Overview
The eTxTIP project is using a scientifically-based research design to analyze Technology Immersion in grade 6-8 middle schools throughout Texas. The research design includes 21 grades 6-8 middle schools that are immersing students and teachers with technology (treatment group) and 21 grades 6-8 middle schools that are not immersing with technology (control group).
Treatment (immersed) schools received immersion packages (bundles of technology resources and training) in the fall of 2004 and began using them during the spring of 2005, and continued using package resources during the next three school years. Immersion packages included six key elements: a wireless mobile computing device for each teacher and student, electronic curriculum content, electronic formative assessment tools, productivity software, technical support and professional development.
Control schools received a stipend for participation in the research project and agree to collect data via electronic surveys of teachers and students. Researchers combined this data with classroom observation data and general campus demographic and student performance data to create data sets for analysis.
Overall Evaluation Design
The eTxTIP project focuses on both process and outcomes. The project research design built on what was already known about educational technology to understand how and why Technology Immersion works, for whom, and under what circumstances. Under the quasi experimental design developed for the project, participating grades 6-8 middle schools were assigned to either an experimental group (immersion site) or control group (non immersion site) status. This status will remain for the next 3 - 5 years.
Researchers assessed how student achievement changed over time in both the experimental (immersed) and control (non immersed) groups. Researchers will also assessed the causal links among a number of variables: the environmental context (such as student demographics or socioeconomic status); implementation fidelity of Technology Immersion; and intervening factors at the school, teacher, and student level..
Critical Research Questions
Researchers were guided by key questions about the effects of Technology Immersion on schools, teachers, and stuendents.. Six research questions in particular are served as the primary research focus:
(1) What are the characteristics and contexts of participating schools?
(2) What is the nature of Technology Immersion and its implementation?
(3) What is the effect of Technology Immersion on schools?
(4) What is the effect of Technology Immersion on teachers and teaching?
(5) What is the effect of Technology Immersion on students and learning?
(6) Does Technology Immersion impact student achievement?
Theoretical Framework
A theoretical framework guided the entire evaluation. The experimental design allowed researchers to estimate of the effects of the intervention and postulate a sequence of causal relationships between treatment (immersion) and outcomes. [more]
Expected Outcomes
If there is high quality implementation of Technology Immersion on treatment campuses, then researchers would expect over time to see school-level improvements in measures of classroom technology integration, technical support, innovative culture, and parent and community support.
An improved school environment for technology should then lead to teachers who have greater technology proficiency, use technology more often for their own professional productivity, collaborate more with their peers, have students use technology more and in new ways in their classrooms, and use laptops and digital resources to increase the intellectual challenge of lessons.
In turn, these improved school and classroom conditions should lead students to greater technology proficiency, more opportunities for peer collaboration, greater personal self-direction, and stronger engagement in school and learning. Student mediating variables presumably will contribute to increased academic performance as measured by standardized test scores.
Student Cohorts
Three cohorts of students were followed at immersion campuses during the study. One of these cohorts (grade 6 in 2004-05) was followed for four years, one cohort (grade 6 in 2005-06) was followed for three years, and one cohort (grade 6 in 2006-07) was followed for two years.
Data Collection Methods
The research design relied on a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including document reviews; site visits involving interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations; teacher and student technology proficiency assessments; student and teacher surveys; and statewide school and student achievement data.
Research Timeline
The eTxTIP study was launched in 2003, began data collection in fall 2004 and continued data collection through spring 2008.
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