Every country--and even every community--has populations of students who severely underperform relative to other groups and to their own potential. These performance differences are generally called achievement gaps, and they tend to focus on gaps at basic levels of academic proficiency. But such gaps also exist among the highest levels of…

As the nation's economy continues its irrevocable shift from manufacturing toward idea-driven, creative industries, our schools--and the teaching and learning enterprise at the heart of our schools--need to undergo a transformation as well. The result of such a transformation needs to be a type of educational experience and expertise that will not…

This report presents results of the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in writing at grades 8 and 12. In this new national writing assessment sample, 24,100 eighth-graders and 28,100 twelfth-graders engaged with writing tasks and composed their responses on computer. The assessment tasks reflected writing situations common to…

Discusses the findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress 1985-86 survey of American students' computer competence, focusing on findings of interest to reading teachers who use computers. (MM)

There is a growing consensus among educators and the general public that technology should play a more integral role in students' education. However, the question of whether the introduction of technology into the classroom has a positive impact on teaching and learning is still under intense debate within the educational community. This…

Examines the impact of technology on educational effectiveness in the United States as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Presents five items from NAEP and TIMSS tests that may favor students with technology experience. Concludes that further…

Results of the 1985-86 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) survey of American students' knowledge of computers suggest that American schools have a long way to go before computers can be said to have made a significant impact. The survey covered the 3rd, 7th, and 11th grade levels and assessed competence in knowledge of computers,…

Discusses findings reported in a recent National Assessment of Educational Progress report ("Computer Competence: the First Assessment") focusing on four fundamental concerns: student attitudes toward computer use, failure to integrate computers into subject disciplines, the importance of computer access at home and at school, and…