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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 5

Publication Date: May 25, 2021

DOI:10.14738/assrj.85.10273.

Hardman, J., & Raudzingana, M. (2021). Mathletics software and student attainment in grade 4- a cultural historical analysis.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(5). 517-531.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Mathletics software and student attainment in grade 4- a cultural

historical analysis

Joanne Hardman

School of Education

Room 514 /Neville Alexander Building /Upper Campus

University of Cape Town/ Rondebosch/ Cape Town

Mashudu Raudzingana

University of Cape Town

ABSTRACT

Mathletics is a networked mathematics software package that affords students the

opportunity to solve problems. This software is extremely popular in the developed

world (Day, 2013) and is gaining popularity in the developing world as a tool that

can potentially impact students’ mathematics attainment. 25 years after democracy

South Africa continues to lag behind the rest of the world in mathematics and

science attainment (Isdale, Reddy, Juan & Arends, 2017). The use of computer- based software packages to meet the needs of developing students’ understanding

of mathematics is, therefore, of interest in our context. However, research is clear

that it is not technology itself that can lead to learning but rather, how this

technology is used; that is, the pedagogical practices underpinning the use of

technology serves to develop understanding. This study sought to investigate

Mathletics ability to impact positively on student attainment as well as their

understanding. Findings indicated that Mathletics software does not build

mediation into its programme and, therefore, does not develop conceptual

understanding. In relation to student’s attainment, findings indicated that children

did not perform better after using Mathletics on a summative test of calculation

problems, pointing to the importance of pedagogical underpinnings when using

technology.

Keywords: Mathletics; mediation; cultural historical theory; student attainment.

BACKGROUND

In the 21st century technology has become ubiquitous in classrooms, with internet connectivity

and interactive whiteboards being the most popularly used technology, followed closely,

according to Day (2013), by the mathematics software programme Mathletics. The

development of software to facilitate mathematics learning in primary schools has led to an

interest in how these learning tools can develop children cognitively (Sinclair & Baccaglini- Frank, 2016; Drijvers , 2015; Author 1, 2015). Research regarding the impact of technology on

learning mathematics indicates that Information Communication Technology (ICTs) can

positively influence attainment in primary schools (Tamim, Bernard, Borokhovski, Abrami and

Schmid, 2011; Higgins, Xiao, Katsipataki, 2012; Li & Ma, 2010; Cheung & Slavin, 2013; Demir &

Basol, 2014; Xie, Wang, Hu, 2018, Chuahan, 2017; Slavin, Lake & Groff, 2009; Slavin & Lake,

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2008; Rakes et al, 2010; Harrison, Lunzer, Tymms, Fitz-Gibbon, & Restorick, 2004). However,

these gains are only possible if technology is integrated into sound pedagogical practices

(Higgins, Xiao, &Katsipataki, 2012; Herold, 2013; Wong & Evans, 2007). Technology on its own

has been found to have no effect on learning (Tamim et al, 2011). It is against this background

of ICTs and their potential to act as learning/teaching tools that the current paper poses the

following two questions:

1. Does Mathletics software mediate students’ access to mathematical concepts?

2. Does Mathletics software impact positively on students’ mathematical attainment on a

summative assessment of calculation in a grade 4 classroom?

MATHLETICS

If one googles ‘help with mathematics’ you receive 349 000 000 results; clearly, there is an

expressed need for help with mathematics. Consequently, software that can meet that need is

in demand. Developed in Australia and operated by 3P Learning, subscription-based Mathletics

software is an example of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) which was defined by

Kirkpatrick & Cuban (1998) as a program that provides drill exercises and tutorials with the

use of computers and computer software. Theoretically, CAI is largely underpinned by a view

of learning referred to as constructivism. This derives from the cognitive constructivist work of

Piaget (1976) and, to a somewhat lesser degree, the cultural historical work of Vygotsky (1978)

in the East and the sociocultural work of Wood, Bruner and Ross (1976), in the West.

Constructivism is a wide field, with often divergent views; however, what is agreed upon in this

field is that a child is an active cognising agent who transacts with objects in the world to

construct knowledge. The notion of collaboration as a pedagogical tool informs this perspective,

with children encouraged to actively collaborate when solving problems.

The Mathletics program is mainly used as a computer-based software program; however, a

Mathletics mobile application has been made available, which serves the same purpose as the

computer based online software. Students can now either access Mathletics via the computer

through the internet browser or via their mobile phones through a mobile application. The

South African Mathletics webpage, described Mathletics as:

“a captivating online learning space providing students with all the tools they need

to be successful learners, both in the classroom and beyond. Powerful

courses aligned to the South African Mathematics curriculum across Foundation,

Intermediate and Senior Phase, matched with dynamic tools and reporting for

teachers.”

According to 3P learning, there are in excess of 3 million users worldwide using this software

(3P Learning, 2010a).

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looked at Mathletics and student achievement over 25 schools in a structured after-school

programme. The overall programme built in more teaching (30 percent more hours than those

not attending the after-school programme) coupled with practice enabled using Mathletics. The

study found that students attending this programme obtained marks that were statistically

more significant than children who did not attend this programme (Black, Doolittle, Zhu &

Unterman, 2009). However, one cannot say that Mathletics is solely responsible for these gains

as it was one amongst a variety of variables, most notably, the increase in teaching hours.

Similarly, Day (2013) indicates that Mathletics is a popular and well utilised resource which has

been shown to afford gains in students’ attainment. Again, however, this is against a

background of other ICT usage and coupled with specific pedagogical input. It is, therefore,

impossible to methodologically isolate the impact of Mathletics on its own. A search of google

scholar, data bases EBSCO host and ERIC found only one paper that spoke specifically to

teaching/learning with Mathletics. Other papers located studied Mathletics as one amongst a

number of ICT interventions. The exception to the dearth of studies focusing solely on

Mathletics is the work of Nansen, Chakraborty, Gibbs, Vetere, & MacDougall (2012). This paper

deals, though, with the functionality of the software, focusing specifically on the affordances it

allows and technicity. Findings indicate that Mathletics affords students the opportunity to

engage with problem-solving in a well-designed environment. There is no indication in this

paper of what pedagogical practices should underpin the use of Mathletics nor indeed, of

whether Mathletics impacts positively on student attainment in mathematics. Our paper deals

explicitly with this gap in the literature.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: VYGOTSKY’S PEDAGOGICAL PROJECT

Research indicates that technology on its own does not impact on mathematics attainment

(Timm et al, 2012; Author 1, 2015; 2019). Rather, it is how the technology is used,

pedagogically, that influences students’ conceptual development. Hence, a theory of pedagogy

is required in order to understand how software can potentially impact on learning. We situate

our work within the cultural-historical pedagogical framework proposed by Vygotsky (1978;

1986). Vygotsky’s work is particularly of use in our multicultural, multi-lingual society as it

speaks to the ability to explain differential cognitive attainment due to cultural and historical

influences. Vygotsky proposed that learning led to cognitive development, if implemented in

specific ways. He argued that mediation, or the structured guidance of a culturally more

competent ‘other’ (such as a teacher), was necessary in order to develop concepts in school.

Figure 3 below graphically illustrates how, in the development of higher cognitive functions, a

subject never approaches an object without some form of what Vygotsky called mediation.

Mediational means (or tools) include language and, in our instance, online software.