Evidence of the equitable uses of educational technology by boys and girls is one of the bright spots in the study. Also on a positive note, elementary students approach technology with skill and enthusiasm. The uses of educational technology to support traditional instruction, such as reading and writing tasks, shows promise as a bridge to more sophisticated uses of new media. Finally, access to robust technology resources is increasing rapidly for southeastern Utah students. More troubling is the gap between students who are skilled and less skilled and the gap between access to computers in school and outside of school.
Students use a narrow range of available software applications.
Furthermore, classroom uses of technology tools is most likely to adhere to a content delivery model of instruction. The dynamic and interactive potential of technology is still under-utilized by students. Progress is being made in southeastern Utah to accommodate interactive and experiential uses of technology for knowledge creation and it is hoped that this study will be used to accelerate school improvement efforts related to the uses of educational technology in the region and elsewhere. Student Uses of Educational Technology in Rural Utah provides important baseline information that will guide stakeholders in the state of Utah to plan for technology access and integration in the coming years. Additionally, the study contributes to a growing body of knowledge about the efficacy of educational technology for teaching and learning.