IXL accelerates learning. A large body of scientific research consistently validates this. Through these research studies, we’ve found some themes on how educators can amplify IXL’s positive impact on students. Maximize IXL-powered learning at your school with these five research-backed principles.
#1: Reach proficiency in more IXL skills to raise test scores
Aiming for goals that are specific and challenging, but attainable, leads to better outcomes. That’s the idea behind Edwin Locke and Gary Latham’s goal-setting theory, an influential psychological principle that informs IXL’s usage guidelines.
To use IXL with fidelity, we recommend setting a goal for students that aligns with this theory: reach proficiency (a SmartScore of 80) in at least two on-grade-level IXL skills per subject per week.
What happens when we put this into practice? A study conducted in 2022 found that students who reached proficiency in at least two IXL skills per subject per week made much larger gains on NWEA MAP in both math and language arts compared to students who reached proficiency in less than two skills per week.
Students from one group that used IXL with fidelity for 12 weeks were 2.85 times more likely to reach reading proficiency on the MAP test than the comparison group.
#2: Drive greater growth by choosing challenging skills
While reaching proficiency in a number of skills is key, according to a 2023 research report students also need to practice skills at the right difficulty level.
The report found that, if students practice skills in which their SmartScore fluctuates before they reach proficiency, indicating they’re being challenged, that has a stronger positive impact on their growth in the long run. Practicing a skill they can breeze through, with their SmartScore steadily increasing until proficiency, isn’t quite as beneficial.
When students persevere through temporary SmartScore setbacks, they’ll ultimately achieve greater learning gains.
To support learners working on challenging material, IXL offers multiple built-in resources that empower students to learn on their own. When they’re having trouble with a skill, they can review a step-by-step explanation of an answer, watch a short video tutorial, or practice related skills to build foundational knowledge.
Teachers and parents can also help by offering encouragement through setbacks, as well as by choosing the right skills for each learner. The Real-Time Diagnostic’s recommendations provide an appropriate challenge.
#3: Act on insights from IXL’s Professional Development for higher student achievement
IXL’s highly popular professional development programs walk educators through our latest features and suggestions for successful implementation.
These PD sessions don’t just make teachers and admins more confident in using the platform; they translate to real gains in student participation and test results.
Both a 2020 study and a 2023 study show that, after completing IXL PD programs, schools had higher student engagement across the board. That means:
- More students practiced on IXL
- They spent more time on IXL
- They answered more questions
- They reached proficiency in more skills
Ultimately, the schools that took advantage of IXL PD had significantly higher proficiency rates on state assessments compared to schools that used IXL, but did not go through PD.
#4: Set Diagnostic Snapshot windows to improve math performance
IXL’s Diagnostic Snapshot is a flexible, lightweight, nationally normed benchmark assessment that’s perfect for tracking students’ grade-level proficiency over time. A 2023 study shows that schools that use the Diagnostic Snapshot are rewarded with a significant boost in test scores.
In the study, proficiency rates were about three percentage points higher on state math assessments in groups of students who completed at least one IXL Diagnostic Snapshot during the year compared to similar student groups that used IXL and didn’t complete a Snapshot.
Why did using the Diagnostic Snapshot make such a big difference? That’s likely because the Snapshot groups reached proficiency in twice as many skills per week as the non-Snapshot groups.
Moreover, the Snapshot groups were likely using IXL more effectively because they were getting more personalized skill recommendations. Additionally, educators may have utilized Snapshot results to give students fast and targeted intervention.
#5: Stick with IXL long term for greater learning gains
Schools get a big bump in math and reading proficiency rates the first year they use IXL, demonstrated by studies on IXL’s effectiveness in a number of states (including Kentucky, Texas, and Minnesota).
Their success doesn’t stop at year one, though; those proficiency rates continue to sharply rise in the following years as well.
Looking at the Kentucky study, if an average non-IXL school at the 50th percentile used IXL for one or two years, they could expect to rise up to the 56th percentile.
After the third continuous year of using IXL, that same school could expect to jump all the way to the 63rd percentile.
Inspired? To find more insights like these, head to our research studies that cover 70,000 schools across 45 states.
