Irvine, Calif., Aug. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MIND Research Institute (MIND) today announced new features for its flagship program, ST Math®, in support of educators preparing for the 2020-2021 school year. Research on COVID-related school closures from March 2020 onward suggests that students could be a half to a full year behind academically when the new school year begins—a challenge called the “COVID Slide” that is likely to be compounded by continued school closures. Students’ use of ST Math can help reverse that trajectory.
ST Math is a PreK-8 visual instructional program that leverages the brain's innate spatial-temporal reasoning ability to solve mathematical problems. The program’s unique, patented approach provides students with equitable access to learning through challenging puzzles, non-routine problem solving, and informative feedback.
Whether distance learning, in the classroom, using a hybrid model, or at home, ST Math has been proven effective at keeping meaningful math learning happening for students. By design, its mastery-driven approach develops deep conceptual understanding at the student’s own pace, making ST Math just as powerful a learning tool outside the classroom as it is inside of it.
MIND, creators of ST Math, began collecting data on March 14, 2020, from the emergency distance learning period. MIND looked at more than 200,000 students who had used ST Math in the classroom before COVID-19, and from home during emergency distance learning. The data showed that quiz effect sizes remained roughly the same, post-quiz scores were an average of 3 points higher than they were prior to COVID-19, and minutes per week were up from 54.7 to 74.6.
This school year, ST Math is all new with exciting enhancements that will help with learning loss and regaining ground—in any classroom or distance learning model:
- Differentiated and adapted learning to allow students to succeed on grade-level content, regardless of where they start
- Assignable content from across all grade levels to ensure that teachers can differentiate instruction—for individuals, groups, or the whole class
- New reports in ST Math that make it easier to track student usage and easily identify students who would benefit from more time on the program—even while distance learning, it’s easy to see who needs help and on what content
- New professional learning courses for teachers in remote learning scenarios so they can understand how ST Math supports student learning through our mastsery-driven, one-to-one approach, even when a teacher isn’t able to be there with the student
- New metrics on puzzles, minutes, and content coverage that provide transparency and insight: students have new ways to set goals and stay motivated; teachers can easily measure productivity and see who may need intervention through clear, actionable alerts; and administrators can track student progress and productivity at the school-wide and district-wide levels
“This school year doesn’t look like anything we have seen before,” said Brett Woudenberg, CEO of MIND Research Institute. “We know that educators are continuing to focus on what is best for students—wherever they are. We also know that time is at a premium, and educators need solutions that will make the most of their instructional time. By design, time on ST Math is time spent learning, not customizing avatars or playing side games. And because ST Math is self-paced, students persist to mastery and develop deep conceptual understanding of math concepts—while distance learning, in the classroom, or at home.”
ST Math meets What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) and ESSA Tier 2 requirements, and has won numerous awards, including two CODiE Awards in 2019 for Best Mathematics Instructional Solution for Grades PreK-8 and Best Overall Education Technology Solution. ST Math was also in the first cohort of programs to be recognized by Digital Promise for their research-based design product certification.
To learn more about ST Math’s proven ability to make meaningful math learning happen from home or in the classroom, visit stmath.com.
About MIND Research Institute
MIND Research Institute is a neuroscience and education social impact organization dedicated to ensuring that all students are mathematically equipped to solve the world’s most challenging problems. MIND is the creator of ST Math®, a PreK-8 visual instructional program that builds a deep conceptual understanding of math through rigorous learning and creative problem solving. MIND has also developed programs under MathMINDs to provide students, teachers, and families dynamic ways to actively engage with math and to close the experience gap for all learners. MathMINDs includes Family Nights, the national K-12 Game-a-thon, and MathMINDs Games. For more information, visit mindresearch.org.
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