Imagine Math Facts Improves Multiplication Fact Fluency in Third-Grade Students
Ten minutes a day on Timez Attack raised third-graders' multiplication fluency and the gains stuck on paper tests.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three third-grade classes used Timez Attack, a computer game that drills multiplication facts.
The game gives quick problems and rewards faster answers.
Teachers started the program at different times to show the game, not something else, caused gains.
What they found
After the game began, every class solved more facts per minute.
Scores stayed high four weeks later, even without the game.
Kids kept the new speed on paper tests, not just on the computer.
How this fits with other research
Doughty et al. (2015) saw the same pattern with college students learning to type.
Both studies used computer drills, measured speed, and saw lasting gains.
Burgess et al. (1971) got faster writing with playtime rewards instead of a game.
That paper shows you can boost academic speed with very different tools—games or simple prizes.
Smits-Engelsman et al. (2023) warns that game skills may not move to real life.
Here, the kids did transfer: computer fluency raised paper scores, so math facts crossed over.
Why it matters
You can plug Timez Attack into any third-grade room for ten minutes a day and watch multiplication speed climb.
No extra staff, tokens, or grading needed—just headphones and a laptop cart.
Try it as a warm-up; keep the scoreboard on the wall so kids see their own gains each week.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Start class with a ten-minute Timez Attack round and chart the class median facts-per-minute for the week.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Math fact fluency is foundational for later mathematics education. Unfortunately, many students across the nation continue to struggle with these core skills. Computer-assisted instruction may be a potentially valuable tool for improving math fact fluency due to its ability to differentiate instruction at the student level, provide added practice opportunities, and improve student interest and motivation. However, research is currently lacking to demonstrate the effectiveness of many computer-assisted interventions. One such program is Timez Attack by Imagine Math Facts, a multiplication fact fluency training program for elementary-age students. Using a multiple baseline across groups design, we sought to determine the effectiveness of Timez Attack in improving math fact fluency in third-grade students. We randomly assigned 63 students to three study groups and regularly assessed for multiplication fact fluency for 12 weeks. Compared to baseline averages, all three study groups demonstrated improved multiplication fact fluency following the onset of the intervention phase. Further, performance during a follow-up maintenance phase demonstrated persistence of learning. The results of this study suggest that Timez Attack may be an effective computer-assisted instruction option for improving multiplication fact fluency in elementary-age students.
Journal of Behavioral Education, 2018 · doi:10.1007/s10864-017-9288-1