Fifth Grade Math MSA Student Achievement
Author/Creator
Date
2011-07Type of Work
33 p.Text
action research papers
Program
Masters of EducationRights
Collection may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. To obtain information or permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Goucher Special Collections & Archives at 410-337-6347 or email archives@goucher.edu.Subjects
Education -- Research papers (Graduate)Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Research
Mathematical ability -- Testing -- Research
Fifth grade (Education) -- Maryland -- Research
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a six-month before school math program
would increase the math achievement of selected fifth graders enrolled in a public elementary
school in Maryland. The measurement tool used to assess student achievement was the Math
component of the Maryland School Assessment (MSA). This study involved the use of a
pretest/posttest quasi-experimental design to compare data from March of 2010 test
administration (before the intervention was administered) to data from March of 2011 test
administration (after the intervention was completed). Data were gathered on an experimental
and control group on the MSA for grades four and five Math. An analysis of the data indicates
that achievement gains were not significant, though results could be attributable to several
intervening factors and threats to validity. Research in the area of elementary math remediation
should continue given the continued disagreement regarding best practices needed to improve
student achievement in mathematics and the dire consequences for failing to provide remediation
and acceleration to struggling elementary math students.