Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

James Schiro

Abstract

The iPad and other mobile devices have become so popular over the past few years that many school districts are purchasing these devices and implementing them in the classroom with little to no research. Because there has been no previous research at one rural school district in Michigan, the primary purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to investigate the effects that a 1-to-1 iPad initiative program has had on only 11th grade student achievement and determine if 11th grade students' test scores on the Michigan Merit Exam in the areas of mathematics, science, and social studies for each school year from 2007 to 2016 have improved, declined, or stayed the same. The framework for this study was rooted in Kearsley and Shneiderman's engagement theory, which specifically applies to technology-based learning environments. A repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the standardized test scores from 2007 to 2016, with the scores as the dependent variables and the introduction of the iPad technology as the independent variable. Student characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status were covariates. The findings from this study indicated that the iPad has improved standardized test scores at this local high school and therefore this school district should continue the promotion and investment in mobile learning devices and other technologies. The resulting policy recommendation from this study prompts the local school district to pursue the expansion of a 1-to-1 iPad program or other mobile learning device in the current curriculum to help increase student achievement on standardized tests. The incorporation of Apple's iPad in the classroom has potentially created a solution to help students increase academic performance and achieve higher levels on standardized and state tests.

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