Socioeconomic Status, Aptitude, and Gender Differences in CAI Gains of Arithmetic.

AbstractThis study examined the effects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in relation to students’ socioeconomic status (SES), aptitude, and gender. The population consisted of 99 disadvantaged and 112 advantaged students of three cohorts in two schools. All students used the same CAI system for drill-and-practice programs in arithmetic. I collected reports of CAI performance from 3rd through 6th graders at the beginning and end of each school year. Results of a repeated-measure design analysis showed performance at higher grade-equivalent CAI levels and larger gains from the CAI work, which were statistically significant, for advantaged over disadvantaged students, for high achievers over low achievers, and for boys over girls. Interactions of SES and aptitude indicated that those who benefited most from the CAI work were the high achievers in the advantaged population. “The belief that computers can provide benefits and the optimistic expectation that they are supplying these benefits has fueled a ...

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