Technology, Student Motivation,
and Academic Success of
Middle School Students
As a middle school teacher I have seen many students become frustrated while working through traditional lessons, and those same students have a complete change in attitude about learning once technology was involved. In the spring of 2017, I completed a research project in a 6th grade reading intervention classroom that focused on the academic achievement and student motivation when technology was part of their learning.
For this research students took a pre-assessment focusing on reading skills, as well as a motivational survey before starting the study. Throughout the course of three weeks, students used a variety of technology (online podcasts, Chromebooks, iPads, SRS, SmartBoard, etc.) to improve their understanding of basic English skills and reading comprehension strategies, while tracking their motivation during its use. Students then came back at the end of the three weeks to complete a post-assessment and a motivational survey.
Results from both standpoints, that of a motivational route and from the academic achievement direction, both indicated that students were more motivated to learn in the classroom when technology was involved, accessible, and used in a meaningful way. Students also indicated through comparison of their pre and post-assessment scores that they increased their content level learning through the supplemental technology driven activities.
References: Department of Education (ED), O. T. (2010). Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. National Education Technology Plan, 2010