Overview of a Systematic Review of School-Based Chess Instruction on Academic and Cognitive Outcomes (Poster 17)

• In Event: Thursday Poster Session 12:40 pm
  In Poster Session: Program Evaluation in Schools

Abstract

There is growing support for integrating chess instruction into in and after-school curricula. This study reviews 58 studies published in recent 20 years and synthesizes them on the effectiveness of school-based chess programs and their impact on students' academic and cognitive outcomes. Findings from 15 robustly-designed studies were meta-analyzed using random-effects models, addressing the heterogeneity of treatment effects. The results indicate a significant positive impact of chess programs, particularly on mathematics achievement and cognitive ability. Despite limited empirical evidence for improving student outcomes through chess instruction, the study provides cautious support for chess instruction. We propose the need for a large-scale, multi-site study to further evaluate these programs' efficacy, focusing on crucial design and implementation issues.

Authors

• Jimin Oh, University of Pennsylvania

• Rebecca A. Maynard, University of Pennsylvania