Educational Technology in the Classroom

With the rapid increase of technology and its availability in schools, many teachers have begun to wonder what place technology has in the classroom. In a recent review, Alan Cheung and Robert Slavin looked at the effectiveness of educational technology on improving reading ability in struggling readers. In this particular review, educational technology is not just the use of iPads or computers but specific "applications that help deliver learning and content and support the learning process." The article "Effects of Educational Technology Applications on Reading Outcomes for Struggling Readers: A Best-Evidence Synthesis" reviewed 20 studies on elementary students grade 1-6 to determine the effects of educational technology including: RWT, LIPS, READ 180, ReadAbout, Fast ForWord, Josten's (Compass Learning), Lexia, Captain's Log, Destination Reading, Thinking Reader, and Failure Free Reading. These programs were categorized into small-group integrated applications, various types of supplementary models, and comprehensive models. While this study looked at all elementary grades (1-6), the findings reaffirmed the importance of helping struggling readers early on.

Of all the studies, only the studies performed in primary elementary grades (1-3), but most specifically in first grade, showed any significant effect on reading improvement. The review also indicated that small-group integrated applications, such as RWT and LIPS, had the greatest effect. Cheung and Slavin cautioned interpretation of these results, though, because of the small sample size. Working with small groups or in one-on-one scenarios produced the best effects, but, due to lack of resources and staff, are often not possible throughout entire schools, so the authors were unsure of how realistic these outcomes were. Studies performed in upper elementary (4-6) essentially had no effect on the experimental students compared to the control students, whether or not the sample size was large or small. The RWT and LIPS programs that benefitted first graders the most were not used with upper elementary, though, so the effects on those students are unknown.

Even though some educational technology benefitted lower elementary students, the impacts were only small improvements. Additionally, the programs that most benefitted the students, LIPS and RWT, combined the use and technology and nontechnology components, indicating that technology itself won't just do the trick when it comes to assisting struggling readers. When compared to the improvements of struggling readers using similar small-group interventions that do not use technology, the effects were very similar. One-on-one models, regardless of technology use, produced greater impacts than those of small-group technology interventions.

I believe that this review simply supports what many teachers have known for a while: one-on-one and small group, early intervention is critical for helping struggling readers. While technology can be motivating for students because of its interactive and engaging elements, it is not necessarily the key to helping students improve. Technology itself (computers, iPads, etc.) may be beneficial in the classroom by allowing students to do various projects and assignments in class, but when it comes to reading, will likely only be helpful if using a well-designed program under the designated conditions of their use.

For more information on the educational technology that helped improve primary elementary students' reading ability, please look at the following links:

http://www.lindamoodbell.com/programs/lips.html 
http://www.readwritethink.org/ 
https://www.compasslearning.com/ 
http://www.lexialearning.com/

Source for the above review:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.lib.indiana.edu/store/10.1002/rrq.50/asset/rrq50.pdf?v=1&t=hrhx7g05&s=2ded045899d26230b3abba0230df0a61c95f8027