Jun
20
Written by:
Dan Maas
6/20/2011
Noted professor and author on the use of technology in schools, Dr. Mark Warschauer and a team from the University of California at Irvine investigated the use of netbooks in Littleton Public Schools. The final report is available HERE.
The researchers used a variety of approaches to review the impact of the Inspired Writing project including site visits, interviews, analyses of student comments and a quantitative analysis of CSAP achievement data. The report states:
"The project investigated (1) the impact of the program
on teaching and learning processes, (2) the impact of the program on learning outcomes in writing, (3) student perceptions of the laptop program, and (4) the perceived match of netbook and open source software with the needs of teachers and students and their suitability in
educational improvement efforts."
The conclusion, after determining that achievement gains were made in the Inspired Writing grade levels, stated:
"Our observations and interviews, survey results, analysis of blog postings, and analysis of test score data all point to the same conclusion: the Inspired Writing has had a very positive effect on
teaching and learning process and outcomes in LPS. It appears that the benefit has come not so much from the hardware and software alone, nor from the curriculum alone, but rather from the integration of the technology, curriculum, and professional development in a very well-designed educational program."