Assessment of the effect of a technologically-rich environment on the mathematics and science achievement of secondary school students and on their attitudes toward technology

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a technologically-rich environment on the achievement of physical science and geometry students, and on their attitude toward technology.;The sample was comprised of physical science and geometry students in an innovative project in The Woodlands, Texas. Comparisons were made between the experimental groups and the comparison groups whose classes met in a regular classroom.;No significant difference was found between the mean achievement test scores of the experimental and comparison groups in physical science and in geometry.;An attitude measuring instrument was administered to the experimental and comparison groups using a pretest/posttest design. An ANCOVA procedure was used to assess changes in attitude; pretest scores were used as a covariate. Results indicated no significant change in attitude toward technology in either of the physical science groups. There was a significant change in attitude in each of the geometry groups.;A posttest factor analysis identified eight factors; an ANCOVA procedure was performed on these factors using pretest scores as covariates. Results showed significant changes in five of the factors in at least one of the four groups.;Each item in the attitude measuring instrument was assessed for change using a matched sample design within the physical science and geometry groups. Results of the univariate comparisons showed significant changes occurring in at least three items in each group.;Major conclusions of the study were that immersion of physical science and geometry students in a technologically-rich environment for one semester does not appear to affect the level of achievement of those students, but that it does have a positive effect on the attitude of those students toward technology. It is recommended that researchers continue to study the innovative project to assess differences in performance and attitude.