Putting Computerized Instruction to the Test: A Randomized Evaluation of a "Scientifically-based" Reading Program

Cecilia E. Rouse and Alan Krueger

No 10315, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Although schools across the country are investing heavily in computers in the classroom, there is surprisingly little evidence that they actually improve student achievement. In this paper we present results from a randomized study of a well-defined use of computers in schools: a popular instructional computer program, known as Fast ForWord, which is designed to improve language and reading skills. We assess the impact of the program using four different measures of language and reading ability. Our estimates suggest that while use of the computer program may improve some aspects of students' language skills, it does not appear that these gains translate into a broader measure of language acquisition or into actual reading skills.

JEL-codes: I2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu
Note: CH ED
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (91)

Published as Rouse, Cecilia Elena and Alan B. Krueger. "Putting Computerized Instruction To The Test: A Randomized Evaluation Of A 'scientifically Based' Reading Program," Economics of Education Review, 2004, v23(4,Aug), 323-338.

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.nber.org/papers/w10315.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Putting computerized instruction to the test: a randomized evaluation of a "scientifically based" reading program (2004)
Working Paper: Putting Computerized Instruction to the Test: A Randomized Evaluation of a "Scientifically-based" Reading Program (2003)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nbr:nberwo:10315

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
http://www.nber.org/papers/w10315

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ().