21st Century Skills Amongst Fifth and Eighth Graders

A recently released multi-year study conducted by Learning.com found that over two thirds of fifth and eighth graders are non-proficient in 21st century skills. This study measured the digital literacy skills outlined in the ISTE Student Standards. The company’s research also demonstrated that providing students with access to tools for building digital literacy skills can help close the skills gap. According to research, students who utilized these tools showed greater improvements in proficiency between pre-test and post-test over the course of the school year, compared to students who did not use these tools. 

Learning.com (2017). 21^st Century skills assessment. Portland, OR: Learning.com. http://www.learning.com/solutions/assessments/21-csa

Benefits of One-to-one Laptop Programs on Academic Achievement

This article reviews 65 journal articles and 31 doctoral dissertations published from January 2001 to May 2015 in order to examine the effect of one-to-one laptop programs on teaching and learning in K–12 schools. A meta-analysis of 10 studies examines the impact of laptop programs on students’ academic achievement, finding significantly positive average effect sizes in English, writing, mathematics, and science. In addition, the article summarizes the impact of laptop programs on more general teaching and learning processes and perceptions as reported in these studies, again noting generally positive findings.

Zheng, Binbin & Warschauer, Mark & Lin, Chin-Hsi & Chang, Chi. (2016). Learning in one-to-one laptop environments: A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 86(4). http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0034654316628645