Experimental Evaluation of the Effects of a Research-Based Preschool Mathematics Curriculum

TLDR

A randomized trial with 36 preschool classrooms compared a research‑based Building Blocks curriculum to a different curriculum and a control over 26 weeks, with children pre‑ and post‑tested individually. The Building Blocks curriculum improved classroom mathematics environments and teaching, yielding significantly larger gains than the comparison and control groups (effect sizes 0.47 and 1.07, respectively), and supporting the role of early interventions in building preschool math foundations.

Abstract

A randomized-trials design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a preschool mathematics program based on a comprehensive model of research-based curricula development. Thirty-six preschool classrooms were assigned to experimental ( Building Blocks), comparison (a different preschool mathematics curriculum), or control conditions. Children were individually pre- and posttested, participating in 26 weeks of instruction in between. Observational measures indicated that the curricula were implemented with fidelity, and the experimental condition had significant positive effects on classrooms’ mathematics environment and teaching. The experimental group score increased significantly more than the comparison group score (effect size = 0.47) and the control group score (effect size = 1.07). Early interventions can increase the quality of the mathematics environment and help preschoolers develop a foundation of mathematics knowledge.