The Bajillions Early Math Study is a research study conducted by the Marsico Institute for Early Learning at the University of Denver. The study explores how research-based digital learning experiences can support young children's mathematical thinking in authentic classroom settings. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Researchers are studying how children engage with Bajillions Early Math - an app informed by research on how children’s mathematical thinking develops over time - and how digital learning experiences can support the development of early mathematical thinking. Findings will evaluate the effectiveness of the platform while contributing to research on early mathematics education.

Children will be assigned to receive either number or geometry games in the Fall, then switch in the Spring, with in-person child assessments or specific games used to evaluate their progress three times per year. We hypothesize that children exposed to number games will have more learning in number from assessment 1 to assessment 2 and children exposed to geometry games will have more learning in geometry in this same period. The groups will switch topics in the Spring and be assessed one last time before summer break to examine additional learning from assessment 2 to assessment 3.

The study is led by researchers at the Marsico Institute for Early Learning at the University of Denver, including Principal Investigators Dr. Douglas Clements and Dr. Julie Sarama.

Yes. Families can participate through their child's school or independently.

Participation Through Your Child's School

Want your child's school to implement Bajillions Early Math? Send your principal the Administrator Information Packet!

When participating through the school, families will either sign a parental permission form through their school's communication OR receive study information and choose to opt out their child of the study.

Bajillions with Child Assessments

• Signed Parent Permission: Schools that participate in activities beyond the games, such as child assessments or teacher interviews, will need signed parental permission forms for each child. If you are a parent or guardian and you do NOT want your child to participate, simply do not sign the parental permission form.

Bajillions with No Child Assessments

• Parent Opt Out: Schools that participate only digitally can opt their child out of the study. Schools will send out an information sheet about the study, which will include information about how to opt out. 

Yes. Children can still have access to Bajillions even if their family declines research participation. In those cases, no personally identifiable data is collected for those children (links to child's username are encrypted). Per the FableVision Privacy Notice, gameplay data will still be collected for internal use only and will not contribute to published research.

Children's information is protected according to University of Denver IRB requirements and applicable privacy policies. Personally identifiable information is never published. If teachers provide children with access to Bajillions and the families have not given express written permission, the data can only be used for internal evaluation purposes as outlined in the Privacy Notice of FableVision Games.

Yes. The study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Denver Institutional Review Board (IRB), which oversees research involving human participants. The study is considered minimal risk, meaning that there are no expected risks beyond what would typically be experienced in educational settings.

The research team is available to answer questions before, during, and after the study begins. Families can contact project staff, Erin Jamieson at Erin.Jamieson@du.edu.

If you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the University of Denver’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) by emailing IRBAdmin@du.edu to speak to someone other than the researchers.

Bajillions can be used on supported web browsers and compatible Apple, Android, and Amazon devices. The research team will help determine whether your classroom has the necessary technology.

Access to original data files will be restricted to members of the research team, all of whom will be fully IRB trained and CITI-certified. Only the research team members will view the raw data and transcribe digital recordings. Following data cleaning procedures, all data will be de-identified to remove names, with any lists linking participants with their ID kept securely with the Project Director. Two years after the project ends or once all research reports are published, whichever comes later, the raw data sources will be destroyed or erased, and only the de-identified data will be maintained. To ensure responsible and scholarly use of study data, data sharing will align with a strict data sharing protocol and a data sharing agreement as approved by the University of Denver legal team and IRB of record.

The Bajillions Early Math platform was built with accessibility in mind and strives for intuitive design that is seamless to the user experience. The platform includes adjustable closed captions, sound, and visuals, and adaptive keyboard options, among other accessibility features.

Yes! Sample the games using our demo account here. For a more in-depth orientation to the platform, please schedule an information session with Erin Jamieson at Erin.Jamieson@du.edu.

No. Bajillions is currently available only through participation in the Bajillions Early Math Study.