The two teacher groups did not differ on released-math tasks; both groups made pretest-to-posttest gains, suggesting math-in-science-context tasks better capture OpenSciEd math reasoning¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? On released-math tasks, students in both groups made pretest-to-posttest gains with greater gains in fall, and the groups did not differ, unlike on math-in-science-context tasks. → McElhaney 2025

Evidence¶

McElhaney 2025¶

McElhaney, K. W., Hodkowski, N. M., McMahon, L. H., Jacobs, J., Penuel, W. R., Anton, G., Henson, K., Urban, R., & Parker, D. A. (2025). Promoting Mathematical Reasoning in OpenSciEd Middle School Curriculum Units. Digital Promise. https://digitalpromise.dspacedirect.org/items/4ea4b3c5-c663-4484-8727-258bff346d2d doi:10.51388/20.500.12265/281

q2 · i? · causal · r2

Analysis of student assessment scores across the two teacher groups and three administrations found group differences on math-in-science-context tasks "but not on released-math tasks." The report interprets this as the context-embedded tasks better capturing the reasoning OpenSciEd asks of students. No effect size is printed.

"our finding that the Treatment and Delayed Treatment groups differed on math-in-science-context tasks but not on released-math tasks suggests that the math-in-science-context tasks better capture the kind of math reasoning students are asked to do in OpenSciEd."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Treatment-group students increased significantly more than Delayed Treatment students on math-in-science-context tasks from pretest to midtest and pretest to posttest — related
• No significant differences in science learning or attitudes between OpenSciEd and mySci eighth-grade classes in one small comparison — related
• OpenSciEd classrooms showed greater science achievement growth than non-OpenSciEd classrooms in one district comparison — related
• No significant condition differences remain at posttest: both approaches converge on MVC strategy and reasoning after both phases — related