Cognitive Tutor®¶
Product or Programme · All products and programmes
Evidence · 7 claims (4 for, 2 mixed, 1 against) · 2 studies (1 causal, 1 review),q2–q3· 1 of 2 report an effect size · 7 claims rest on one study
Description¶
A Carnegie Learning curriculum for secondary mathematics that combines textbooks, adaptive software, teacher guides, assessments, and professional development across Algebra, Geometry, and Integrated Math courses.
Components¶
- Cognitive Tutor® secondary mathematics curriculum (Carnegie Learning): Cognitive Tutor® is a secondary mathematics curriculum covering Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Integrated Math I–III, developed by Carnegie Learning. It "focuses on how students think about and learn mathematics," with teachers facilitating as students acquire and apply new information and discuss their work. Problems "emphasize connections between verbal, numeric, graphic, and algebraic representations," and materials include textbooks, adaptive software, teacher implementation guides, assessments, and professional development resources. (Cognitive Tutor® (2016))
- Cognitive Tutors: interactive problem-solving environments with step-by-step feedback, error messages, hints, and problem selection: Cognitive Tutors are intelligent tutors "based on cognitive psychology theory of problem solving and learning." They "provide a rich problem-solving environment with tutorial guidance in the form of step-by-step feedback, specific messages in response to common errors, and on-demand instructional hints" and "also select problems based on individual student performance." As they matured and spread to new subject-matter areas, they have been used as a research platform, particularly to explore interactive methods supporting metacognition. (Kenneth R. Koedinger (2007))
- Carnegie Learning Cognitive Tutor curricula (text plus software plus teacher training): A complete middle- and high-school mathematics course combining text, Cognitive Tutor software, ancillary materials, and teacher training. The inclusion of text supports activities such as "collaboration, diagramming, and writing about mathematics" that are easier on paper, and positions the software as part of primary instruction rather than a bonus or review activity. Pilot implementations led to a model in which students used the software 2 days per week, with classroom activities structured by the text on the other 3 days each week. (Ritter et al. (2007))
Claims¶
- Cognitive Tutor® Algebra I has mixed effects on algebra outcomes for secondary students, with an average improvement index of +4 percentile points across five studies [+W]
- Cognitive Tutor® Algebra I shows no discernible effects on general mathematics achievement for secondary students [~W]
- Cognitive Tutor® Geometry shows potentially negative effects on geometry outcomes, with an improvement index of –8 percentile points [-W]
- No studies of Cognitive Tutor® Algebra II or Integrated Math I–III meet WWC standards, so the report makes no effectiveness findings for those courses [~W]
- Cognitive Tutor Algebra I students significantly outscored peers on standardized tests by about 0.3 SDs and by 85% on problem-solving and multiple-representation tests, with effect sizes of 0.7 to 1.2 SDs [+M]
- In a Moore, Oklahoma experiment, Cognitive Tutor students scored higher on the ETS Algebra I End-of-Course Assessment, received higher grades, reported greater confidence, and showed effect sizes of approximately 0.4 SDs [+M]
- In Miami-Dade County, Cognitive Tutor Algebra I students significantly outscored peers on the 2003 FCAT, with especially large pass-rate differences for Exceptional Student Education and limited-English-proficiency students [+M]
Related Products and Programmes¶
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Key Sources¶
- Cognitive Tutor®. (2016). WWC Intervention Report: Cognitive Tutor®, Secondary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education. https://www.carnegielearning.com
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
product |
id |
cognitive-tutor |
title |
Cognitive Tutor® |
description |
A Carnegie Learning curriculum for secondary mathematics that combines textbooks, adaptive software, teacher guides, assessments, and professional development across Algebra, Geometry, and Integrated Math courses. |
status |
review |
moved_from |
element/cognitive-tutor-secondary-mathematics-curriculum |
product_kind |
curriculum |
generated |
by process:sweep-kinds on 2026-10-10 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — cognitive-tutor-2016 |
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