Peter Bergman EdTech Plenary Presentation | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Education technologies can both reduce and exacerbate inequalities in student learning. Achievement gaps between low-income and high-income students are large and persistent. Impactful interventions that can close these gaps are rare and often rely on high-intensity tutoring.

Key Insights

• 😘 Achievement gaps between low-income and high-income students in the US are large and persistent.
• 😚 Impactful interventions that can close the achievement gap are rare and mostly rely on high-intensity tutoring.
• 💻 Access to technology, such as computers and internet, may not have significant impacts on learning outcomes.
• 🧑‍🎓 Computer-assisted learning and adaptive content show promise in improving student learning, particularly in math.
• 👪 Technology-based nudges have the potential to improve parent engagement and information flow between schools and families.
• 🧑‍🏭 Implementation challenges and fidelity are important factors to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of education technologies.
• 🎓 Researcher-platform partnerships can facilitate innovation and scalability in education technologies.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the 90/10 achievement gap?

The 90/10 achievement gap refers to the gap in learning between students from families in the 90th percentile and the 10th percentile of the income distribution. Students from low-income backgrounds are four to six years behind their higher-income peers in terms of learning.

Q: How effective are education technologies in closing the achievement gap?

Education technologies have varied impact on the achievement gap. While some interventions have shown small or encouraging impacts, very few can close the gap significantly. High-intensity tutoring programs tend to have the highest impact.

Q: What are the potential drawbacks of providing computer access in education?

Research suggests that providing computer access in K-12 education may not have significant impacts on learning outcomes. Impact on other outcomes, such as computer skills, may be promising but requires further investigation.

Q: How can technology-based nudges help improve education outcomes?

Technology-based nudges can be used to engage parents, improve information flow between schools and parents, and provide guidance on transitioning to college. These nudges have the potential to positively influence parent engagement and student outcomes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Education technologies have the potential to reduce or exacerbate inequalities in student learning.

• Achievement gaps between low-income and high-income students are significant and persistent over time.

• Impacts in the range of 0 to 0.1 standard deviations are considered small, while impacts of 0.1 to 0.25 are encouraging. Anything above 0.4 is considered rare and usually achieved through high-intensity tutoring programs.