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"West Virginia Story: Achievement Gains from a Statewide Comprehensive Instructional Technology Program," Dale Mann, Charol Shakeshaft, Jonathan Becker, Robert Kottkamp, Lewis Solomon.

http://www.mff.org/edtech/projects.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=151

Date of Study:

1999

Basis of Study:

Quantitative and qualitative data collected from 950 fifth graders and 290 teachers to analyze the value of the Basic Skills/Computer Education (BS/CE) program, a sustained instructional technology initiative implemented in West Virginia, 1990-1998.

Focus of Study:

Impact of the Basic Skills/Computer Education (BS/CE) program on student achievement. The program consists of three basic components:

Software that focuses on the State's basic skills goals in reading, language arts ,and mathematics;
Enough components in the schools so that all students will be able to have easy and regular access to the basic skills software; and
Professional development for teachers in the use of computers in general.

Findings:

11% of the gain score increase of 5th graders can be attributed to their participation in the BS/CE program.
BS/CE was found to be more cost-effective than other interventions, including class-size reduction.
BS/CE was especially successful with both female students and low income and rural students
Additional outcomes of the sustained implementation of instruction technology include: participant schools' ability to try out new productivity tools; improvement of public attitude to schools; positioning of West Virginia's children as "knowledge workers" in a technologically demanding economy and workforce.
The Basic Skills/Computer Education Program is scalable, meaning expenditure proportions are within the reach of other states.

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