Student Achievement, Self-Esteem Grow with In-School Use of Personal
Computers, Study Shows 

Software-based Instruction Linked to Higher Test Scores, Improved Attitudes
and Stronger Student-Teacher Interaction

March 29, 1993 (Washington, DC) - A report released today by the Software
Publishers Association (SPA) revealed that personal computers can make a
big difference in the way students perform in school. The new report was
commissioned by the SPA and conducted by Interactive Educational Systems
Design, Inc., an independent educational technology consulting firm. Based
on the findings of 86 independent research projects, the "Report on the
Effectiveness of Technology in the Schools, 1990-92" provides an overview
of the specific ways in which computers help students learn faster, feel
better about their work, and interact more productively with their
teachers. The findings apply to students of all ages and skill
levels--from preschool through college--with the most dramatic results
occurring among lower-skill and low-motivation students. The study also
emphasizes the significant role of the teacher in establishing an
effective computer-based learning environment.

"This latest research verifies what most technology-using educators already
know--namely, that good teachers, currently using educational technology,
are making a significant difference in the lives of their students." said
Jay Sivin Kachala, Vice President, Interactive Educational Systems Design,
New York.

"This report reinforces the need to use technology in the classroom," said
Michael A. Durso, Principal, Yorktown High School, Arlington, Virginia.
"If this country is really serious about upgrading the delivery of
instruction, then clearly it is essential that technology be an integral
part of the educational process."

According to the new report, students respond more effectively to software
programs that incorporate learning controls, informative instructional
feedback, embedded instructional strategies and animated graphics. In
addition, educational software tools help to generate--and are also
strengthened by--cooperative learning environments with a high degree of
teacher-student and student-student interaction.

This is the second report of its kind, following the SPA's 1990 study,
"Report on the Effectiveness of Microcomputers in the Schools." The
findings were drawn from 86 reviews and reports on original research
projects from both published and unpublished sources. Fifteen of the
sources were doctoral dissertations; the others were research reports,
papers, and published articles from educational and scientific
publications, including: American Educational Research Journal, Journal of
Computer-Based Instruction, Journal of Research on Computing in Education,
and the Journal of Educational Psychology.

The report is available free of charge to reporters and editors who follow
the software industry. It is available (o all other non-SPA members at
$99, and may be obtained by contacting the SPA at 202-452-1600, ext 207.
For more information and an order form, write to: Report on Effectiveness
of Technology in Schools, SPA, 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington,
DC, 20036.

The Software Publishers Association of the principal trade association of
the PC software industry. Its more than 1,000 members represent the
leading publishers in the business, consumer, and education markets. The
SPA has offices in Washington, DC, and Paris, France.

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