MATHia

Comprehensive math practice provides teachers with actionable data

Learning rating

Community rating

Based on 8 reviews

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Expert evaluation by Common Sense

Grades

6–9

Subjects & Skills

Critical Thinking, Math

Price: Paid
Platforms: Web

Pros: With built-in hints and constant progress monitoring, students feel supported through each lesson.

Cons: Problems are lengthy and text-heavy, and don't provide built-in audio support for students.

Bottom Line: MATHia's polished, highly adaptive design and clear, actionable data help it stand out in a crowded field of math websites.

MATHia works best as a supplement to classroom instruction and is more effective if students enter with an understanding of the math concepts already. Teachers can use MATHia to give students more practice on what they're working on in class. It can be assigned instead of paper worksheets or in addition to other classwork. MATHia could be used for homework and is a great way for students to practice for standardized computer-based tests.

MATHia is ideal in a hybrid classroom where some students work online and others meet with a teacher. Teachers can track student progress carefully, and the data can be used to plan small-group instruction or individual conferences. The details provided by the progress bar are perfect conversation starters for struggling students.

MATHia is a sixth-grade through pre-algebra math platform that aligns closely with the Common Core State Standards. It's designed to be used alongside Carnegie Learning's math curriculum or other math curricula. Teachers set up classes and can choose to follow the predetermined scope and sequence or design their own pathways. Detailed reports are provided for teachers, including standards mastery and growth data. However, no school-level reports are available yet. Seven modules are provided for each grade level, and each session takes at least 30 minutes to complete.

MATHia includes two types of problems: mastery and non-mastery. The non-mastery problems are used to preview or review a topic and aren't adaptive. The mastery-based problems are adaptive and require students to reach a high level of conceptual understanding before moving on. The student dashboard provides a look at progress, time on task, and upcoming work. Unit overviews include a list of vocabulary, major math concepts covered, and a short video explaining how the math connects to real-life situations. Once students begin a problem, MATHia provides instant feedback on each step of the progress. Hints will pop up to address misconceptions, and students can also ask for a hint at any time. A highly detailed tracking bar advances and retreats based on how accurately the questions are answered. The progress bar breaks the task down into smaller steps in the process, such as naming units, identifying variables correctly, and so on.

MATHia is a great tool for supporting young mathematicians. From a student perspective, it's easy to use and has few distractions. The math problems are rigorous and usually involve multiple ways to model thinking. Hints pop up automatically if students are stuck, but students won't make progress if they use too many hints or try to guess their way through the system. Teachers and students can use the progress bar to see exactly where they're succeeding and what needs more practice. MATHia won't let students proceed to another unit until mastery is reached on the progress bar. This means that some students may reach mastery after a few problems, while other students will be required to complete more problems to show mastery. This is excellent for learning but may prove frustrating to some learners. 

Unlike Khan Academy, MATHia doesn't let students freely explore other topics, nor do students earn as many badges. By itself, MATHia doesn't provide text-to-speech support, but it does play well with the Read&Write Chrome extension. While it's an excellent tool for practicing and gaining mastery of math concepts, MATHia could be even better if teachers could easily assign individual students customized pathways.

Learning Rating

Overall Rating
Engagement

The clean no-nonsense design helps users stay focused on the math, and the interactive, real-life models and graphs are appealing. Math problems tend to be text-heavy, which may be hard for some students to access.

Pedagogy

MATHia successfully balances practice and conceptual understanding. Instant feedback, sample problems, and hints support a variety of learning needs. A dynamic progress bar provides a detailed look at successes and struggles.

Support

The website provides many ways to support struggling users, including hints, a step-by-step problem-solving tool, a glossary, color coding, and sample problems. It's very hard for students to guess their way through a lesson.

Common Sense reviewer

Community Rating

Mathia may not be good for teaching

Mathia may not be an ideal tool for students to learn mathematics efficiently. Its tendency to be repetitive can lead students to rush through the material without retaining the knowledge being presented. The app's format can become frustrating for students when they are required to fill in circles, as even a small error may require them to start over from the beginning. This can have a negative impact on students' learning experiences and discourage them from engaging with the material. The repetitive nature of the app also teaches students to prioritize speed over comprehension, leading to a work-driven mentality rather than a genuine desire to learn. This can be detrimental to students' long-term success and overall enjoyment of the subject. Moreover, the added pressure to complete work accurately and quickly may contribute to increased stress levels, depression, and disrupted sleep patterns in students. Therefore, Mathia may not be suitable for use in a classroom or teaching environment, as it can hinder students' learning and have negative effects on their well-being. It's important for educators to consider these concerns when evaluating educational technology and to ensure that students are provided with effective, engaging, and inclusive tools for learning.

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