Preface
The research question of this study—what are the differences among the standardized test scores of students due to factors of Internet access at home , household income , and highest level of education attained by mother, father, or guardian —is a somewhat different question than is typically posed in consideration of the effects of the Internet on learning. Vendors are typically asserting their Internet-based product as having a positive effect unachievable with alternate approaches, or advocates and practitioners of pedagogies are measuring a proposed effect with the added ingredient of “Internet.”
A concern with issue of inquiry into the effect of technology on learning is that random assignment is all but practically impossible when conducting research on “real kids.” Quasi-experimental methods are loaded with issues regarding lack of control (or even identification) of external factors.
As opposed to proving an expected effect due to Internet access, the following study surveys a selection of classic factors of academic performance contrasted to those with and without Internet in the home.
In simple analysis, the data revealed that having Internet access at home is significant. In fact, in simple analysis, every factor in the study was found to be significant as well. When confounding factors were considered, however, Internet access became insignificant. Thorough analysis demonstrated that differences in achievement are far more closely related to the education of the parent or guardian.