• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, October 9, 2015

According to a new study of 470,000 students, by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED), Students, Computers and Learning: Making The Connection, even countries that have invested heavily in computer technology for education have seen no noticeable improvement in their performances for reading, mathematics or science. The study found that 15-year-old students across 34 countries, including the U.S. who use computers “very frequently” at school do much worse, even after accounting for social background and student demographics.

That’s not to say that computer science itself is not important in schools. In the U.S., many students, parents, K-12 teachers and administrators say they highly value computer science education, according to a nationwide survey by Gallup and commissioned by Google. Most, however, do not perceive a high level of demand for computer science from students and parents. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs in computer and math areas will increase by 18% from 2012 to 2022, creating over 1.3 million jobs.

The report suggests that a combination of both face-to-face teaching and computer use have a positive impact, but the former should not be usurped by the latter. The research found that students who use computers moderately at school tend to be somewhat more skilled in online reading than students who rarely use computers.

Danielle Allen, professor of government at Harvard University, says “… a computer is no substitute for a teacher, but a good teacher can use digital resources effectively to enhance learning… “

Technology is one of the only ways to dramatically expand access to knowledge, especially in disadvantaged countries with schools that have limited access to books, says the report. Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills, says “… school systems need to find more effective ways to integrate technology into teaching and learning… ensure that teachers are at the forefront of designing and implementing this change.”

96% of 15-year-old students, in the 34 countries that are a member of the OECD, reported having a computer at home, but only 72% reported using one at school, the OECD report said.

Overall, students who use computers moderately at school tend to have somewhat better results than students who use computers rarely. Students who never, or only rarely, engage in recreational activities on computers, such as gaming and social media, have the highest performance, says the report.

Despite the mixed results, schools around the world continue to invest in computers. The global expenditure on education technology within K-12 classrooms hit $14.9 billion in 2014, up 16% on the previous year, and is expected to reach $16.3 billion by 2019, according to consulting firm Futuresource Consulting; this includes desktops, tablets and other equipment. The education sector has a vast potential for growth, the study found, with 26.6 million mobile computers, including 11 million tablets, purchased in 2014. And a 2014 study found that more than half of global educational spending on mobile devices was in the U.S.

Students' exposure to computers at school varies widely between countries. However, the use of computers does not seem to be a prominent factor in explaining the variation in student performance in math, reading or science. Most countries that invested heavily in education related IT equipment did not witness an appreciable improvement in student achievement over the past 10 years.

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