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Calloway ArticleReview
Calloway ArticleReview
Ashley Calloway
The stated purpose of this research study was to “examine the impact of the iPad’s use as
a 1:1 computing device on fifth-grade students’ mathematics achievement in two rural Virginia
elementary schools” (Carr, 2012, p 270). The underlying research question is:
What, if any, difference exists in mathematics achievement among fifth- grade students in
a small, rural Virginia school district as measured by the fifth-grade mathematics SFAW
Virginia SOL aligned assessment for students in the group in which iPads were used in a
1:1 setting for mathematical instruction as compared to students in the group in which
This research question is important to my teaching field. As a middle school math teacher, I am
well-aware of the need to incorporate technology into the classroom in order to engage students
in the content as well as helping them learn skills associated with using technology. However, it
is crucial that the technology use fosters mastery of standards. Data obtained from a study like
The theoretical framework for this study is John Dewey’s theory of learning through
student-centered, individual experiences. The assumptions for this theory are that students do
not absorb knowledge directly, and that they need meaningful experiences in order to learn.
Current literature related to the study includes the fact that students are proficient with handheld
mobile technology, and that technology can be vital for creating meaningful learning
experiences. However, current literature suggests that more research is needed on the outcome
of using technology, and whether the money that is spent on it is worthwhile from an
achievement standpoint. Current literature also suggests that while game-based learning made
available by mobile devices like iPads is effective in increasing student engagement and
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motivation, many of the games deal with simple recall instead of the critical thinking skills
This research study used a sample from two elementary schools in rural Virginia. The
teachers from each of the schools had similar career backgrounds and teaching experience. The
fifth-grade class in the first elementary school was comprised of 23 female students and 33 male
students for a total of 56 students. The fifth-grade class in the second elementary school was
comprised of 26 female students and 22 male students for a total of 48 students. The students’
ages were 10 or 11. A possible weakness of this sampling is the fact that the first school’s
sample is comprised of nearly 60% male students while the other school’s sample is comprised
of only about 45% male students. Even if it were not possible to get an even representation
amongst females and males, it would have been better controlled if the two school’s percentages
Data was collected using the SFAW Virginia SOL aligned assessment. This was used for
a pre-test and post-test and scored from a 0 to a 50. IPads were given to the experimental group
after the pre-test. Both groups were instructed using lesson plans aligned to the same six
mathematical strands. Daily lesson plans were turned in and evaluated using the Lesson Plan
Accuracy Rubric (LPAR). Both teachers filled this out daily and also accounted for any
unforeseen circumstances that may have impacted the lesson such as fire drills or assemblies.
The researcher went to appropriate lengths to make sure that concepts being taught in the
classroom would align to the instrument measuring student achievement, the SFAW.
In the data analysis portion of the study, the researcher discussed that the data collected
did not prove that iPads create an individual learning experience for students. The researcher
noted that the findings of the study were similar to other studies which showed that the use of 1:1
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devices do not affect student learning. She also mentioned that there may be a disconnect
between the type of questions presented on the SFAW and the type of learning produced by the
iPads. These conclusions are under the assumptions and framework of John Dewey’s learning
theory that students need authentic learning experiences to learn. This wasn’t completely met by
the study, because both sets of students did learn and scored higher on the post-test. However,
this study does support the notion that iPads themselves do not increase authentic learning
experiences.
The results of study the statistics were screened for outliers and skewness. Once this was
done, it was determined that there no statistically relevant difference in the growth between the
control group and the iPad group. Therefore, the researcher did not have enough evidence to
reject the null hypothesis. The results do respond to the research question about what difference,
if any, iPads have on fifth-grade students’ mathematics achievement. The answer suggested by
The discussions and conclusions of the researcher do match the statistical results of the
study. The data shows that there was no statistical difference in achievement between the two
groups, and the research concluded that she could not reject her null hypothesis and that the
results are in line with other similar research. The researcher does not overstate the significance
of her findings; she notes the limitations of her study. Some of the limitations do have an impact
on the generalizability of the research. For one, the two classes were not at equivalent
achievement levels on the pre-test. This could mean that the control group, which had lower
scores than the iPad group, could have benefitted more from the iPad intervention. There were
also some abnormalities in the distribution of the data which could not be controlled for by the
researcher.
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The researcher gives some practical suggestions and recommendations regarding the use
of iPads in schools, but she does not explicitly suggest future research possibilities. I believe a
research study should be done in which the previous achievement levels of students is better
controlled. Perhaps the iPads could help to create a more authentic learning experience for
lower-achieving students, especially students who may not have had equal access to technology.
References
Carr, J. M. (2012). Does Math Achievement h’APP’en when iPads and Game-Based Learning