Impact of ST Math on Cognitive Abilities

• In Event: Facets of Large-Scale Evaluation Illustrated With ST Math: Examining Outcomes, Mediators, and Moderators

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of STMath on individual cognitive abilities. Because tasks within the STMath program are nonverbal and present math concepts visually, we hypothesized that engagement in the program may improve students’ visual-spatial skills. Additionally, game-like programs such as STMath may improve attentional control and memory (e.g., Boot et al., 2008; Diamond & Lee, 2011). If STMath does not improve these cognitive skills, it was hypothesized that these skills may serve as moderators of the STMath effect on math achievement: for example, students who were already spatially adept may benefit more from the program's reliance on spatial representations (see Shaw, 2000).

Three cognitive skills were chosen as possible mediators and moderators of the effects of STMath due to their strong association with math achievement and theoretical relation with the STMath approach to instruction. Working memory (WM, e.g., Swanson, 2006) is a skill that permits manipulation of information as students process complex multiple steps in math problem-solving. WM may be enhanced by the style of STMath games: students encounter multi-step problem-solving at a level of challenge that the developers theorize is within the zone of proximal development for each student. Spatial ability has often been associated with mathematical performance (e.g., Floyd et al., 2003; Geary, 2000; NCTM, 2000). The spatial representations within STMath provide exposure and practice with spatial skills such as visualization and mental rotation. Executive functions (EF) are a set of skills involved in focusing and directing attention (e.g., Blair & Razza, 2007); students within STMath engage in task-switching as they adapt to new and more complicated games.

The participants in this study are 918 second, third, and fifth grade students from 18 schools, divided between treatment and control. Cognitive data was collected in the spring of 2011 and administered using netbook computers: Spatial ability was assessed with a simple mental rotation task (Hahn et al., 2010). EF was assessed with Hearts and Flowers (Davidson et al., 2006), a measure of inhibitory control and task-switching. WM was assessed with backwards digit span. Math performance was assessed with the CST.

Consistent with prior studies, regression analyses revealed that WM (d=.22; p<.001), EF (d=.25; p<.001), and spatial ability (d=.25; p<.001) predicted math performance when controlling for gender, ethnicity, ELL status, and free-reduced lunch status.

Results of the regression analysis of post-test differences in cognitive variables revealed that STMath did not have an effect on WM, EF, or spatial skills. Effect sizes were all small and statistically non-significant. Although it was predicted that STMath would improve student math performance through three mechanisms: cognitive skills, motivation, and math content knowledge/practice, we did not find support for the effect of STMath on cognitive skills. Nor did we find evidence that the effect of STMath varied across levels in cognitive skill: none of our three measures emerged as statistically significant moderators. STMath's effect on math (see papers 1 and 2) appears to be consistent across levels of cognitive functioning within our sample.

Author

• David S. Lee, University of California - Irvine