New Evidence on Classroom Computers and Pupil Learning

Joshua Angrist () and Victor Chaim Lavy ()

No 362, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Abstract: The question of how technology affects learning has been at the center of recent debates over educational inputs. In 1994, the Israeli State Lottery sponsored the installation of computers in many elementary and middle schools. This program provides an opportunity to estimate the impact of computerization on both the instructional use of computers and pupil achievement. Results from a survey of Israeli school-teachers show that the influx of new computers increased teachers’ use of computer-aided instruction (CAI) in the 4th grade, with a smaller effect on CAI in 8th grade. Although many of the estimates are imprecise, on balance, CAI does not appear to have had educational benefits that translated into higher test scores. OLS estimates show no evidence of a relationship between CAI and test scores, except for a negative effect on 8th grade Math scores in models with town effects. IV estimates for 4th graders show lower Math scores in the group that was awarded computers, with smaller (insignificant) negative effects on language scores.

Keywords: Education; schools; computer-aided instruction; program evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H41 I28 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pbe
Date: 2001-09
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Related works:
Working Paper: New Evidence on Classroom Computers and Pupil Learning (1999)
Journal Article: New Evidence on Classroom Computers and Pupil Learning (2002)
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