Maths-Whizz in Mexico: Enhancing Mathematical Competence through Personalized Learning

A doctoral study by Dr. Nora Iveth Chávez Chávez at Universidad Cuauhtémoc (Aguascalientes, Mexico) examined the impact of Maths-Whizz on 119 students aged 8–11 at José María Chávez Primary School. Conducted throughout the 2022–2023 academic year, the mixed-methods research combined quantitative data with interviews from teachers, students, and parents to measure both progress and engagement.

It should be recognized that student usage of Maths-Whizz was inconsistent in this study as a result firstly of continued disruption from the pandemic in the first part of the 2022-23 school year and patchy computer and Internet availability in this region of Mexico limiting student access both at school but especially at home, with only 25% seemingly having the ability to use Maths-Whizz regularly at home. Yet the study was able to report a meaningful impact for a large proportion of the students.

Significant Learning Gains

The Mejoredu is a diagnostic, formative assessment conducted in Mexican primary schools. Figure 26 shows how much improvement was achieved in selected maths topics by the four grade levels using Maths-Whizz between the beginning and end of the 2022-23 school year.

Figure 27 indicates that in another national test of sixth graders, the 2022-23 cohort, which had used Maths-Whizz, significantly outperformed the previous year’s students at José María Chávez in maths and that the maths improvement was instrumental in their superior performance across all subjects.

Meanwhile, Figure 21 shows that for the small number of students who exceptionally had extensive access to Maths-Whizz both at school and at home, good Maths Age increases were possible. These students were the outliers in each grade level

Figure 26 (Mejoredu Test): Higher scores across all maths domains.

Figure 27 (Olimpiada del Conocimiento Infantil): An 8.2-point increase in maths results and a 3.3-point overall improvement compared to the previous year.

Positive Impact on Motivation and Confidence

Teachers reported that Maths-Whizz made lessons more interactive and enjoyable, improving problem-solving, reasoning, and independence.


Students described learning as “fun,” “motivating,” and “a way to learn while playing,” noting particular progress in fractions, division, and mental maths. Parents observed greater confidence, persistence, and enthusiasm for maths at home.

Conclusion

Dr. Chávez concluded that Maths-Whizz not only improves mathematical competence but also transforms students’ attitudes toward learning through adaptive, gamified instruction. She recommends expanding its use across Aguascalientes primary schools to strengthen maths achievement and overall educational quality.

📘 Read the full thesis (in Spanish): El impacto del SaaS “Maths-Whizz” en el desarrollo de competencias matemáticas en los alumnos de tercero a sexto grados de la escuela primaria “José María Chávez” de Aguascalientes by Dr. Nora Iveth Chávez Chávez.