State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA)

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state advocacy - achievement gains

Immersion - Demonstrated Achievement Gains

AL – ALEX - http://alex.state.al.us. Results of a 2004-2006 study of 189 Alabama Pre-service faculty perceptions using technology indicated they value incorporating of Web resources (particularly, those resources on ALEX (via Thinkfinity), detailed lesson plans, appropriate technology, and appropriate teaching strategies into their instruction (S. Baird, 2006).

Phase 1 quantitative results: Participants indicated correlation to national and state standards is important (Mean: 4.3 out of 5; SD 1.0690).
Phase 2 quantitative results: Participants indicated correlation to national and state standards is important (64%).
Phase 3 qualitative results—Participants indicated the training prepared them for integrating the Alabama Pre-service Technology Standards (87%).

CA – Pleasanton Unified School District. Harvest Park Middle School in Pleasanton Unified School District created a laptop immersion program in 2001, representing 25% of the total enrollment in grades 6, 7, and 8. The district conducted a rigorous study on the impact of one-to-one learning on student achievement. The study compared the students with laptops to another matched group in the same school. Analyses indicate that students who participated in the immersion program earned significantly overall higher grades and test scores for a variety of subjects, including math and writing.

ME – Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). A study done with a U.S. Department of Education grant found that when teachers are taught how to adapt laptops to their teaching, students' test scores improve (Lane and Silvernail 2004). Students in nine middle schools who were involved in the one-to-one laptop program for two years showed significantly higher achievement scores in math, science, and social studies than those students who only had one year with the laptops (Muir, Knezek, & Christensen 2004)

MI – Freedom to Learn – FTL high school students with grade point averages below 2.0 went from 42% in 2003-04 to 25% in 2004-05. 87% of the FTL students reported that they are more engaged and 79% reported that they were learning more. In 2006, FTL students outperformed non-FTL students in state standardized tests.

NH – Media Carts - http://www.profile.k12.nh.us/profile_media_center/index.htm
The cart is a central piece in various facets of technology integration. It boosts active, creative use of multiple technologies by both faculty and students, individually and in teams. Achievement gains are measured by gathering feedback from faculty and students. We have deployed about three new carts per year during the last four years. It should be noted that the only classrooms without a cart today are already equipped with multimedia projectors connected to teacher’s laptop and that their type of instruction does not require a full media cart. This is the case of math teachers, who, on the other hand, have enhanced the use of multimedia projector with a SmartBoard.

NH – Laptop Carts - http://www.profile.k12.nh.us/profilemedia_center/index.htm
With an average class size of 15 students, one cart allows an entire class to be involved in technology-based activities. The reservation schedule for this cart shows that it is used during about 80% of school time.

TX – TIP www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/tip. Throughout the TIP project substantial gains have been made including increased parent involvement, improved student attendance, increased collaboration and communication among staff, students and parents, increased engagement and enthusiasm, improved technology proficiency, fewer discipline problems, and an increase in student achievement. There are several published reports that describe the gains to date with the TIP project. First year reports are available at www.etxtip.info and the Interim Report on TIP published in December 2006 is available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/lrpt/InterimReportTIPDec06.pdf

The section below highlights some of those gains:

Increased scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests have also been a welcomed byproduct of the immersion project. Clarksville middle school student learning was impacted in classes where teachers actively used technology integration in lessons. As a result, 2006 TAKS scores increased: 19% in 5th grade math and science, 42% in 7th grade math, 13% in 8th grade math, 17% in 10th grade math, and 40% in 10th grade reading/ELA.

At the onset of the project with Brady Middle school, they were a Low Performing Campus not meeting AYP. In the spring of 2006, they moved to being Recognized Campus meeting AYP. Faculty, administrators and parents contribute this to the TIP project. From 2004-2006 6th grade reading scores went from 80 to 97, 6th grade math from 71 to 84, 7th grade reading from 78 to 88, 7th grade math from 73 to 86, 7th grade writing from 90 to 95, 8th grade reading from 81 to 83, 8th grade math from 69 to 71, and 8th grade Social Studies went from 88 to 90. In all of these areas students were testing below the state average in 2004 and above the state average in 2006.

In Floydada ISD, TIP was extended to the high school in 2005 using local funds. Student achievement results for 2005-2006 included the following gains: 6th grade math +29%, 6th grade reading +19%, 7th grade math +4%, 8th grade reading +13%, 8th grade social studies +17%, 9th grade reading +13%, 9th grade math +14%, 10th grade English/language arts +24%. 10th grade math +36%, 10th grade science +34%, exit level math +8%, exit level science +14%.

According to administrators and faculty at McLeod Middle school, they have seen a remarkable improvement in the quality of student work The middle school campus was rated exemplary this year according to TEA guidelines. 94% of the students met the reading standard in TAKS. 100% passed the writing portion of TAKS. 90% passed the math TAKS, 87% passed the science, 94% passed social studies and 85% passed all tests. Sixth grade had 40% make Commended Performance in reading and 42% in math. Seventh grade had 44% Commended Performance for writing and 8th grade had 52% Commended Performance in reading and 27% in math.

VA – Henry County Schools One-to-One Initiative. During the first year of the laptop program, student test scores improved 20 percent on the state standardized tests.