The Technology Factor: Nine Keys to Student Achievement and Cost ...

18 Chapter 3: Major Findings
The Technology Factor: Nine Keys to Student Achievement and Cost-Effectiveness
In 1:1 schools where online collaboration tools are used at least daily,
discipline is somewhat or greatly improved 69% of the time versus
47% of the time in other schools. Dropout reduction is somewhat or
greatly improved in 62% of schools versus 42%.
Finding 7: Daily use of technology delivers the
best return on investment (ROI).
Schools must incorporate technology into daily teaching to realize the
benefits.
�e daily use of technology in core classes correlates highly to the
desirable education success measures (ESMs). Daily technology use is
a top-five indicator of better discipline, better attendance, and
increased college attendance.
Chart 3.7. Use of digital content by 1:1 schools
62%
31%
Science
6%
1%
62%
28%
9%
1%
Social
Studies
60%
35%
5%
English/
Language Arts
57%
38%
4%
1%
Reading
57%
34%
7%
2%
Daily use Weekly use Monthly use Not at all
Percentage of 1:1 Respondents
Math
N: 227
In 1:1 schools, daily use of technology in core curriculum classes
ranges from 51% to 63%. Unfortunately, many 1:1 schools report using
the technology on only a weekly basis or less o�en for many classes.
It may appear surprising that in 40% of 1:1 schools, where every
student has a laptop, students do not use the technology on a daily
basis. �e anecdotal evidence suggests a few answers:
• Some schools move into 1:1 computing based on top-down
directives and do not enjoy stakeholder buy-in.
• Many schools have inadequate levels of professional development.
America’s Digital Schools 2006 provides strong support for this
argument.
• Schools buy the hardware but no courseware. In one large
implementation, the hardware vendor who won the bid allocated
only 50 cents for so�ware, requiring the schools to supplement the
so�ware out of their own budget.
• �e laptops are used for less transformative activities. For example,
students may be asked to use their computers to view a single
website and then write a two-page report by hand on lined paper.
• Computer use is limited to tool use, such as PowerPoint or word
processing, with some limited web browsing. Broader uses
including digital content with meaningful integration are not
employed.
Some educators have asked if technology has to be used daily to be
effective or if daily use is overkill. In the judgment of the Project RED
team, these questions may be valid in first-order change schools. If
technology is just a tinkering around the edges, daily use may not
matter or produce better results. However, in second-order change
schools, it matters a great deal because technology is embedded in the
school and produces results beyond those expected by chance.