The predictors of student achievement in computer-integrated learning environments

This study examined the predictors of student achievement in a computer-integrated learning environment. The variables examined were teacher characteristics, learner characteristics, access to technology, frequency of computer use in school and at home, and student attitude toward school. Student achievement was measured by a writing assessment that was administered by the school district. Thirty-seven teachers and 905 sixth grade students in four middle schools were surveyed. Two surveys were used for data collection in this study. The teacher survey included the following components: (1) a self-report of classroom instructional strategies, (2) attitude toward use of computers in the classrooms, (3) computer skills, (4) subject area taught, and (5) number of years of teaching experience. The student survey was separated into three sections. The first section included questions related to the extent of computer use at home and school, computer proficiency, time in laptop program, gender, and ethnicity. The second section was the Learning Style Inventory developed by Babich, Burdine, Albright, and Randol, and the last section on student attitude was a subset of the School Atmosphere survey developed by Paulson, Marchant, and Rothlisberg. While this study did not support the concept of improved student achievement due to access to technology, it has provided some insight into the learning environments created in schools incorporating computers in the classrooms. Laptop teachers teach differently than non-laptop teachers. Laptop teachers tend to use more constructivist teaching strategies. The majority of teachers, laptop and non-laptop, feel that computers are beneficial to the teaching and learning process. Teachers who are more proficient in computer use tend to use computers more frequently in the classroom. Students who have greater access to computers tend to use them more and are more proficient in their use. The one technology factor that proved to be a positive predictor of student achievement was student computer proficiency.