The NSF KiSS Project
Engaging STEM Students in Retrieval Practice for Foundational Skills over Academic Breaks
Helping students keep their mathematical skills in shape between courses
Academic breaks offer students a welcome opportunity to recharge, but they can also interrupt opportunities to practice foundational skills needed in subsequent courses. For students pursuing STEM degrees, difficulty recalling previously learned mathematics can make an already challenging transition even harder.
With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers at Arizona State University are investigating how brief, voluntary mathematics review during academic breaks can help students maintain foundational skills and prepare for their next course.
Building on the Keep in School Shape (KiSS) Program, developed in 2016, the project examines student outcomes, approaches to encouraging voluntary participation, and the different ways students engage with daily review activities.
What We're Investigating
The NSF KiSS Project focuses on three interconnected areas:
1. Student Outcomes
How does participating in KiSS relate to students' mathematical preparedness and subsequent success in introductory calculus courses? We're examining both near-term and longer-term outcomes to better understand the potential benefits of retrieval practice during academic breaks.
2. Encouraging Voluntary Participation
What encourages students to participate in mathematics review when it isn't required? We're investigating how different incentive approaches, including individual recognition and opportunities to contribute to resources that benefit other students, relate to participation and continued engagement.
3. Understanding Student Engagement
What does participation in voluntary mathematics review actually look like? We're examining how engagement unfolds across an academic break—from getting started to participating consistently or returning after interruptions. We're also investigating students' choices within daily activities, including problem difficulty, feedback, additional practice, and opportunities to try again.
Our Research in Action
The NSF KiSS Project began in October 2023 with a pilot during Winter Break 2023–24 to develop and test the badge system, including badge criteria, designs, and display protocols.
Since then, we've conducted studies during Summer 2024, Winter 2024–25, Summer 2025, Winter 2025–26, and Summer 2026, with another study planned for Winter 2026–27.
Across these implementations, we're investigating student outcomes, approaches to encouraging voluntary participation, and patterns of engagement within and across daily review activities. Recent analyses are helping us distinguish between signing up, beginning review, participating consistently, and returning after interruptions.
As the project progresses, we'll share selected findings and updates here.
Recent Publications & Presentations
Our research findings and program developments have been shared through publications, conference presentations, and educational outreach. Here are some recent examples of how we're sharing what we've learned. We'll continue adding resources as they become available.
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van de Sande, C. (2026). A design blueprint for supporting voluntary retrieval practice during gaps in instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development.
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van de Sande, C. (2026). Designing educational technologies for learning continuity during instructional gaps: The AppLe a Day model. In Proceedings of SITE International Conference (pp. 1385–1394). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
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van de Sande, C. (2026). An AppLe a Day: How we can keep students learning when school is not in session. In Proceedings of SITE International Conference (pp. 1379–1384). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
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van de Sande, C., Gately, S., & Jensen, C. (2026, February 6). Micro-Moments, Major Impact: The KiSS Approach to Learning Continuity [Presentation slides]. Future of Learning Community Fest (FOLC Fest), Arizona State University.
Project Information
This research is supported by the National Science Foundation through its Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program award # 2416948.
The project is conducted at Arizona State University under PI Carla van de Sande and Co-PI Mark Reiser, and builds on the ongoing development and study of the Keep in School Shape (KiSS) Program.
Learn more about the project through its official NSF award information.
The findings and conclusions presented on this website are those of the project team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
