{"id":38832,"date":"2019-04-03T07:35:38","date_gmt":"2019-04-03T14:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/?p=38832"},"modified":"2019-04-03T07:35:38","modified_gmt":"2019-04-03T14:35:38","slug":"math-facts-app-comparison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/math-facts-app-comparison\/","title":{"rendered":"Math Facts App Comparison: Rocket Math vs. XtraMath"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are plenty of\u00a0<\/em>math facts apps out there that let students practice<\/em> math facts they have already learned.\u00a0 Few apps actually teach<\/strong> math facts.\u00a0 But apps from Rocket Math<\/a> and XtraMath are exceptions.\u00a0 While both apps teach students math facts, one is more effective and fun.<\/p>\n

The two best apps for actually teaching math facts<\/h2>\n

Math facts apps from Rocket Math and XtraMath effectively teach math facts because they\u00a0have four essential characteristics:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Both math facts apps require students to demonstrate fluency with facts.<\/strong>\u00a0 Fluency means a student can quickly answer math fact questions from recall.\u00a0 This is the opposite of\u00a0letting a student “figure it out” slowly.\u00a0 Neither app considers a fact mastered until a student can answer a fact consistently within 3 seconds.<\/li>\n
  2. Both math facts apps zero in on teaching (and bringing to mastery) a small number of facts at a time.<\/strong>\u00a0 This is the only way to teach math fact fluency. It’s impossible for students to learn and memorize a large number of facts all at once.<\/li>\n
  3. Both math facts apps are responsive.<\/strong>\u00a0 Apps simply do not teach if they randomly present facts or do not respond differently when students take a long time to answer a fact.<\/li>\n
  4. Both math facts apps only allow students to work for a few minutes (less than ten) before taking a break.<\/strong>\u00a0 Teachers and parents may want to keep students busy practicing math facts for an hour, but students will come to hate the app if they have long sessions.\u00a0 A few minutes of practice in each session is the best way to learn and to avoid student burnout.<\/li>\n
  5. Both math facts apps re-teach the fact if a student makes an error.<\/strong>\u00a0 While both Rocket Math and XtraMath re-teach facts, they re-teach them differently.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    While both apps contain these important features and teach math facts, there are a few vital elements that make an effective app like Rocket Math\u00a0standout.<\/p>\n

    An effective app gives a student a sense of accomplishment<\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/a>The difficult thing about learning math facts is that there are so many to learn.\u00a0 It takes a while and students have to persevere through boring memorization tasks. The best way to help students learn their math facts is to give them a clear sense of accomplishment as they move through each task.<\/p>\n

    How XtraMath monitors progress<\/h3>\n

    To develop a sense of accomplishment among its app users, XtraMath displays math facts on a grid.\u00a0 XtraMath tests the student and marks the ones that are answered quickly (within 3 seconds) with smiley faces.\u00a0 It takes a couple of sessions to determine what has been mastered and what hasn’t, so there isn’t a sense of accomplishment at first.\u00a0 This grid is displayed and explained, but it’s not easy to monitor progress.\u00a0 Over time, there are fewer squares with facts to learn, but there isn’t clear feedback on what’s being accomplished as students work.<\/p>\n

    How Rocket Math monitors progress<\/h3>\n

    \"\"<\/a>Conversely, Rocket Math begins recognizing student progress immediately and continues to celebrate progress at every step.\u00a0 The Rocket Math app begins with Set A and progresses up to Set Z.\u00a0 Each lettered set has three phases: Take-Off, Orbit, and the Universe.\u00a0 That means there are 78 milestones celebrated in the process of moving from Set A to Set Z.<\/p>\n

    Take-Off phase has only 2 problems (and their reverses) repeated three \"\"<\/a>times.\u00a0 The student just has to get all 12 correct to move on.\u00a0 When the student does that, the doors close (with appropriate sound effects) to show “Mission Accomplished.” They also are congratulated by Mission Control.\u00a0 “Mission Control here.\u00a0 You did it!\u00a0 Mission Accomplished! You took off with Set A!\u00a0 Go for Orbit if you dare!”\u00a0 With this type of consistent (and fun!) recognition, students clearly understand that they are progressing, and they get the chance to keep learning “if they dare!”<\/p>\n

    In addition to the three phases, students progress through the sets from A to Z.\u00a0 Each time a student masters a set, by going through all three phases, the student gets congratulated and taken to their rocket picture, as shown above.\u00a0 When a level is completed, the tile for that level explodes (with appropriate sound effects) and drops off the picture, gradually revealing more of the picture as tiles are demolished.<\/p>\n

    In the picture above, the tile for “N” has just exploded. After the explosion, a student is congratulated for passing Level N and encouraged to go for Level O if they dare.\u00a0 \u00a0When you talk to students about Rocket Math, they always tell you what level they have achieved.\u00a0 “I’m on Level K!” a student will announce with pride.\u00a0 That sense of accomplishment is important for them to keep chugging along.<\/p>\n

    An effective math facts app correct errors\u2014correctly<\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/a>Neither of these math fact apps allow errors to go uncorrected.\u00a0 Students will never learn math facts from an app that does not correct errors.\u00a0 That puts these two apps head and shoulders above the competition.\u00a0 However, these two apps correct errors very differently.<\/p>\n

    How XtraMath corrects errors<\/h3>\n

    On the left, you can see the XtraMath correction is visual.\u00a0\u00a0If a student enters the wrong answer, the app crosses the incorrect answer out in red and displays the correct answer in gray.\u00a0 A student then has to enter the correct answer that they see. This is a major mistake. In this case, students don’t have to remember the answer. They just have to enter the numbers in gray.<\/p>\n

    How Rocket Math corrects errors<\/h3>\n

    \"\"<\/a>Rocket Math, however, provides only an auditory correction.\u00a0 When a student answers incorrectly, the screen turns orange and Mission Control recites the correct problem and answer.\u00a0 In the pictured situation, Mission Control says, “Three plus 1 is four.\u00a0 Go again.”\u00a0 Under these conditions, the student has to listen to the correction and remember the answer, so they can enter it correctly.<\/p>\n

    Following an incorrect answer to a target problem, the app presents two more problems. Then it presents the previously target problem, on which the student made the error, again.<\/p>\n

    If the student answers the previously missed problem correctly within the three seconds, the game notes the error, and the student continues through the phase.\u00a0 If the student fails to answer the problem correctly again, the correction process repeats until the student answers correctly.\u00a0 Having to listen to and remember the answer, rather than just copy the answer, helps students learn better.<\/p>\n

    An effective math app gives meaningful feedback<\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Without feedback, students can’t learn efficiently and get frustrated. But the feedback cannot be generic. It has to dynamically respond to different student behavior.<\/p>\n

    How XtraMath’s app gives feedback<\/h3>\n

    XtraMath’s charming “Mr. C” narrates all of the transitions between parts of each day’s lesson.\u00a0 He welcomes students, says he is happy to see them, and updates students on their progress.\u00a0 He gives gentle, generic feedback about how you’re getting better and to remember to try to recall the facts instead of figuring them out.\u00a0 However, his feedback remains the same no matter how you do.\u00a0 In short, it is non-contingent feedback, which may not be very meaningful to students.<\/p>\n

    How Rocket Math’s app gives feedback<\/h3>\n

    \"\"<\/a>Differing from XtraMath, Rocket Math offers students a lot of feedback that is contingent. Contingent feedback means that students will receive different types of feedback depending on their responses.<\/p>\n

    The Rocket Math app gives positive feedback for all the 78 accomplishments noted above.\u00a0 It also doles out corrective feedback when the student isn’t doing well.<\/p>\n

    As noted above, students receive corrective feedback on all errors. They get feedback when they take longer than three seconds to answer too.\u00a0 The “Time’s Up” screen on the right pops up and Mission Control says, “Ya’ gotta be faster!\u00a0 Wait.\u00a0 Listen for the answer.”\u00a0 And then the problem and the correct answer are given.\u00a0 Students get a chance to answer that fact again soon and redeem themselves–proving they can answer it in 3 seconds.<\/p>\n

    The app tracks errors\u00a0and three strikes mean the student has to “Start Over” with that phase. At that point, the doors close (with appropriate sound effects) and then the student has to hit “go” and the doors open (with appropriate sound effects) to try it again.<\/p>\n

    When it comes to recognizing a student’s success, the Rocket Math app\u00a0holds nothing back. After a student completes a phase, Mission Control gives enthusiastic congratulations as noted above.<\/p>\n

    Typically, students don’t have to “start over” more than once or twice in a phase, but they still feel a real sense of accomplishment when they do complete the phase.\u00a0 The feedback students get from Rocket Math matters because they have to work hard to earn it.<\/p>\n

    How much does an effective math facts app cost?<\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/a>It is hard to beat the price of XtraMath, which is free.\u00a0 XtraMath is run by a non-profit based in Seattle.\u00a0 They have a staff of six folks in Seattle, and they do accept donations.\u00a0 Their product is great, and they are able to give it away.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a>Rocket Math is run by one person, Dr. Don.\u00a0 He supports the app, its development and himself with the proceeds.\u00a0 He answers his own phone and is happy to talk with teachers about math facts.\u00a0 The Rocket Math Online Game<\/a> is a good value at $1 a year per seat (when ordering 100 or more seats).\u00a0 Twenty to 99 seats are $2 each. And fewer than 20 seats cost $3.89 each per year.\u00a0 As one principal-customer of Rocket Math said, “We used to have XtraMath.\u00a0 We’d rather pay a little bit for Rocket Math because the kids like it better.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    There are plenty of\u00a0math facts apps out there that let students practice math facts they have already learned.\u00a0 Few apps actually teach math facts.\u00a0 But apps from Rocket Math and XtraMath are exceptions.\u00a0 While both apps teach students math facts, one is more effective and fun. The two best apps for actually teaching math facts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":837,"featured_media":38834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0},"categories":[123,106,89,42],"tags":[36,137],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38832"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/837"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38832"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38832\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38899,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38832\/revisions\/38899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocketmath.com\/stagingserver\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}