Over the past ten years, even as districts make major technology investments, educators, legislators and researchers have been asking for proof that technology makes a difference in education. Like you, they want evidence that technology improves student achievement. But asking if technology in education is effective is sort of like asking if silverware is effective. A butter knife won't help you eat a bowl of soup, and a spoon won't carve a turkey. Can Build Students' Motivation in School Everyone knows that kids think technology is fun.
Many studies confirm that kids say they're more interested in schoolwork when it involves computers.
Technology Can Improve School Culture Teacher training in technology can improve a school's culture, which also tends to lay the groundwork for improved test scores. In a recent national study by the Educational Testing Service, eighth grade students who used computers to conduct mathematical simulations performed better on standardized tests than students who didn't use computers. It's also interesting that in the math classes where test scores rose, kids actually used computers less often than the students who used them for drill and practice. This study supports others that show computers tend to raise test scores more in subjects that are naturally more structured, like math. And many studies have shown that when kids learn through doing such authentic tasks, they do better on performance-based assessments, not just multiple choice tests.