Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Using data from a randomized controlled trial within middle school classrooms, we examined whether the availability of immediate feedback with problem re-attempt, compared to delayed feedback on practice problem sets led to higher learning on math posttest achievement or state standardized assessments. Next, we examined if the availability of immediate hints and feedback on practice problem sets led to higher performance as measured by the percentage of problems completed or accuracy on problems compared to delayed feedback. Third, we examined if performance during practice mediated the effects of immediate feedback and hints with reattempts on math achievement and learning. We found no differences between the two problem support conditions on state standardized achievement, and weak evidence for a small positive effect of immediate re-attempt feedback on posttest performance. However, immediate re-attempt feedback had two opposite effects on performance: while students assigned to this condition solved fewer problems, they answered more problems correctly on the first try. The amount and accuracy of practice are both associated–perhaps causally–with achievement; the fact that immediate feedback and hints with reattempts decreased the first and increased the second may explain its small or null effect.
Smith et al. (Tue,) studied this question.