The impact of a mathematical intelligent tutoring system on students’ performance on standardized high-stake tests

Abstract

Recent research has suggested that standardized high-stakes tests, such as the SAT, have become increasingly important to policy makers, school districts, and society in general. Scoring well on these tests may determine the access to educational opportunities beyond high school. Unfortunately, recent reports have shown that Americans are falling behind their peers in other nations on comparable assessments (Gollub et al., 2002). Additionally, schools in the U.S. must adhere to the demands of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The policy states that federal district funding is dependent on student overall performance on standardized tests in mathematics, reading and other content areas. To alleviate the problem of U.S. students underachieving on standardized tests, educators must explore areas of pedagogy that have been empirically shown to be effective.