Wenglinsky and Technology

Technology has the potential to improve the educational system as evidenced by a study conducted by Harold Wenglinsky. "Does It Compute? The Relationship Between Educational Technology and Student Achievement in Mathematics," is based on fourth and eighth grade students performance data on the mathematics portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 1996. Wenglinsky found strong links between certain kinds of technology use, higher scores on NAEP, and an improved school climate after eliminating stimuli known to affect achievement, such as students' class size, socioeconomic status, and teacher quality. Interestingly, gains were more significant in middle school students than in elementary students.

Eighth graders who used simulations in class out-performed students on the NAEP whose classes did not offer this learning opportunity. Fourth graders whose teachers used computers for learning mathematics through games demonstrated 15 percent of a grade level achievement gain as compared to peers who did not. However, as with any technology, unless it is integrated appropriately, technology does not always benefit users. Wenglinsky additionally found that eighth graders whose teachers used computers primarily for drill and kill exercises were negatively impacted as a result of technology. These students performed worse on the testing, and the research could not confirm any relationship between the scores of the fourth graders and either simulations or drill-and-kill exercises. Students who spent more time on school computers performed slightly worse than their peers.

In my previous blog, I wrote that in second grade, my (now) eighth grade students played SimTown during social studies classes which allowed them to engage in such activities as building cities, parks, and buildings. According to the student, this experience is one of the fondest memories of their second grade year. The excitement in their voices when they recalled SimTown experiences was refreshing. However, this enthusiasm turned to irritation when they said that the opportunity was no longer available after second grade. During this week of the eighth grade PSSA writing assessment, I actually contacted the technology department requesting an “unblock” of the SimCity site as a reward for their hard and laborious work in the morning session and as a result of my experience playing SimCity. (We are encouraged not to teach in the afternoon this week, instead to play games or organize other leisurely activities such as movie watching.) My request was denied by the Director of Information Systems. It is frustrating, and I am certain Wenglinsky would agree, that passive activities such as watching movies is allowed and encouraged, but not a simulation that will most certainly ignite passion in our students as it has in the past.

Wenglinsky, H. (1998). Does it compute? The relationship between educational
technology and student achievement in mathematics. Princeton, NJ:
Educational Testing Service. Retrieved February 9, 2009 from
ftp://ftp.ets.org/pub/res/technolog.pdf


Wenglinsky, H. (2005). Using technology wisely: The keys to success in schools. New
York: Teachers College Press.