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"The Impact of Education Technology on Student Achievement: What the Most Current Research Has to Say," John Schacter (Millken Exchange on Education Technology).

http://www.mff.org/edtech/publication.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=161

Date of Study:

1999

Basis of Study:

To outline the impact of education technology on learning and identify resources for further study.

Focus of Study:

The following are the studies that are analyzed and summarized in this report:

James Kulik used a research technique called meta-analysis to aggregate the findings from more than 500 individual research studies of computer-based instruction.

Jay Sivin-Kachala reviewed 219 research studies from 1990 to 1997 to assess the effect of technology on learning and achievement across all learning domains and all ages of learners.

In their evaluation of the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow, Baker, Gearhart, and Herman assessed the impact of interactive technologies on teaching and learning in five school sites across the nation.

Dale Mann's study of the state of West Virginia's Basic Skills/ Computer Education (BS/CE) program analyzed a representative sample of 950 fifth-grade students' achievement from 18 elementary schools across the state. These fifth-grade students had been participating in the West Virginia BS/ CE program since 1991-92. Data was also collected from 290 teachers to show the influence that West Virginia's Integrated Learning System technology had on student achievement. The Integrated Learning System technology focused its teaching on spelling, vocabulary, reading and mathematics.

Harold Wenglinsky assessed the effects of simulation and higher order thinking technologies on a national sample of fourth and eighth graders' mathematics achievement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Marlene Scardamalia and Carl Bereiter's Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE), the most widely studied collaborative computer application in schools today, had entire classrooms of children conceive, respond to, and reframe what is said and written over time on computers.

Seymour Papert, Mitchel Resnick, Yasmin Kafai, and Idit Harel have employed learning-by-design principles to educational technology by having students become creators and designers of educational software.

Conclusions:

These studies show that students with access to educational technology show positive gains in achievement on researcher-constructed, standardized, and national tests.