Dive Summary:

• A two-year study by the RAND Corporation and the Department of Education shows that students who used algebra software to supplement in-class teaching performed better on tests over high school algebra curriculum.
• The study included 18,000 students in 147 urban, suburban and rural high schools and middle schools in seven states, with half of the schools using Cognitive Tutor Algebra I software from Carnegie Learning, Inc.
• After one year, students in the schools using the software showed an 8% jump in test scores, though RAND notes that whether the jump was caused by the software or the program's overall structure can't be determined.

From the article:

... Teachers in the experimental group, who used CTAI, reported using more progressive practices such as group work and student presentations. Instructors in the control group, who did not use CTAI, continued using traditional methods such as lecture-based sessions.

"Teaching was different in Carnegie Learning classrooms than in the control group classrooms; we can say that," said John Pane, senior scientist at RAND and a lead researcher in the study. "We can't tell if it's the software or something happening in the classroom." ...