Evaluating the Impacts of Ict Use: a Multi-level Analysis with Hierarchical Linear Modeling

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impacts of ICT use on achievements by considering not only ICT use, but also the process and background variables that influence ICT use at both the studentand school-level. This study was conducted using data from the 2010 Survey of Seoul Education Longitudinal Research. A Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analysis was employed to control the student and school characteristics. The study results show that the use of ICT explained a significant portion in the overall variance in mathematic achievement at the elementary school level, at the middle school level, and at the high school level, respectively. Information communication and transactions, a component of ICT literacy, has negative impacts on mathematic achievement, and ICT self-efficacy is more likely to result in academic achievement than other background and processing variables. INTRODUCTION Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is widely used in education for collection, management, and analysis. ICT in education includes a variety of tools, such as computers, CD-Roms, projection TVs, word processors, image graphic software, email, and Internet-based communication technology. ICT use can influence teaching and learning styles by changing the emphasis from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered style and provides opportunities to improve information-reasoning skills, communication skills, higher thinking skills, creativity, and problem solving (Shaikh & Khoja, 2011; Yusuf & Afolabi, 2010). Despite the potential advantages of ICT use, the impacts of ICT on learning outcomes have not shown consistent results (Aristovnik, 2012; Shaikh, & Khoja, 2011). One main reason for this may be explained by a methodological limitation (Cox & Marshall, 2007). Previous studies did not differentiate the pure effects of ICT use from the effects of other variables. A variety of factors could affect the relationship between ICT use and achievement; analyzing the impacts of ICT use requires studying the single contribution of ICT use in classrooms. However, previous studies were limited in that they did not differentiate the impacts of the ICT use variables from other variables related to ICT use processes or backgrounds. Given that ICT is used for different purposes, it is necessary to examine which variables are significant. Furthermore, previous studies did not consider the difference levels among ICT-related variables. Variables that directly or indirectly affect ICT use can be categorized into two levels: student-level and school level. Variables at the student-level include students’ capabilities to use ICT, gender, parents’ education levels, and private tutoring expenditures. On the other hand, variables at the school-level include teachers' education levels, attitudes toward education reform, and principal’s leadership. To clarify the effects of ICT use, it is necessary to examine how these variables affect achievement and which variables are significant. Finally, to further examine the effects of ICT use at school, it is also necessary to examine how ICT is being used at different grade levels, namely elementary, middle, and high school. The hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis provided a methodologically advanced approach for this issue. ICT use-related variables are likely to be hierarchical data structures because student ICT use is influenced by the characteristics and atmosphere of classes, which are influenced by the school's characteristics. An analysis of data that considers this multi-level structure enables us to identify which variables have significant effects. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the exclusive impacts of ICT use on mathematic achievements by conducting a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis that considered variables at both the studentand schoollevels. The research questions generated were as follows: 1. How much impact does the use of ICT have on mathematic achievements at the elementary, middle, and TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology – October 2012, volume 11 Issue 4