FASTT Math facts for kids
Quick facts for kids FASTT Math |
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| Developer(s) | Tom Snyder Productions Scholastic Corporation |
| Publisher(s) | Scholastic Corporation Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |
| Platform(s) | Windows iOS Android |
| Release date(s) | 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Mathematics |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
FASTT Math is a special computer program that helps kids get better at math. Its name, FASTT, stands for Fluency and Automaticity through Systematic Teaching Technology. Scholastic Corporation created this educational software in 2005.
How FASTT Math Works
This math program comes in two main versions. One version is for students to use for learning and practice. The other version is for teachers. Teachers use their version to manage the program and see how students are doing.
The program first checks how well a student understands math and how quickly they can solve problems. Then, it gives them lessons and tests that are just right for their skill level. Students can even make their program look unique. They can unlock different themes or "skins" as they get better at solving math problems.
FASTT Math encourages students to use it every day. It gives regular tests to see how much a student has improved. When you get better, the program rewards you and lets you move forward. Usually, the program gives one lesson per day. However, teachers can change this if they need to.
FASTT Math Next Generation
In 2012, Scholastic released a new app for the iPad called Sushi Monster. This app was a sneak peek for a new version of the program called FASTT Math Next Generation. The Sushi Monster app helped students practice their addition and multiplication skills.
After the app came out, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt released the full FASTT Math Next Generation program. This new version worked on Android devices and computers too. It was made for students from second grade all the way up to ninth grade. Along with the digital program, FASTT Math Next Generation also had worksheets that matched the lessons in the computer program.
How Well Does FASTT Math Work?
In December 2011, Eastern Michigan University studied FASTT Math. They wanted to see if the program helped students solve math problems faster and more easily. The study took place at two different elementary schools.
At the first school, a fourth-grade class used FASTT Math. The fifth and sixth-grade classes did not use the program; they were the "control groups." At the second school, the fourth-grade class was the control group, and the fifth and sixth-grade classes used FASTT Math.
The study found something interesting. The fourth-grade control group (who did not use FASTT Math) improved more than the fifth and sixth-grade students who also did not use the program. They learned almost eight more math facts on average. However, the sixth-grade students who did use the FASTT Math program showed the biggest improvement among all the groups that used it.
