Major Software Study

On whole, school software products yield no net academic gains. A federal study of reading and math software was released in 2007 found no significant differences in standardized-test scores between students who used the technology in their classrooms and those who used non-technology methods. Representatives of the educational software industry immediately took issue with aspects of the study of 15 commercial software products, arguing that its findings did not mean that classroom technology had no academic payoff.

Ms. Cottingham, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance said, “We took very leading products and put them through a very careful study. It’s a little disappointing we didn’t find what people were hoping we would find.” Although the software companies complained, what this study suggests is that technology cannot replace a competent, effective teacher, and it takes a competent teacher to use instructional software effectively.


FOR MORE INFO
"Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Finding From the First Student Cohort" is available from the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller, HRD Program Facilitator