Acquisition and Transfer Effects of Classwide Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies in Mathematics for Students with Varying Learning Histories

Abstract

This study sought to examine effects of classwide peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS) in mathematics incorporating the use of curriculum-based measurement on the acquisition and transfer learning of three types of students. We randomly assigned 40 general educators to two treatments: with and without PALS on a mathematics operations curriculum. Within each classroom, we pre-and posttested the mathematics operations (i.e., acquisition) and concepts/applications (i.e., transfer) performance of an average-achieving student, a low-achieving student, and a student with an identified learning disability. Analyses of variance indicated superior mathematics growth for students in the PALS condition. Patterns in the data, however, suggested the need for additional research on low-achieving and learning disabled students' transfer from the operations tutoring content to the broader mathematics curriculum and on the effects of PALS on conceptual and applications portions of the mathematics curriculum.