QuickSmart Numeracy Resources and Organisation Manual

Abstract

QuickSmart Numeracy is an educational program designed to support numeracy skill development. The program was developed by a research team at the University of New England through the National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR National Centre). QuickSmart Numeracy emphasises the role of automaticity in learning. Automaticity is the immediate recall of basic information. QuickSmart focuses on developing students' understanding and quick recall of basic academic facts. The program is called QuickSmart because it encourages students to become quick in their response speed and smart in their strategy use when learning basic academic skills. Ultimately, QuickSmart aims to free up working memory so students can engage meaningfully in demanding school activities like problem solving and multiple computations. The QuickSmart Numeracy program focuses on basic mathematics content by providing instruction that meets individual students' learning needs. The program provides students with opportunities to self-monitor and to receive and generate immediate, informative feedback. ... In summary, QuickSmart is a theory-based instructional intervention designed to improve students' information retrieval times to levels that free up working memory capacity from an excessive focus on simple routine tasks. Becoming faster and more confident in recalling basic mathematics facts, for example, can mean that students have more time, energy and attention available for tackling more challenging mathematical problems.