| Student response systems, a new technology, are beginning to make their way into K-12 classrooms. I decided to test a student response system to see what affect it would have on student achievement and engagement in a middle school science classroom. Data was gathered over a period of three months during the course of two separate units. Students were given a topic specific, standards-based pretest prior to beginning each unit. Students were then given that same test at the conclusion of the unit. Gains in student achievement were measured. Results from tests show that the student response system helped to increase student achievement. Students using the student response system earned higher scores on posttests than those that did not. Classroom observations were used to determine student engagement in various activities. Findings from classroom observations were mixed. Students were less engaged when they used the student response system to review homework, class work and labs; students were less engaged when they used the student response system to answer questions about what they were learning and discuss the results; and students were more engaged when they used the student response system to review for a test. My suggestion for the school district, given the above results, would be to purchase sets of student response systems for teachers willing to invest the extra time to learn and integrate this new technology. |
