THE IMPACT OF FAMILY MATH WEEK: A PLAYFUL ONLINE MATH INTERVENTION

Abstract

Positive parent-child interactions around mathematics at home can support children's achievement in school. While most research on families' engagement with resources at home has focused on physical materials, digital materials are a growing accessible resource for families. Online play-based programs have the potential to promote math in an engaging, motivating way. A unique attribute of digital technologies is that they can contain features with potential benefits for learning and joint engagement. One such feature is that digital technology can include embedded videos to easily provide families with tips and ways to support their children. The current study examined whether using different versions (i.e. with or without video tips) of a two-week online intervention, which promotes family math engagement using stories and games, affects families' beliefs about math and children's math knowledge.Second and third-graders (N = 123, Mage = 8.29) and their parent/caregiver (112 mothers, 9 fathers, 2 aunts) were randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: 1) use an online family-focused intervention with 10 days of content, 2) use the intervention with embedded video tips, or 3) no intervention condition. Families completed a pretest and posttest measure that assessed parents' math-helping self-efficacy, children's motivational framework, and arithmetic skills. Additionally, parents’ math anxiety was evaluated to determine potential moderation effects. Families self-reported their intervention program usage on both a posttest and daily logs. Compared to the control condition, children in the intervention with embedded tips scored higher in their arithmetic knowledge at posttest. However, the intervention did not affect parents' math-helping self-efficacy beliefs or children's motivational framework. Additionally, no moderating effects of math anxiety or dosage were found. The results of this study provide some evidence of the effectiveness of supplemental online family math programs. Additionally, these results have practical implications for the types of programs practitioners may implement to promote positive family engagement.