Back to Inspiration
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Research on Technology in the ClassroomBackground and Need, Rationale, etc.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, only 45% of 4th graders and 34% of 8th graders perform at the proficient level (2017). In 2017, the average score of fourth-grade students in California was 215. This was lower than the average score of 221 for public school students in the nation. In 2017, 60% of 4th graders in the district did not meet the standards on the CAASPP Language Arts test and 85% of EL 4th graders did not meet the standards. The number of EL 4th grade students not passing has increased 3% over a two year span. These scores demonstrate that there is still a significant gap in the way in which instruction is delivered to the students in the classroom and their ability to understand and retain it. The main focus of the Napa Valley Unified School district is to instill 21st Century Skills and inspire lifelong learning. Many schools use technology, along with AVID, as key tools for learning and engaging students. “Reading leads to college,” is a saying used throughout AVID to help struggling students up to grade level. Instruction, with the use of technology, can help students stay engaged while reading and hopefully bridge the gap for the struggling readers. 
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Design Process
Support and Next Steps
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Literature Review
Strengthening student engagement has become a challenge for educators at all levels. Research findings have pointed out over and over that students abilities to learn and academic progress increase when engagement is high. Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison (2011) are educators that have focused their research on promoting engagement for all learners. They found that by “asking authentic questions-that is, questions to which the teacher does not already know the answer or which there are not predetermined answers-is extremely powerful in creating a classroom that feels intellectually engaging” (2011). In essence, if students are not being allowed the opportunity to have a tactile and hands-on approach to enhance their own learning, then they are being denied the chance of discovery and inquiry, which are both skills that foster learning engagement and retainment. Needless to say, self-discovery and whole class inquiry are essential tools “That generate or help promote class inquiry, discovery, framing learning as a complex, multifaceted, communal activity as opposed to a process of simply accumulating information” (Church, Morrison, Ritchhart, 2011, p.). It is important for students to understand the meaning of what they are learning in order to enhance retention. Though a rote style of learning may help a student study for a test, research concludes that it does not help a student retain information (Wolfe, 2001). Similarly, retention of information through rote practice isn’t learning; it is training.” (Church, Morrison, Ritchhart, 2011, p.).
According to a study, (Banitt, Theis, & Van Leeuwe, 2013) showed that students had an overall preference for lessons that included the technology. The study also showed that there was a 16% increase in student accuracy on short answer responses when technology was included into one of the seven lessons that was followed. In this study, three groups of students in an upper montessori classroom ranging between fourth thru sixth grade participated in an experimental lesson where technology was incorporated. The results of this study showed that the students who received a lesson including technology scored an average of 72% on the post-test versus the students who did not use technology and scored on average 56% on the post-test. Basically, this study suggests that students who receive lessons that include some aspects of technology along with traditional teaching methods showed greater engagement.
A study, (Guo, Connor, Tompkins, & Morrison, 2011) was done that correlated student achievement to classroom quality and student engagement. The study found that third grade students achievement was strongly correlated to their engagement and high quality teacher instruction. Students that were in classrooms with “high interactional quality” showed more behavior engagement, which in turn “predicts greater reading achievement”. Students who were highly engaged had higher reading levels.
Granito and Chernobilsky (2012) completed a study at the University of Connecticut with a 7th grade social studies class. The point of the study was to examine the impact that technology has on a given student’s motivation to learn and retain new information. Students in the study were comprised of three groups, one being a paper based method group, another using web 2.0 tools, and the third group had a choice between the paper or web 2.0, in order to complete a social studies project. Research concluded that technology has the potential to be a beneficial educational tool for students who have an interest in it. This study also suggests that for students who have no interest in technology, they can still benefit educationally using traditional teaching methods and instruction. The data gathered for this study was derived from a pre-test, post-test, and a retention test. The results of these test instruments revealed that the students who had a choice to use computers to complete the project scored an average of 29.67, the highest overall retention test score.
Strengthening student engagement has become a challenge for educators at all levels. Research findings have pointed out over and over that students abilities to learn and academic progress increase when engagement is high. Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison (2011) are educators that have focused their research on promoting engagement for all learners. They found that by “asking authentic questions-that is, questions to which the teacher does not already know the answer or which there are not predetermined answers-is extremely powerful in creating a classroom that feels intellectually engaging” (2011). In essence, if students are not being allowed the opportunity to have a tactile and hands-on approach to enhance their own learning, then they are being denied the chance of discovery and inquiry, which are both skills that foster learning engagement and retainment. Needless to say, self-discovery and whole class inquiry are essential tools “That generate or help promote class inquiry, discovery, framing learning as a complex, multifaceted, communal activity as opposed to a process of simply accumulating information” (Church, Morrison, Ritchhart, 2011, p.). It is important for students to understand the meaning of what they are learning in order to enhance retention. Though a rote style of learning may help a student study for a test, research concludes that it does not help a student retain information (Wolfe, 2001). Similarly, retention of information through rote practice isn’t learning; it is training.” (Church, Morrison, Ritchhart, 2011, p.).
According to a study, (Banitt, Theis, & Van Leeuwe, 2013) showed that students had an overall preference for lessons that included the technology. The study also showed that there was a 16% increase in student accuracy on short answer responses when technology was included into one of the seven lessons that was followed. In this study, three groups of students in an upper montessori classroom ranging between fourth thru sixth grade participated in an experimental lesson where technology was incorporated. The results of this study showed that the students who received a lesson including technology scored an average of 72% on the post-test versus the students who did not use technology and scored on average 56% on the post-test. Basically, this study suggests that students who receive lessons that include some aspects of technology along with traditional teaching methods showed greater engagement.
A study, (Guo, Connor, Tompkins, & Morrison, 2011) was done that correlated student achievement to classroom quality and student engagement. The study found that third grade students achievement was strongly correlated to their engagement and high quality teacher instruction. Students that were in classrooms with “high interactional quality” showed more behavior engagement, which in turn “predicts greater reading achievement”. Students who were highly engaged had higher reading levels.
Granito and Chernobilsky (2012) completed a study at the University of Connecticut with a 7th grade social studies class. The point of the study was to examine the impact that technology has on a given student’s motivation to learn and retain new information. Students in the study were comprised of three groups, one being a paper based method group, another using web 2.0 tools, and the third group had a choice between the paper or web 2.0, in order to complete a social studies project. Research concluded that technology has the potential to be a beneficial educational tool for students who have an interest in it. This study also suggests that for students who have no interest in technology, they can still benefit educationally using traditional teaching methods and instruction. The data gathered for this study was derived from a pre-test, post-test, and a retention test. The results of these test instruments revealed that the students who had a choice to use computers to complete the project scored an average of 29.67, the highest overall retention test score.