Do Computers in Classrooms Improve Learning?

shaybisc on 04/03/2020 - 08:37

The idea of students in a classroom each having their own laptop which they carry with them to every class seems extremely weird to me. I just can't see how having your focus on your laptop instead of the teacher helps the learning process or how typing is an improvement on pen and paper. It seems like a First World Too Much Money indulgence. But then I'm an old fogey - what does the evidence show?

Investing heavily in school computers and classroom technology does not improve pupils' performance, says a global study from the OECD.

The think tank says frequent use of computers in schools is more likely to be associated with lower results.

The report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development examines the impact of school technology on international test results, such as the Pisa tests taken in more than 70 countries and tests measuring digital skills.

It says education systems which have invested heavily in information and communications technology have seen "no noticeable improvement" in Pisa test results for reading, mathematics or science.

"If you look at the best-performing education systems, such as those in East Asia, they've been very cautious about using technology in their classrooms," said Mr Schleicher.

"Those students who use tablets and computers very often tend to do worse than those who use them moderately."

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34174796

Computers can certainly be effective tools for teaching children of certain ages specific subjects. But a large new study suggests their presence in the classroom is far from universally positive.

"Students worldwide appear to perform best on tests when they report a low-to-moderate use of school computers," Helen Lee Bouygues, president of the Paris-based Reboot Foundation, argues in a just-released report.

"When students report having access to classroom computers and using these devices on an infrequent basis, they show better performance," Bouygues writes. "But when students report using these devices every day, and for several hours during the school day, performance lowers dramatically."

https://psmag.com/education/computers-in-the-classroom-may-d…

And I note that Australia is way out in front in average daily minutes using the internet at school. That must account for out stunning results.

Education & Work

Comments

  • Skramit on 04/03/2020 - 08:42
    +1

    Can't say I'm surprised.

    Back in the day when i got a laptop at school the mighty Toshiba Satelite Pro, all I did was play Duke Nukem 3D, and trade linux ISO's with my friends via LapLink cable.

  • wittyusername on 04/03/2020 - 10:16
    +1

    Personally, I think they're a tool to be used when necessary, be it for student engagement, a reward or interactive learning.

    I imagine that students who have 0 use of computers in classrooms come out far less prepared for the modern world than students who have used them. Computer literacy is very important in jobs these days, you may not have familiarity with a program, but if you have confidence with computers and some good google skills, you can bluff your way through.

    Classes differ in different schools, I've taught in very low income schools, and above average income schools. The lower end of the spectrum students didn't have their own laptops, and going to the computer lab for mathletics, or 5 minutes at the end of a session where they've done well was a definite motivator. The higher income students had far less behaviour problems, and when set a task to do on their laptops, generally performed quite well.

    I don't think there is a quantifiable answer to whether they improve learning, but in terms of job prospects, all students should be coming out of school computer literate. Even tradies will find it handy to be able to whip up an excel sheet for a quote or invoice.

  • garetz on 04/03/2020 - 10:17

    A tool is only as good/efficient as its user.

  • GG57 on 04/03/2020 - 10:18

    Computer usage is a life skill.

    I'm not saying that they should be used extensively in the classroom, as writing, dexterity, vocal communications, etc., are also life skills.
    Other skills (that don't appear to be in the curriculum these days) are money management, manners, and how to socialise with others.

  • DarthAntz on 04/03/2020 - 11:21

    I agree. The tech companies have a monopoly, learned from the textbook monopoly. Contracting annual subscription (with extra fees and charged services along the way), government interventions for budgeting and tax breaks, licencing and the time saved/consumed, there is only one clear purpose and its to make money. It's spin that education needs computers/tablets/smartboards in the demand that's encouraged.

    Students are getting experience using computers at home, and it is good that senior high school allows students to focus more on tech, to get into tech industry.

    They dont need it everyday for every subject. Only the contractor benefits on the pockets of students' parents.

    I've been teaching overseas for nearly 5 years now, blackboards pencil and paper is all the way through senior high school, and they are part of the 'best performing education system'. Students (and teachers) have less distractions and more work, and the results show.
    I've been in education for over 10 years now.

    • arkie0 on 04/03/2020 - 12:36
      +1

      I only know 1 teacher, and he's always on OzB forums when he should be teaching

    • p1 ama on 04/03/2020 - 12:39
      +1

      Some of the best educational systems in the world produce some of the most useless graduates. The way that people measure educational performance is through standardised testing, not through any measure that reflects success in later life. For the record, I'm also a teacher (having worked as an economist/statistician earlier in life).

      The focus on "best educational system" is actually pretty bad for the outcomes that people generally seek in education. All it shows is that if you just hammer information into the minds of kids, make them memorise useless things and threaten them with punishment if they underperform, then they score highly in tests. None of that reflects what education really should be about.

      • arkie0 on 04/03/2020 - 12:41
        +1

        Now I know 2 teachers and they're always on OzB when they should be teaching.

      • ihbh on 04/03/2020 - 13:57

        produce some of the most useless graduates

        You mean the ones that can't think independently, critically, creatively?

  • orangetrain on 04/03/2020 - 11:24

    Use computer and pen n paper.

    The trouble with computers for schools is that it leads to laziness. Ie teachers want tests checked automatically. Admin want computers used over pen n paper to save money. Kids with no discipline allowed to play/use sound (a bit worse than what they did with only stationary).

  • nandxor on 04/03/2020 - 12:11

    I don't see why every student needs a laptop when pen and paper is just as effective and provides far less distractions. I graduated a year before laptops were being introduced into the school system, but in my computer labs everyone just screwed around on myspace and did practically no work. Every kid these days knows how to use a VPN or a proxy to bypass network restrictions and I'm sure they spend the majority of their classroom time on facebook. Once I graduated and went to university I still wrote by hand instead of using a laptop as it felt more practical and I was far more focused. Get the laptops and mobile phones out of schools and provide access to computers in labs. Simple as that.

  • i7980x on 04/03/2020 - 12:17

    My uni prof doesn't even know much about using computer beyond basic operations. They don't want to learn.
    Let the pre-computer generations died-out first. Maybe we can talk

    • GG57 on 04/03/2020 - 12:24

      What does your uni professor need to know about computers that would help them do their job better?

      What course does this professor lead?

  • arkie0 on 04/03/2020 - 12:38
    +2

    Computers aren't used in real life situations, when would kids ever need to use it after school. I say get rid of them completely.

  • trustnoone on 04/03/2020 - 17:59

    https://psmag.com/education/computers-in-the-classroom-may-d…

    An interesting read, at the end it points out that causation doesn't mean correlation, or basically they looked at people who didn't use a computer, who used it a small amount and who used it a large amount and checked scores.

    This obviously can provide issues, for example, you may find teachers who have students behind a computer a large percentage of the time, might not actually be teaching but instead just telling students to "look it up" or "google it" or just providing links to some online based course for students to do themselves (moodle for example). Or maybe not, I don't know if the study checked?

    It also does say that usage of a computer actually increases scores, but only for small/moderate use. This could be because computers helped improve learning or it could just be because a teacher did a really good job in providing tailored content for a specified time using a computer to teach it.

    End of the day I feel this is less about computers vs improvement scores and more to do with how students and teachers can connect and convey information. And for some that could be pen and paper, while others an interactive learning video could completely revitalise their engagement and test scores.

  • MagicMushroom on 04/03/2020 - 18:16

    Yes and no.

    I won't call news articles as 'evidence'. Maybe look through some journals.

    Also have you researched about the other side of the spectrum? not just looking for what you wanted to see.

  • Bignudge on 06/03/2020 - 10:38

    In my opinion, computers in the classroom is very much like any tool in the workshop… the measureable success of that tool will depend on the suitability of that tool for the job.

    Eg…. Using a hammer for a compression test is very much like using a laptop for recipes during a Food Tech practical (cooking classes). It does nothing but increase risk and gets in the way opposed to using just a regular piece of paper.

    But if you're using the laptop for the theory part of Food Tech such as studying the Australian Dietary guidelines and comparing nutritional values in different types of foods… the laptops are a godsend. CTRL+F is your friend :P

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