Learning Technologies Project 2000 student data : executive report

The DECStech 2001 Learning Technologies Project was developed with the major aim of maximising the uptake of purposeful use of technologies to improve student learning outcomes through using a network of nine Discovery and Global Discovery schools. One of the strategies developed to achieve this was the development of an online survey which measured and tracked changes in students' attitudes regarding school, self-esteem and the use of technology in learning. The survey was administered annually over a three-year period to all students in years 5 to 10 in the nine participating schools. This report provides a summary of the data obtained from the second online survey and presents preliminary longitudinal data analysis by comparing attitudinal and technology related aspects of the 1999 and 2000 student data. Some of the findings presented in the report include: trends in student attitudes are environment and gender related; student self-esteem increases over the period in all groups apart from Year 10 female students; students' attitudes towards the use of computers in learning generally shows a positive growth; on average over 85% of primary students and 90% of secondary students have access to a computer at home; and the decline in school attitude in secondary schools may relate to a perceived decline in access to computers by students, despite the probable increase in the number of computers available. [Executive summary, ed]