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The Impact of Gizmos on Student Achievement
Gizmos simulations produce positive, evidence-based results in math and science.
Proven to build deep conceptual understanding in STEM
Gizmos uses an inquiry-based approach to learning validated by extensive research as a highly effective way to build conceptual understanding in math and science. Rigorous independent efficacy studies show that the use of Gizmos math and science simulations drives increases in student classroom engagement, content knowledge, scientific skills, and standardized test scores.
The Gizmos approach has proven effective for more than two decades. The Digital Promise ESSA Tier 3 Certification demonstrates that Gizmos, built on learning sciences research, positively impacts student learning through strong quantitative evidence.
Featured Research
ESSA Research: Gizmos Usage Leads to Positive Assessment Results
Two different studies that met ESSA Tier 3 criteria for Promising Evidence found that increased Gizmos usage was significantly related to improved student achievement.
Check out our research to see how we prioritize evidence in our work.
Research Report
Gizmos simulations boost science skills, confidence, and curiosity.
Survey results revealed teachers were highly satisfied with Gizmos, reporting increased engagement, curiosity, and STEM confidence in their students as a result of the virtual simulations.
Research Report
Engaging Minds, Enhancing Knowledge: Insights from Teachers Using Gizmos to Support Scientific Sensemaking
Today’s K-12 science standards emphasize student engagement in the practices of doing science, or “scientific sensemaking.” Unfortunately, few K-12 science curricula meet the bar of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and fully address all of the complexities of the new standards. ExploreLearning Gizmos are standards-aligned learning materials that can be used by teachers to supplement any core curriculum and address this unmet need.
A survey was conducted with nearly 300 teachers using Gizmos to learn more about the ways that Gizmos support the needs of the 21st-century classroom. Nearly all teachers (95%) reported that Gizmos helped to engage students in eight different science and engineering scientific sensemaking practices, including analyzing and interpreting data and developing and using models. Importantly, over 80% of teachers said that the level of learning and engagement observed from Gizmos was better than any other HQIM materials they had used in the past to teach similar concepts.
Research Report
Survey results: Gizmos improve student learning, engagement, and motivation.
88% of teachers found Gizmos supported improvements in student engagement and motivation.
Published Report
Teacher training in the use of Gizmos improved student performance on state science test.
A university research study evaluated the impact of a new teacher professional development program on their students. They found that teacher training in the usage of Gizmos was associated with student increases in scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) in 8th Grade Science.
Published Report
Multiple Gizmos instructional models lead to increases in student knowledge.
A university research study published in the Journal of Science Education and Technology explored the impact of Gizmos on student knowledge within a high school chemistry unit. Using a randomized experimental design, they found significant gains in student knowledge in both whole-class and small-group instructional settings.
Published Report
Gizmos math simulations support student problem-solving abilities.
A pre-post interview study with 5th-grade students conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University found that experience with a Gizmos math simulation led to increased understanding of a related math problem, including producing more accurate numerical solutions and using more advanced problem-solving methods.
Published Report
Math Gizmos support procedural knowledge and knowledge transfer in middle school students.
A study of 6th-grade students over a 4-week period found that engaging with the Integer Addition and Subtraction Gizmo led to significant gains from pre-to-post-test measures of both addition and subtraction concepts. Additionally, in post-test interviews, students demonstrated an ability to make connections between verbal and pictorial representations of integer values.
Research Report
Qualitative results: Gizmos and STEM Cases deliver transformative impacts.
See the variety of ways that teachers are using Gizmos and STEM Cases in the classroom, and the learning outcomes that their students are achieving as a result.
Published Report
Gizmos math simulations rated highly by students and contributed to increased content understanding and knowledge application.
A university research study assessed the impact of Gizmos on student engagement, attitude, and learning performance. 127 4th – 6th-grade students completed a math Gizmo followed by surveys and a math performance assessment. Students self-reported high engagement, positive attitude, and enjoyment, and the assessment showed significant increases in academic performance, including remembering, understanding, and application.
Published Report
Federally-funded professional development program led to increased usage of Gizmos and increased student performance on standardized science test.
University of Virginia researchers conducted RCT (randomized, controlled trial) studies of the federally funded, state-based professional development program (VISTA), which included Gizmos as a computerized educational tool to support science learning. They found that VISTA teachers had more confidence in implementing problem-based and technology-integrated science lessons and that their students performed significantly better on science standardized tests than students whose teachers did not receive the VISTA professional development.
Third-Party Evaluation
Gizmos simulations empower English Language Learners.
Dr. Sutherland noted a strong correlation between the use of Gizmos and English Language Learners’ written and oral comprehension of science content, evident through answers on lab sheets and in interviews. Gizmos helped reduce language barriers and allowed students to learn new content through interactive visuals instead of reading complex texts.
Third-Party Evaluation
Gizmos promote student engagement and foster positive attitudes toward math practice.
A study of a 6th-grade mathematics class found that students randomly assigned to a math lesson using Gizmos showed higher levels of classroom engagement and excitement compared to the control group assigned to a non-virtual lesson. Additionally, the Gizmos lesson students were significantly more likely to endorse positive statements about the value of math in contributing to cognitive growth.
Third-Party Evaluation
University RCT (randomized, controlled trial) study found that using Gizmos contributes to higher science test scores.
An experimental study conducted by a university research group randomly assigned 4th-grade students at an urban school in New York to receive either traditional classroom science lab activities or Gizmos lessons once a week over the course of 8 weeks. Students who used Gizmos scored higher on the New York State Intermediate Level Science Assessment Test compared to the control group. All students in the study were African American and eligible for FRPL.
Third-Party Evaluation
Middle School students at a Title I school scored higher on Florida state science assessment after using Gizmos.
A university research study found that 8th-grade students attending a Title I middle school in Florida who used Gizmos three times per month scored higher on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Physical & Chemical Science category compared to a control cohort who did not use Gizmos.
Third-Party Evaluation
Professional Development for teachers on using Gizmos in math instruction resulted in increased student math test scores.
An RCT (randomized, controlled trial) by the Maine Department of Education evaluated the impact of a technology-centered two-year professional development program, which involved incorporating Gizmos into mathematics instruction across 56 rural middle schools. At post-test, the students of teachers who had participated in the PD program significantly outperformed those in the control group on a standardized mathematics test. The average student in the Gizmos group scored better than 66% of the students in the control group on the overall math score.
Published Report
Gizmos STEM Cases improve content knowledge and NGSS scientific practices.
A research study published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Computers & Education explored the efficacy of the Electrons and Chemical Reactions Gizmos STEM Case for supporting high school students’ chemistry knowledge. The results showed that compared to a group of similar control students, students who used the STEM Case had larger learning gains and improved on NGSS science practices.
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