Technology’s Impact on Learning

1. Technology’s Impact on Learning Does it make a difference?

2. Research Studies Ask Apple “Apple Computer and the K.12 Education Market” sponsored by Apple • IDC conducted several interviews with K-12 school districts with 2 major school districts using 1:1 student computing with Apple iBooks. The study showed higher test scores, lower absenteeism, and higher graduation rates. ACOT – Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow • A 13 year study that concluded in 1998 that showed technology as a tool for learning http://images.apple.com/education/research/pdf/IDC_White_Paper.pdf http://www.apple.com/education/k12/leadership/acot/history.html * IDC is a provider of market intelligence for information technology

3. Research Studies Ask TEA Technology Immersion Pilot - TIP • TIP goes beyond a 1:1 computing environment. TIP created a total immersion of technology for faculty and students where computers were not just adjunct tools but where technology totally enveloped the learning process. • First year results showed positive effects of technology on schools, teachers, and students with second year results confirming these first year results. • “First-year findings on academic achievement revealed no statistically significant immersion effects on TAKS reading or mathematics scores for Cohort 1, sixth graders.” • “Similarly, second-year results for Cohort 1 students (as seventh graders) showed no significant effects of immersion on TAKS reading, mathematics, or writing achievement.” Overall Results • Teachers and students’ technology proficiency increased. • Overall test scores showed no statistical significance in improvement. • However, immersion had a significant effect on math scores for higher achieving students. http://www.etxtip.info/images/eTxTIP_Year2EvalRptSumm.pdf

4. Research Studies Ask United Streaming Type 4 B Research Based Evaluation of the Impact of United Streaming on Education • All students were pre and posted tested. • Experimental and control groups were used. • Video clips were aligned with curriculum in the state of Virginia • “Experimental groups for 3rd grade science, 3rd grade social studies, and 8th grade social studies showed a significantly greater increase in scores on the post-tests over pre-tests than did the control groups. “ Overall Results • “Overall, the students exposed to the video clips exceeded the control group post-test scores by 12.6%, an effect size that was about .66 of a standard deviation unit.” http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=studySummary&StudyID=852 APA Reference: Boster, F. J., Meyer, G. S., Roberto, A. J., & Inge, C. C. (2002). A report on the effect of the unitedstreaming(TM) application on educational performance. Cometrika, Inc., Baseline Research, LLC., & Longwood University.

5. Research Studies Ask Josten (Compass Learning) Research study on the effectiveness of the Jostens (now Compass Learning) mathematics integrated learning curriculum when employed within the context of a cooperative-learning environment. • 550 hours of instruction • All instruction occurred in a computer lab environment • “Prior to the start of this experiment, students were administered form A of the California Mathematics Achievement Test (5th edition, 5th grade level) as a pre-test.” • “Subjects were also administered a post-test (form B of the California Mathematics Achievement Test), in order to compare pre-test and post-test test mathematics performance. “ Overall Results • “Brush found that those students who used the Jostens mathematics curriculum within a cooperative-oriented educational environment showed superior performance on standardized math inventories, as compared to those students who used the Jostens curriculum within an individual-oriented educational environment.” http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=studySummary&studyID=343&resultSet=852,1061,343,419,386,354,1065,405,1024,404 APA Reference: Brush, T. A. (1997). The effects on student achievement and attitudes when using integrated learning systems with cooperative pairs. Educational Technology Research and Development, 45(1), 51–64.

6. Research Studies Ask Jasper Mathematics Educational Software Research study on the district wide implementation of The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury • Software was grouped around four problem areas: distance/time/rate, probability, geometry, and algebra • Implemented within the context of a district-level mathematics education reform program. Overall Results • Students who used the Jasper software package displayed enhanced performance on the Problem-Solving and Interpretation subset of ITBS. • Students who used the Jasper software package displayed lower performance on the Mathematics Computation subset of the ITBS. • High-SES students who used the Jasper software package displayed enhanced performance on the Concepts and Estimation mathematical subsets of ITBS. • Low-SES students rated the relevance of Jasper activities and comparison (i.e., traditional) math activities to be equal. However, high-SES students rated the relevance of the comparison activities to be more relevant than the Jasper activities. • Students who used the Jasper software package in less-consistent classrooms initially reported lower levels of task competence than did students who used the Jasper software package in more-consistent classrooms. This difference in self-rated task competence vanished by the time of students’ second use of the Jasper software. • Performance was higher on the Problem-Solving and Interpretation, and the Math Concepts and Estimation subsets of ITBS for students in the more-consistent classrooms, than for students in the less-consistent classrooms. http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=studySummary&StudyID=419&resultSet=852,1061,343,419,386,354,1065,405,1024,404 APA Reference: Hickey, D. T., Moore, A. L., & Pellegrino, J. W. (2001). The motivational and academic consequences of elementary mathematics environments: Do constructivist innovations and reforms make a difference? American Educational Research Journal, 38(3), 611-652.

7. Research Studies Ask National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing Formal research study of elementary students using knowledge mapping across the Internet • Fifty two students in the 4th and 5th grade learned the systems of the body in daily 45 minutes instruction for six weeks • Knowledge mapping, the Internet, and small group discussions occurred in the learning process. Overall Results • “Results of this study suggest that students who experienced repeated use of concept-mapping software had a broader and deeper understanding of the systems of the human body both for the topics of the concepts themselves and for the connections between the systems of the human body. “ • “The project also demonstrated how a teacher with no previous technology experience broadened her teaching effectiveness and use of technology through an action research project using knowledge map software over the internet.” http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=studySummary&StudyID=405&resultSet=852,1061,343,419,386,354,1065,405,1024,404 APA Reference: Osmundson, E., Chung, G. K. W. K., Herl, H. E., & Klein, D. C. D. (1999). Knowledge mapping in the classroom: A tool for examining the development of students' conceptual understandings. Los Angeles, CA: National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing. Retrieved August 19, 2002, from http://www.cse.ucla.edu/CRESST/Reports/TECH507.PDF.

8. Overall Results • Technology assists learning • Access to technology increases technology skill levels • Technology has some effect on test scores

9. Technology – My Opinion Technology is a tool and not a cure all. Technology’s effectiveness depends on the consistency of teacher training and consistent instructional time. Just having a computer doesn’t achieve anything.