#86: Evaluating the Impact of MathByExample on Student Mathematics Achievement

This study evaluates the impact of MathByExample, an elementary mathematics intervention incorporating worked examples and self-explanation prompts, on fifth-grade student math achievement. Grounded in the worked example effect and self-explanation strategies, MathByExample aims to reduce common misconceptions and improve conceptual understanding in mathematics. We assessed the intervention’s impact using a three-level cluster-randomized control trial involving 1,143 students across 50 schools in Maine. Though the average treatment effect of MathByExample on student math outcomes were not statistically significant, a dosage analysis revealed that the number of attempted MathByExample items significantly predicted mathematics achievement. These findings suggest that consistent engagement with worked examples and self-explanation prompts improved learning outcomes. The results support the value of scalable, low-cost instructional tools rooted in cognitive science and highlight the importance of dosage when implementing such interventions in real-world educational settings.