Engaging College Science Students and Changing Academic Achievement with Technology: A Quasi-Experimental Preliminary Investigation

Can modern, computer-based technology engage college students and improve their academic achievement in college? Although numerous examples detail technology’s classroom uses, few studies empirically examine whether technologically oriented pedagogical changes factually lead to positive outcomes among college students. In this pilot study, we used a quasi-experimental design to examine whether a technology enhanced research methods classroom led to increased student engagement and academic achievement among college students. Two features generally characterized the technology enhanced classroom experience: specific feedback generated from recordings of small group discussions and podcasts of class recordings. Technology enhanced classroom students demonstrated statistically significant increases in student engagement and improved academic achievement. These findings support previous efforts to use technology to enhance engagement and achievement among college students and they encourage future efforts.