Successful Technology Integration: Student Test Scores Improved in an English Literature Course through the Use of Supportive Devices

Educators are under increasing pressure to raise student achievement on state-mandated exams, and they are at the same time expected to increase the use of technology in their classrooms. Although the number of classrooms incorporating computers has increased, technology integration has been less than successful. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of technology integration in a ninth grade English Literature class--specifically, to demonstrate the effect of instruction within a technology-rich environment in preparation for state-mandated testing. It was hypothesized that ninth-grade, at-risk students who received instruction with specialized computer technology integrated into the learning environment would score higher on the state-mandated reading test than their ninth-grade counterparts who were on-level and received traditional instruction. This study reveals a connection between technology use and the passing rate of at-risk students on the state-mandated reading exams in the ninth grade English Literature class. This connection between technology use and performance is happening in many classrooms across America as technology integration increases. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)