An Examination of an Online Tutoring Program’s Impact on Low-Achieving Middle School Students’ Mathematics Achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the impact of synchronous online tutoring services on struggling middle school students' mathematics achievement. The online tutoring was provided as a response to intervention (RTI) Tier 3 support (intensive, individualized intervention) in schools implementing a school-wide mathematics program that addresses Tier 1 (high-quality classroom instruction) and Tier 2 (small group interventions). We employed quasi-experimental, within-and between-group designs to examine impacts for 119 students in two schools to measure the tutoring's impact on mathematics assessment scores. We also conducted qualitative analyses of student and tutor postsession commentary. The findings suggest that the tutoring contributed to statistically significant gains in student assessment scores postintervention. Online tutors' descriptions of their practice centered on ongoing progress monitoring of student learning, delivery of guided practice to students, the use of multiple explanations and representations of target concepts. Student perceptions of the online tutoring were predominately positive in nature.

Impact of a Web-Based Adaptive Supplemental Digital Resource on Student Mathematics Performance

“…The findings from this study aligned with previous studies that demonstrated positive effects associated with the use of supplemental digital resources and students' mathematics performance among students at the elementary, intermediate, and junior high levels (e.g., Chappell, Arnold, Nunnery, & Grant, 2015;Clark & Whetstone, 2014;Kiriakidis & Geer, 2014;Martindale et al, 2005;Nunnery & Ross, 2007;Ysseldyke & Bolt, 2007). Among each campus level, Think Through Math © usage accounted for more than half of the variance in students' STAAR mathematics assessment scores than would be explained by chance.…”

Fostering the Development of Social Capital to Enrich Student Experiences Through After-School Digital Tutoring Programs

“…The tutees were generally positive about their experiences, particularly with respect to their learning improvement and social interactions with tutors. The tutees also offered a few negative comments about the slow pace of the instruction and the need for clearer explanations (Chappell et al, 2015). These findings are consistent with those of similar studies and confirm that struggling students benefit from individualized and focused tutoring (Burch et al, 2016).…”

“…Most of the previous literature discussing digital tutoring emphasized tutor training and relationship building (Chappell et al, 2015). This research contributes to the understanding of digital tutoring and social capital by highlighting strategies for developing social capital in after-school digital tutoring programs.…”

“…In addition to the delivery format, Chappell et al (2015) investigated the impact of one-to-one online tutoring programs on low-achieving middle school students. They compared the mathematics scores of students who had received such tutoring with those of students who did not and analyzed the perceptions of the tutors and tutees.…”

“…Digital tutoring, which refers to the use of video conferencing to provide realtime tutoring services, performs well as an after-school program to assist struggling students (Chappell, Arnold, Nunnery, & Grant, 2015). Faced with the widening gap in academic performance and access to digital resources among students in urban and rural areas, government officials in Taiwan established a digital tutoring program called the E-Tutor Program in 2006 with the sole purpose of bridging the achievement gap.…”