Determining the impact of the Atkins School District's technology initiative on the student's perception of his/her ability to learn, and the teacher's ability to teach

Abstract

This descriptive study sought to assess the effects of the technology initiative that was undertaken starting in the 2013-2014 school year at the Atkins School District. The initiative began with the dissemination of laptop computers to each student in grades 9 through 12 combined with training for the teachers on how to use the technology. I gathered data for the investigation through surveys and interviews in order to ascertain the efficacy and success of the initiative from the perspectives of the students and teachers. The feedback from students and teachers alike was mixed, but showed an overall neutral feeling about the initiative. The data suggests that greater technology implementation can have a positive impact on the quality of education but only if it is implemented with adequate support.