Jun 6, 2019   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

New Study Raises Questions About Technology Use in Schools

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology use in classrooms has been growing around the world for the past several years. However, a new study by the Reboot Foundation questions if ed tech is really helping students.

A major analysis of international and U.S. assessment data shows the use of technology in schools may have a negative connection to student achievement, particularly for elementary school students who use such technology daily, according to a study by the Foundation.

"Our analysis shows that schools should limit computer use, and technology may be the least helpful for younger students still mastering some of the fundamentals of reading and writing," said Helen Lee Bouygues, president of the Reboot Foundation and the report's author.

Findings include:

    --  Internationally, technology is not positively linked to student
        outcomes. The study found clear evidence of a negative relationship
        between nations' academic performance and their students' reported use
        of technology. These results were consistent across the math, reading,
        and science assessments.
    --  In the U.S., the overall relationship between technology and outcomes
        was mixed. On nation exams, the results of the analysis varied widely
        among grade levels, assessments, and reported technologies. In some
        cases, the study found positive outcomes. In other cases, the results
        were negative.
    --  There's a clear negative relationship between tablets and reading
        outcomes. Fourth-grade students who reported using tablets in "all or
        almost all" classes scored 14 points lower on the reading exam than
        students who reported "never" using classroom tablets. This difference
        in scores is the equivalent of a full grade level, or a year's worth of
        learning.

The Reboot Foundation analyzed the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international assessment, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a U.S. test known as "the Nation's Report Card." Note that while the research controlled for certain outside variables like wealth and prior performance, the results do not provide causal evidence.

Based in Paris, the Reboot Foundation is devoted to elevating critical thinking. In a time of vast technological change, the Foundation aims to promote richer, more reflective forms of thought in schools, homes, and businesses. For more, please visit: https://reboot-foundation.org/

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SOURCE The Reboot Foundation