Evaluation of the Computers for Pupils Initiative

Client: BECTA | NFER Contact: Sarah Lynch

The Computers for Pupils (CfP) initiative involves the provision of new resources (in the form of computer hardware, software and support) in areas where such resources have generally previously been unavailable. The intention is that additional government resources, totalling some £60 million over two years, delivered through schools and local authorities in the form of computers loaned to pupils, will help to reduce the ‘digital divide’ and help to improve educational outcomes.

The aims of CfP are set out in the Computers for Pupils Support Pack (DfES, 2006, p. 4) as follows.
By putting ICT into the homes of some of the most disadvantaged secondary pupils in the most deprived areas, the Computers for Pupils initiative will help to:

• give these pupils the same opportunities as their peers
• provide conditions that can contribute to raising educational achievement and narrowing the attainment gap
• support personalised learning by providing access to ICT whenever or wherever [it] is most appropriate for learning.

The initiative is a bold attempt to raise attainment, to contribute to ‘inclusion’ and to develop the skills of young people who are in difficult social and economic circumstances. If it is successful, then the life chances and quality of life of many young people, including experience of the benefits of engagement with information and communication technology (ICT), are likely to be significantly improved. Early experiences of home ICT use may have long-lasting benefits for pupils and their families, and teachers will have extra flexibility in terms of setting work and a better motivated set of pupils.

Research questions

The overall rationale for this evaluation is to collect and examine evidence to assess the extent to which the aims of the initiative are being achieved. More specific research questions include the following.

• How have school and teachers developed practices in teaching, learning and assessment in order to take advantage of the learning opportunities afforded by greater home access to ICT among their pupils?
• How has home access to computers increased pupil motivation and engagement in learning?
• What impact has increased motivation and engagement had on performance in Key Stage assessments, attendance and behaviour?
• To what extent have parents been able to take a more active role in their children’s education through access to school via email and through access to information on the school website or learning platform?
• To what extent have parents with access to the computers been able to develop their ICT skills and access information on employment, training and other government services?

Impact and outcomes

There is currently very limited research on the impact of, for example, the use of computers at home by pupils. Given this context, along with the innovative nature of the initiative, formative feedback from the evaluation will be provided to the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) and the project steering group on an ongoing basis. Emerging findings from the evaluation will be helpful in terms of informing both policy and practice in the further roll-out of the CfP initiative to schools and local authorities in the second year of the programme. Evaluation findings will also be useful in the context of the accompanying policy drive towards universal home access for pupils. Written outcomes include an interim report in October 2007 and a final report for publication in November 2008. In addition feedback will be provided for all schools participating in the evaluation.

Research design and methods

A longitudinal, multi-methods approach (over two years) will be adopted. This will make use of various forms of quantitative data, including pupil outcomes and survey data, as well as qualitative techniques, including interviews, home visits, pupil discussion groups and a pupil ‘blog’ of e-learning activities. All stakeholder views will be collected and there will be ‘triangulation’ of data types and data sources.

The quantitative research, incorporating pupil, parent and teacher surveys, will be administered by the NFER’s Research Data Services section, and analysed by specialist statisticians. The qualitative approach is structured in the form of local authority/school-based case studies which will enable the research team to collect the amount of detail required for an evaluation of this sort, whilst at the same time keeping the burden on schools, pupils and parents to a minimum.

Audience(s)

The initial primary audience consists of policy makers, local authority personnel and school staff involved in CfP. However, the findings of the evaluation will also be relevant to any of these groups who are implementing similar policies in the context of other initiatives (including the universal home access task force), as well as professional organisations and researchers in the field of ICT, teaching and learning. Two consultants, Professor John Gardner of Queen’s University, Belfast, and Mr Greg Hill, Chief Executive of the South-East Grid for Learning (SEGfL), will assist with analysis, reporting, and identifying appropriate audiences.

Time scale: November 2006 - November 2008

NFER Project Code: CFP

References

Department for Education and Skills (2006). Computers for Pupils Support Pack. London: DfES.