Date of Award

8-1-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how 1:1 Laptop initiatives in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grade affected student achievement and student academic performance over the 2008–2009 school year at a selected small rural, Minnesota high school. The two variables in this study were: perceived student performance skills based on survey results from both student and teacher participants, and pre-existing Minnesota graduation testing results and grade point averages from Fertile-Beltrami School District students. The three questions that were researched in this study were: (1) What effects does a 1:1 Laptop initiative have on student academic performance based on perceptions of participating sophomores, juniors, and seniors? (2) What effects does a 1:1 Laptop initiative have on student academic performance based on perceptions of participating faculty? (3) What effect does the 1:1 Laptop initiative for students in grades 10th, 11th, and 12th in the Fertile-Beltrami School District have on student achievement based on Minnesota graduation testing and local assessments in math and reading?

The research was conducted in a small, rural setting with students in grades 10–12. The study population consisted of 105 students that attend the small, rural school during the 2008–2009 school year. A survey instrument created by the Mitchell Institute was used by the school district to collect data on student perceptions of the impact of 1:1 computing on academic achievement and learning, as well as student engagement in school. A survey instrument created by the Mitchell Institute was also used to collect data on faculty perceptions on the impact of 1:1 computing on student achievement and learning, as well as faculty's integration of technology.

Evidence from this study indicates that the integration of 1:1 computing positively impacts student engagement in learning and student achievement. Evidence from this study further indicates that the amount of impact is directly related to the amount of integration by faculty. Students and faculty indicate that skills and engagement is improved through the use of 1:1 computing.

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