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##  The Benefits of Information Technology. ERIC Digest.                         

More than three decades ago, computers and related information                  technologies were introduced to educators as educational tools.                 Today, there are computers of various descriptions in nearly all                schools in the United States. Teachers, school administrators,                  government officials, and others faced with the costs involved in               technology implementation must constantly evaluate the educational              benefits of technology. Is there research or other evidence that                indicates computers and advanced telecommunications are worthwhile              investments for educators? This Digest summarizes the observed                  benefits of technology implementation. The importance of evaluating             the effects of technology on learning is also                                   addressed. APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY TO BASIC SKILLSUsing                educational technology for drill and practice of basic skills can be            highly effective according to a large body of data and a long                   history of use (Kulik, 1994). Students usually learn more, and learn            more rapidly, in courses that use computer assisted                             instruction (CAI). This has been shown to be the case across all                subject areas, from preschool to higher education, and in both                  regular and special education classes. Drill and practice is the                most common application of CAI in elementary education, the                     military, and in adult educational settings. Fletcher, et al (1990)             reports that in the military, where emphasis is on short and                    efficient training time, the use of CAI can cut training time by one            third. In the military, CAI can also be more cost-effective than                additional tutoring, reduced class size, or increased instruction               time to attain equivalent educational gains. APPLICATIONS OF                  TECHNOLOGY TO ADVANCED SKILLSThe application of educational                 technologies to instruction has progressed beyond the use of basic              drill and practice software, and now includes the use of complex                multimedia products and advanced networking technologies. Today,                students use multimedia to learn interactively and work on class                projects. They use the Internet to do research, engage in projects,             and to communicate. The new technologies allow students to have more            control over their own learning, to think analytically and                      critically, and to work collaboratively. This "constructivist"                  approach is one effort at educational reform made easier by                     technology, and perhaps even driven by it. Traditional lecture                  methods are often left behind as students collaborate and teachers              facilitate. Students, who often know more about technology than the             teacher are able to assist the teacher with the lesson. Since this              type of instructional approach, and the technologies involved with              it, are recent developments, it is hard to gauge their educational              effects. Still, an increasing body of evidence as presented by Bialo            and Sivin-Kachala (1996) for example, suggests positive results. The            Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (Dwyer, 1994), a 10-year project where             students and teachers were each given two computers, one for school             and one for home, illustrates some of the gains made in students'               advanced skills. ACOT reports that students: 
--Explored and                   represented information dynamically and in many forms 
--Became                socially aware and more confident 
--Communicated effectively about            complex processes 
--Became independent learners and                           self-starters 
--Worked well collaboratively 
--Knew their areas              of expertise and shared expertise spontaneously and 
--Used                    technology routinely and appropriately. Another effort called the               Buddy Project (Indiana's Fourth Grade, 1990) supplied students with             home computers and modem access to school. Positive effects                     included: 
--An increase in writing skills 
--Better understanding            and broader view of math 
--Ability to teach others,                           and 
--Greater problem solving and critical thinking                           skills. EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT ATTITUDESNumerous                studies over the years, summarized by Bialo and                                 Sivin-Kachala (1996), report other benefits enjoyed by students who             use technology. These benefits involve attitudes toward self and                toward learning. The studies reveal that students feel more                     successful in school are more motivated to learn and have increased             self confidence and self esteem when using CAI. This is particularly            true when the technology allows the students to control their own               learning. It's also true across a variety of subject areas, and is              especially noteworthy when students are in at-risk groups (special              education, students from inner-city or rural schools). ON-LINE                TECHNOLOGIESThe Internet and advanced networking technologies               are comparative newcomers to the classroom. Efforts such as Net Day             and e-rate discounts enacted by the Telecommunications                          Act (Telecommunications Act, 1996) make it easier for many                      classrooms around the country to connect to the Internet. Although a            large body of research on the effects of the Internet in the                    classroom does not yet exist, recent studies illustrate some                    observed positive effects. A study by the Center for Applied Special            Technology (1996) shows significantly higher scores on measures of              information management, communication, and presentation of ideas for            experimental groups with on-line access than for control groups with            no access. Also, students in the experimental group reported                    significantly increased use of computers in four different                      areas--gathering information, organizing and presenting information,            doing multimedia projects, and obtaining help with basic                        skills. USE OF TECHNOLOGY BY TEACHERS AND                                     ADMINISTRATORSTeachers and administrators use computer and                  information technologies to improve their roles in the educational              process. Some examples include: 
--Using computer tools to                     streamline record keeping and administrative tasks, thereby helping             to free up time for instruction or professional                                 development 
--Decreasing isolation by using e-mail and the                    Internet to communicate with colleagues, parents, and the outside               world, and 
--Increasing professional development activities by                taking distance education courses, accessing educational research,              and accessing classroom materials such as lesson plans. FACTORS               THAT HELP TECHNOLOGY SUCCEEDSome of the observed benefits                   associated with educational technology have been reviewed above, but            what are the factors that help technology succeed in bringing about             these benefits? Glenna & Melmed (1996) and the Technology Counts                analysis suggest the following factors observed in successful                   technology-rich schools: 
--Evidence of a detailed technology plan.            Such a plan should consider funding, installation and integration of            equipment, ongoing management of the technology. The plan should                also express a clear vision of the goals of the technology                      integration. 
--Teacher training and continuing education. Teachers            should know how to operate the technology and how to integrate it               into the curriculum. 
--Support from administration. Administrative            support can come in the form of funding, or in restructuring                    schedules and physical space to reflect the new learning                        environment. 
--Support from the community. Parents, businesses,               and community members can use technology as a springboard to become             more involved in the activities of neighborhood schools. All can                help with wiring or technical support. Parents can use e-mail to                facilitate communication with teachers and administrators.                      Businesses can use e-mail to help mentor students and help them                 prepare for the workplace. 
--Support from government. Adequate                funding and appropriate policy making can help to assure that                   technology is accessible to all schools on an equal basis. 
These              factors suggest that to succeed, technology, like any educational               tool, cannot exist in isolation, but must be made an integral part              of the entire instructional process. EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF                 TECHNOLOGYTraditional methods of evaluating the effectiveness of            educational technology present a number of problematic issues.                  Glenna & Melmed (1996) state these succinctly: 
--Most available               tests do not reliably measure the outcomes being sought. The                    measures that are reported are usually from traditional                         multiple-choice tests. New measures need to be developed which would            assess the higher-level skills and other effects often affected by              technology. 
--Assessments of the impact of technology are really              assessments of the instructional processes enabled by technology,               and the outcomes are highly dependent on the quality of the                     implementation of the entire instructional process. Crucial elements            include instructional design, content, and teaching strategies                  associated with both the software and the classroom                             environment. 
--The very dynamic nature of technology makes                    meaningful evaluation difficult. By the time long-term studies are              completed, the technology being evaluated is often outdated. 
The              U.S. Department of Education and Educational Testing Service (ETS)              report that new methods of evaluation that look at technology in                context are being investigated. These methods will focus ideally not            on the question "Does technology work?" but rather on how it impacts            the various components of the educational                                       process. SUMMARYTechnology has been shown to have positive                effects on the instructional process, on basic and advanced skills.             Technology is also changing the instructional process itself. To be             effective, technology cannot exist in a vacuum, but must become part            of the whole educational environment. New measures of evaluation are            under development which would help to better define the role of                 technology in its wider context. REFERENCESBialo, E.R., &                 Sivin-Kachala, J. (1996). "The effectiveness of technology in                   schools: A summary of recent research." Washington, DC: Software                Publishers Association. 
Birman, B. & others. (January, 1997). "The            effectiveness of using technology in K-12 education: A preliminary              framework and review," Washington, DC: American Institutes for                  Research. 
Center for Applied Special Technology. (1996). "The role            of online communications in schools: A national study." Peabody, MA:            CAST. Internet WWW page, at URL:                                                http://www.cast.org/stsstudy.html (version current at April                     1998). 
Dwyer, D. (April, 1994). Apple classrooms of tomorrow: What            we've learned. "Educational Leadership," 51(7), 4-10. (EJ 508                   281) 
Education week on the web. "Technology Counts: Schools and               reform in the information age." A special report. Internet WWW page,            at URL: http://www.edweek.org/sreports/tc/ (version current at April            1998) 
Fletcher, J.D., Hawley, D.E., & Piele, P.K. (1990). Costs,              effects, and utility of microcomputer assisted instruction in the               classroom. "American Educational Research Journal," 27,                         783-806. 
Glenna, T. K. & Melmed, A. (1996). "Fostering the use of             educational technology: Elements of a national strategy. A Rand                 Report." Santa Monica, CA: Rand. Internet WWW page, at                          URL:http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR682/contents.html (version            current at April 1998). 
"Indiana's fourth grade project: Model                applications of technology. Second Year, 1989-90." (1990). Indiana              State Dept. of Education. Indianapolis: Advanced Technology,                    Inc. (ED 343 550) Internet WWW page, at URL:                                    http://www.buddynet.net/ (version current at April 1998). 
Krendl,             K.A. & Clark, G. (Spring, 1994). The impact of computers on                     learning: Research on in-school and out-of-school settings. "Journal            of Computing in Higher Education," 5(2), 85-112 . (EJ 479                       669) 
Kulik, J.A. (1994). Meta-analytic studies of findings on                 computer-based instruction. In E.L. Baker and H.F. O'Neil,                      Jr. (Eds.), "Technology assessment in education and training."                  Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. 
Mann, D., & Shakeshaft,                      C. (1997). "The impact of technology in the schools of the Mohawk               Regional Information Center Area. Technical Report." Verona, NY:                Mohawk Regional Information Center. (ED 405 893) 
Poirot, J.L. &               Knezek, G.A. (Nov, 1992). Experimental designs for determining the              effectiveness of technology in education. "Computing Teacher,"                  20(3), 8-9. (EJ 454 689) 
Telecommunications Act of 1996. (1996).              Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. (ED 395 583) 
Thompson, A.D.,            Simonson, M.R., & Hargrave, C.P. (1996). "Educational technology: A             review of the research." Second edition. Washington, DC: Association            for Educational Communications and Technology. 
U.S. Department of             Education. (1996). "Getting America's students ready for the 21st               century: Meeting the technology literacy challenge." Washington, DC:            U.S. Department of Education. Internet WWW page, at URL:                        http://www.ed.gov/Technology/Plan/NatTechPlan/ (version current at              April 1998). 
U.S. Department of Education. "Using technology to               support education reform." Washington, DC: U.S. Department of                   Education. Internet WWW page, at URL:                                           http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/TechReforms/ (version current            at April 1998). 
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ERIC Digests are in the public domain and             may be freely reproduced and disseminated. This publication was                 prepared with funding from the Office of Educational Research and               Improvement, U.S. Department of Education under contract no.                    RR93002009. The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily            reflect the positions of OERI or ED.                                         **Title:** The Benefits of Information Technology. ERIC Digest.                         **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology, 4-194 Center for              Science and Technology, Syracuse, NY 13244-4100 (free while supply              lasts).                                                                      **Descriptors:**  Computer Assisted Instruction, Computer Attitudes,  Computer Uses              in Education, Educational Technology, Evaluation Methods,                        Instructional Effectiveness, Online Systems, Program                           Implementation, Student Attitudes                                            **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests,  Technology Integration,  Technology Role                      
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