Instrument. The conductor of the experiment utilized the third grade
Mathematics Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) as the pre-test and the
fourth grade administered Mathematics Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
as the post-test. The treatment and control group completed the same third grade
Mathematics FCAT test and fourth grade Mathematics FCAT test administered by
classroom teachers at the command of the Florida Department of Education. The third
grade Mathematics FCAT test was a pretest used to check on the equivalence of the
groups due to lack of randomization of subjects. According to Ary, Jacobs, Razavieh, &
Sorenson (2006), if there are no significant differences on the pretest, you can eliminate
selection as a threat to internal validity. If there are some differences, then an ANCOVA
will statistically adjust the posttest scores. The fourth grade Mathematics FCAT test was
a posttest used to determine whether or not there was a difference in groups based on
treatment.