student engagement technology computer high school collaboration accessibility classroom
Abstract:
Research consistently finds that today’s students live in a digital world and that an increasing number of teachers are using technology in their classrooms, but does technology help to engage students in the classroom? This case study examines the impact of using computers in two Advanced English 10 classrooms on the students’ engagement with a unit on A Tale of Two Cities. A variety of data, including teacher observations, journal reflections, and results of student activities, was used to study the effect of technology on student engagement. Results indicated that some assignments using computers and the Internet fostered engagement while others fell short. In addition, in other instances, traditional assignments were also successful at engaging the students. Implications include that while computers in the classroom have some benefits, further research is required to better understand their effect on student engagement.
