Technology does increase student achievement
Congratulations Dr. AJ Hepworth. Our very own HS Science Instructional Leader has just defended his doctoral dissertation. The study focused on whether or not eSpark increased student achievement. The results were a resounding yes. Here is the Abstract of the study:
The purpose of this study was to investigate how engagement, mood and number of assignments completed on computerized differentiated homework using an iPad in a one-to-one mobile device environment influenced the growth index and normalized gain in reading literature benchmark assessments of students in grades five, six, and seven. Furthermore, this study investigated if gender or special education status influences the growth index or normalized gain in reading literature benchmark assessment scores when using an iPad in a one-to-one mobile device environment on computerized differentiated homework.
Data from the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) fall Measures of Academic (MAP) Progress assessment was analyzed for students’ areas of weakness in reading literature. Using assessment results, students were assigned differentiated homework to complete on an iPad, while reporting their level of engagement with the app and present mood. Growth and normalized gains were calculated following the spring administration of the NWEA MAP. Five hundred-twelve suburban public school students, grades five, six, and seven were given iPads containing differentiated homework assignments during the 2012-2013 academic year.
A one-way group analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there was a statistically significant difference for level of engagement with iPad applications among students in grades five, six, and seven. An independent t-test showed that special education students were significantly more engaged with their differentiated homework than students not classified as having special education status. An independent t-test showed that students with a positive mood had a statistically significant higher growth index and normalized gain than students with a negative mood.
The findings in this study revealed that when using an iPad to complete differentiated homework, student assessment scores in reading literature were influenced by grade level and mood. The findings in this study revealed student grade level and present mood influenced their growth on reading literature assessment scores when completing differentiated homework using an iPad. Additional findings indicated that as they got older, students reported less engagement with iPad assignments. The study concluded with recommendations for improving; engagement level, percentage of assignments completed and teacher awareness of student mood.