suggest ALEKS's potential in addressing disparities in math achievement through personalized learning.

Research Citation:

Huang, X., Craig, S.D., Xie, J., Graesser, A.C., Okwumabua, T., Cheney, K.R. & Hu, X. The Relationship between Gender, Ethnicity, and Technology on the Impact of Mathematics Achievement in an After-School Program. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED564107 "