Hindsight · review build · data not yet validated
Recent controversial studies have shown that students can learn basic skills such as reading and math just as readily with interactive learning software as with human teachers, particularly when the ratio of students to human teachers is more than one to one. Although the studies have come under attack, most students and their parents have accepted this notion for years.
Grader A: miss
The main US federal study of reading and math software (IES, February 2009) found no significant difference in achievement between classes using the products and classes not using them, in either year. There was no body of studies showing software matched human teachers, and there is no evidence that most students and parents accepted that idea.
Test: Acceptance by a majority of students and parents that software teaches basic skills as well as teachers: no evidence of this in 2009; the main study showed no effect.
Grader B: miss
No body of studies showed software teaching basic skills as well as teachers, and parents did not broadly accept the idea. Federal evaluations of that era found weak or mixed effects of reading/math software.
Test: Acceptance test: no majority parental acceptance by 2014.