Computers and the Academic Performance of Elementary School-Aged Girls in China's Poor Communities

Autor/inn/en	Yang, Yihua; Zhang, Linxiu; Zeng, Junxia; Pang, Xiaopeng; Lai, Fang; Rozelle, Scott
Titel	Computers and the Academic Performance of Elementary School-Aged Girls in China's Poor Communities
Quelle	In: Computers & Education, 60 (2013) 1, S.335-346 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0360-1315
DOI	10.1016/j.compedu.2012.08.011
Schlagwörter	Academic Achievement; Females; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computers; Mathematics Tests; Migrants; Public Schools; Rural Areas; Foreign Countries; Elementary School Students; Poverty Areas; Computer Uses in Education; Gender Differences; Elementary Schools; Experiments; Scores; Disadvantaged Youth; Access to Computers; China; China (Beijing) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schulleistung; Weibliches Geschlecht; Computer based training; Computerunterstützter Unterricht; Digitalrechner; Migrantin; Public school; Öffentliche Schule; Rural area; Ländlicher Raum; Ausland; Computernutzung; Geschlechterkonflikt; Elementary school; Grundschule; Volksschule; Erprobung; Benachteiligter Jugendlicher
Abstract	Experts agree that computers and computing play an important role in education. Since the 1980s there has been a debate about gender as it relates to computers and education. However, results regarding gender differences concerning computer use in education are not consistent. In particular there is little work done in China on this issue. Therefore, the overall goal of this paper is to demonstrate whether girls and boys can gain equally from computer-based education in China's elementary schools. To do so we analyze results from three randomized field experiments of a Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) program and One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program. The field experiments are carried out in three kinds of schools: Shannxi rural public schools; Qinghai minority public schools; and Beijing migrant schools. Although CAL and OLPC have been considered cost effective means to improve learning outcomes, it is not known whether the programs impact girls differently than boys. Our analysis shows that, in fact, there were no differences between female and male students in either the improvement in standardized math test scores or Chinese test scores with either the CAL or OLPC programs. Our study suggests that among disadvantaged students in China's rural areas and migrant communities, there is reason to believe that computer based learning can benefit both girls and boys equally. This finding has possible implications for China's ongoing efforts to integrate computers and computing technologies into the nation's underserved schools. (Contains 7 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Elsevier. 3251 Riverport Lane, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Tel: 800-325-4177; Tel: 314-447-8000; Fax: 314-447-8033; e-mail: JournalCustomerService-usa@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10