Checklist Does this research finding apply to my classroom, school, or district? How do I determine if the research is designed to support these claims?   [comparison groups issues] [pre-post design] [sample size issues] [interpreting results] How is student achievement measured? Summary

Interpreting results

Confounding: Separating the effect of software use from the effect of other changes in the school

When interpreting the results from studies that do not use a comparison group, you must be aware of other factors taking place at the same time within the school and district that could explain the results. Often the introduction of technology programs is accompanied by other changes within schools and districts that may influence student performance in the same direction, including changes in the curriculum, instructional practice, teacher resources, school organization, and how students are assessed. Without the use of a well-matched comparison group, it is extremely difficult to separate the influence of the technology intervention from the influence of these other outside factors. Scores on the testing instrument may be climbing across all schools in the district regardless of any impact due to the use of the technology in the classroom.