The relationship between individual characteristics and practice behaviour within an adaptive arithmetic learning program

Background

Although research on mathematics learning programs has taken off in recent years, little is known about how different person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with such programs. When implementing a mathematics learning program in the classroom, it might be important to know whether students with specific characteristics need more encouragement to make use of this learning opportunity.

Objectives

Using a supply-use model, we analysed the predictive power of students' cognitive characteristics (prior mathematics knowledge), personality traits (conscientiousness), motivational-affective characteristics (mathematics self-concept and mathematics anxiety), and family background characteristics (socioeconomic status and migration background) for practising with an adaptive arithmetic learning program.

Methods

We used longitudinal data from 203 fifth graders from seven non-academic-track schools in Germany. Practice behaviour, measured by completed tasks in the learning program, was recorded weekly for every student over a period of 22 weeks.

Results and Conclusions

The results of our multilevel analyses showed that mathematics anxious students practised less with the program. We did not find any relationship with the other characteristics.

Takeaways

Our results suggest that mathematics anxious students need more encouragement when practising with a mathematics learning program; otherwise, they do not get the chance to benefit from the use.