A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers
Abstract Running two separate two-stage randomized trials, we implement and test three variants of a small group instruction intervention aimed at improving mathematics competencies for the 20% lowest achievers in mathematics in grades 2 and 8 in Danish public schools. We calculate immediate impacts...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | npj Science of Learning |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00310-9 |
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| author | Michael Rosholm Pia Beck Tonnesen Klaus Rasmussen Steffen Overgaard Julie Vangsøe Færch Signe Gottschau Malm Jimmy Harder |
| author_facet | Michael Rosholm Pia Beck Tonnesen Klaus Rasmussen Steffen Overgaard Julie Vangsøe Færch Signe Gottschau Malm Jimmy Harder |
| author_sort | Michael Rosholm |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Running two separate two-stage randomized trials, we implement and test three variants of a small group instruction intervention aimed at improving mathematics competencies for the 20% lowest achievers in mathematics in grades 2 and 8 in Danish public schools. We calculate immediate impacts on math competencies as well as impacts in the medium term and conduct cost-effectiveness analyses of the different intervention arms. The context is the Scandinavian welfare state with an already high-quality public school system. Nevertheless, we find very large positive and cost-effective impacts of several intervention variants, some of which persist in the medium term. In particular, interventions in grade 2 tend to persist, while eighth-grade interventions tend to fade out in the medium term. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1f3db3cc7d5a4cb48788734b29f2cc69 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2056-7936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Science of Learning |
| spelling | doaj-art-1f3db3cc7d5a4cb48788734b29f2cc692025-08-20T03:18:27ZengNature Portfolionpj Science of Learning2056-79362025-04-0110111110.1038/s41539-025-00310-9A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achieversMichael Rosholm0Pia Beck Tonnesen1Klaus Rasmussen2Steffen Overgaard3Julie Vangsøe Færch4Signe Gottschau Malm5Jimmy Harder6Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus UniversityUniversity College CopenhagenStatistics DenmarkUniversity College CopenhagenUniversity College CopenhagenUniversity College CopenhagenUniversity College CopenhagenAbstract Running two separate two-stage randomized trials, we implement and test three variants of a small group instruction intervention aimed at improving mathematics competencies for the 20% lowest achievers in mathematics in grades 2 and 8 in Danish public schools. We calculate immediate impacts on math competencies as well as impacts in the medium term and conduct cost-effectiveness analyses of the different intervention arms. The context is the Scandinavian welfare state with an already high-quality public school system. Nevertheless, we find very large positive and cost-effective impacts of several intervention variants, some of which persist in the medium term. In particular, interventions in grade 2 tend to persist, while eighth-grade interventions tend to fade out in the medium term.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00310-9 |
| spellingShingle | Michael Rosholm Pia Beck Tonnesen Klaus Rasmussen Steffen Overgaard Julie Vangsøe Færch Signe Gottschau Malm Jimmy Harder A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers npj Science of Learning |
| title | A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers |
| title_full | A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers |
| title_fullStr | A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers |
| title_full_unstemmed | A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers |
| title_short | A tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers |
| title_sort | tailored small group instruction intervention in mathematics benefits low achievers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00310-9 |
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