Student Access and Applications of Digital Resources in the Middle School Classrooms

• In Event: 61.052 - An Analytic Examination of Current Issues in the Middle School Education

Abstract

Over the past two decades, there has been a significant surge in students’ access and use of digital resources in schools (NCES, 2010; U.S. Department of Commerce, 2002). Many educators are progressively being encouraged to incorporate technology resources into their classrooms to support learning opportunities, particularly at the middle school level where students are facing increasing demands of academic preparation for high school. However, the degree to which students and teachers use digital resources in classrooms for education-related activities may differ depending on where they live, the type and location of the school, and the socioeconomic status of the student family background and school neighborhood.

Research has indicated that students who live in rural areas tend to have limited access to computers, the Internet, and technological resources when compared to students who live in urban or suburban communities (Coley, Cradler, & Engle, 1997; NCES, 2010; U.S. Department Commerce, 2002). Teachers of students from low-income family reported facing more obstacles in using digital resources to support learning (Purcell, Heaps, Buchanan, & Friedrich, 2013). Furthermore, it is recognized that students may have access to digital resources, but there may be substantial differences in how students are using them.

To address these points, this study focuses on the role teachers play in encouraging students to use digital resources in classrooms and outside of school through homework assignments and various learning activities such as science fair projects and research papers. Using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) eighth-grade assessment datasets, along with the associated school, teacher, and student contextual questionnaires, the present study examines how students and teachers use digital resources in the classrooms. The present study also examines how these applications and usage frequency may relate to student learning and academic performance. In addition, the present study investigates how student access and the availability of digital resources at school may have changed over time. Demographics variables (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, parental educational attainment, and school type and location) at the student and school levels are analyzed to explore possible group differences as well as control variables. Correlational analyses are conducted to examine the strength and magnitude of the relationships between teacher variables and student performance on NAEP assessments. Other home environment variables (i.e., access to computer and Internet at home) are also considered for analyses in this study.

Findings from the present study indicate that specific applications of computers and technology resources may have a stronger relationship to student performance on NAEP assessments than just having access alone. Findings also indicate that the experiences of the teacher in using computers and technology resources may be related to student performance in certain subjects.

Results from this study suggest the role of digital resources in student learning may be more complex and multifaceted than simply providing access for all students. How teachers facilitate the uses of digital resources in the classroom and as homework assignments may also play an important role in students’ interests in using technology for their learning.

Authors

• Judy H. Tang, Westat

• Kavemuii Murangi, Westat