Adapting a Research-Based Fact-Fluency App for Classroom Use

Abstract

In the teaching of math-fact automaticity, most classroom teachers are unaware of research-based practices such as the use of a controlled response time, the scaffolded teaching of individual math facts, the limiting of exposure to new math facts, the separation of math facts with common operands, and even the definition of automaticity. As a result, many commonly used tools and strategies are based on false assumptions and may be counterproductive. A research-based tool can teach math facts effectively, but its use in the classroom is complicated by the differences between teachers’ expectations of the tool and its actual function. In this paper, we describe the design process used to update Everybody Math, a research-based math-fact automaticity application, for classroom use, including the addition of a teacher dashboard. We explore how challenges to unfamiliar best practices can be addressed in the user experience design of the teacher dashboard. In our experience as designers, we find that when an educational tool implements research-based practice that conflicts with the classroom teacher’s familiar practices, the design of the user experience requires additional care. We believe that the user interface must communicate best practices in such a way that the teacher can understand how the tool should be used, as well as how to use it. Thus, we feel the design must strike a delicate balance, preserving best practice while working within an existing framework of expectations, beliefs, goals, and classroom structure.