Academic Achievement in BYOD Classrooms

Abstract A product of the new STEM democracy is the development of indigenous high-technology capabilities.We maintain when effective mobile learning is incorporated into a receptive learning environment studentachievement will increase. Also, the ubiquitousness of mobile devices prepares students for the STEM focusedglobalized economy because the devices are consistently used for the communication and informational needs ofstudents and teachers inside and outside of learning environments. Mobile learning devices (MLDs) are relativelyaffordable and accessible, and often reinforce difficult learning concepts and a mechanism for collaboration outsideregular school hours. Mobile learning technology levels the learning field, due to the relatively low cost,accessibility in most households, including those that lack laptop or desktop computers and connection to theinternet. Under Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, this study centers on assessing the effectiveness of MLDson the academic achievement of students in 8th and 10th grades. We were interested to understand the effectivenessof BYOD integration in the classroom based on student achievement and student response to determine the extent ofvariance, if any, between those classrooms that use BYOD technology extensively in comparison to those that donot. The study uses previously collected school system data (removing all individual identifiers by the schoolsystem’s curriculum coordinator). This research is significant, since there is a paucity of large scale research toassess the level of student achievement, as expressed through standardized assessments, related to the BYOD policy.