Title of Study:  Maine’s Middle School Laptop Program:  Creating Better Writers

Author(s): David L. Silvernail, Aaron K. Gritter

Summary:

Five years after implementing a statewide 1:1 laptop program for 7th and 8th grade students, writing scores on the statewide 8th grade writing assessment had improved over scores before the start of the program.  Surveys of student and teacher attitudes toward the program found that both groups believed student use of laptops improved the quality of student work and increased the likelihood of students editing their work.

Sponsoring entity(s): Main Education Policy Research Institute

Date conducted: 2007

Location of the study: This study can be accessed through the University of Southern Maine website.

Setting(s) addressed:

• Classroom

Targeted population(s):

• Middle school students

Primary sources of evidence used in the study or report:

• Eighth grade writing scores from the statewide assessment were compared to scores the year before the start of the laptop initiative.
• Survey of student and teacher opinions

Primary Technology Application(s) Addressed:

• 1:1 laptop computers

Major education topic(s) addressed:

• Writing

Major findings/conclusions:

• Writing performance of 8th grade students improved by about one third of a standard deviation five years after the implementation of the laptop program, compared to scores the year before the start of the program.
  
  
  
• Students who chose not to use their laptops for writing had the lowest scale score among the population, while those who reported using their laptops in all phases of the writing process had the highest scale score.
  
  
  
• More than 80% of students reported that they are more likely to edit their work on the laptop.
  
  
  
• The majority of students reported that they get their work done more quickly, do more work and higher quality work with the laptops.
  
  
  
• More than 80% of their teachers agree that students are more likely to edit their work, that the quality of the work improves and that students are more actively involved in learning with the laptops.

Practical implications of the findings:

• Although writing scores improved, general performance on the statewide tests did not change appreciably.  The authors point out that the standardized test is not designed to measure the acquisition of 21st Century skills.  This emphasizes the need for assessments that measure skills and knowledge the state educational system deems important, not just that which is easy to measure.
  
  
  
• The improvement in writing scores was almost identical if the writing test was given online or in longhand, indicating that students had indeed improved in the writing process, not just in using the computers.

Reviewer Comments:

Maine’s Middle School Laptop Program included providing laptops to all 7th and 8th grade students, and providing technical assistance and professional development to their schools and teachers.  The effects of the technology were not able to be measured apart from the effects of the support and professional development.