Table 3 Individual difference measures

Gender

ASSISTments does not ask users to self-report gender. Gender is determined by comparing a user’s first name to a global name database from which gender is inferred. Gender may be set to “Unknown” if a user’s name is not found in the database.

Grade level

The student’s grade level. Although the Skill Builder used in the experimental methodology was designed for grade 8 students, any grade level teacher could freely assign the Skill Builder. For example, a teacher might have assigned it to challenge advanced students in lower grade levels, to provide practice for grade 8 students, or to review the relevant prior knowledge of students in higher grade levels.

Prior Skill Builder count

The number of prior ASSISTments Skill Builders a student has started to answer.

Prior Skill Builder completion percentage

The number of prior ASSISTments Skill Builders that a student completed out of all the Skill Builders he/she started.

Prior problem count

The number of prior individual ASSISTments problems that a student has answered.

Prior problem correctness percentage

The percentage of ASSISTments problems that a student has answered correctly out of all problems he/she answered, prior to participation in the studies.