Gert Janssenswillen - Measuring Skill Acquisition and Retention: A Case Study of Math Fluency

This study examines the application of process-oriented techniques to analyse learning stages in primary education, specifically developing math fact fluency. Utilizing data from an arithmetic practice platform used in primary schools, this research addresses three primary questions: the amount of practice time required to master arithmetic operations, the learning characteristics influencing this duration, and the impact of different learning characteristics on skill retention. The analysis reveals significant variability in the time and effort needed for a pupil to master a skill, influenced by initial skill levels and whether students prioritise accuracy or speed. Students leaning towards accuracy tend to achieve steady progress, attaining higher accuracy before enhancing their speed, whereas those leaning towards speed may reach mastery more quickly but risk inconsistencies in accuracy resulting in a lower skill retention. The findings highlight the effectiveness of process-oriented methodologies in education, in providing more nuanced insights into student learning phases. The case study underscores the necessity for adaptive learning platforms and personalised educational strategies that accommodate diverse learning behaviours and needs. It furthermore highlights that gamification tactics should facilitate these diverse learning behaviours, rather than counteract them.

Gert Janssenswillen is a postdoctoral researcher in the Business Informatics Research group (BINF) at Hasselt University, Belgium. In 2019 he obtained his PhD in process mining, which focussed on the quality measurement of process mining algorithms in the context of conformance checking. His research experience includes process analytics projects in a broad range of fields, including operational excellence, logistics and learning analytics.