iPads in Kindergarten: The Effect of Tablet Computers on Young Children's Academic Achievement

• In Event: Top Papers in Instructional and Developmental Communication Division

Abstract

Increased interest in the potential of tablet computers to enhance student learning has led schools across the United States to integrate them into their classrooms. However, few empirical studies exist on the effects of tablet computers on student achievement. The current study uses a quasi-experiment to address this need and investigates the effect of 1:1 iPads, compared to shared or no iPads, on kindergarteners’ academic achievement. 2-level Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM) were used, and results show that students in shared iPad classrooms significantly outscored their peers in 1:1 and non-iPad classrooms on spring achievement scores, controlling for fall test scores and student demographics. This is the first study to investigate the effect of iPads on kindergarteners’ academic achievement.

Author

• Courtney Blackwell, Northwestern University