The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of ICT in education using the OECD PISA 2006 data. To this end, this study analyzed the impact of use of ICT on academic performance and the characteristics of learners utilizing ICT in education by dividing them into groups. The students under the age of 15 in 57 countries, including 5,176 Korean students, participated in this study.
□ Impact of Use of ICT on Academic Performance
This study investigated the manner in which students’ utilization of ICT in daily life statistically affects their academic performance, when other variables such as students’ backgrounds, attitudes toward science and school traits are controlled by multi-level analysis. In this study, the variables related to ICT were categorized as independent variables, and performances in science, math, and reading were categorized as dependent variables.
Several conclusions could be derived from the results of the research. First, the longer the period of computer use, the higher the learner’s academic performance, in all subjects. Second, students with a higher level of confidence in routine tasks such as word processor, email, and online chatting have better performance in all subjects, while students with a higher level of confidence in high-level tasks including writing a database, editing graphics, and preparing presentation get high scores only in math. Third, the use of ICT at school does not have a positive influence on academic performance, and the use of ICT at home has a negative impact math performance. Finally, the number of computers per student provided by schools does not have a statistically positive influence on academic performance.
This result indicated that even when other variables such as gender, social, economic and cultural status, learning attitudes, school location and etc are controlled, the level of confidence in using ICT in daily life for routine tasks positively affects the academic performance of students.
□ Analysis of Learner Characteristics according to the Pattern of ICT use
This study conducted an analysis on groups based on degree of confidence in using ICT and amount of ICT use by cluster analysis technique. Through this analysis, three groups were categorized. First group has a trait of low utilization and low confidence (Group 1), second low utilization and high confidence (Group 2), and third high utilization and high confidence (Group 3).
This study analyzed the differences between each group in terms of demographic background, academic performance, attitudes toward science, and the use traits of computers. The findings turned out to be significant statistically. Group 2, accounting for two thirds of the total, has a higher ratio of girls to boys, while its social, economic and cultural status is average. In addition, this group has a higher ratio of students from general high schools, and the highest level of performance in science, reading, and math. However, this group is in the middle in terms of attitudes toward science, such as enjoyment of science, self-efficacy and self-concept. In terms of the patterns of computer use, Group 2 has a lower portion of students who have used computers for more than five years and a lower level of students using computers at home and at school than Group 3, but a higher level than Group 1.
The implication of this result is that confidence in the use of computers and the utilization of computers for academic purposes rather than frequent utilization positively affect academic performance. In particular, it is noticeable that despite the fact that Group 2 is low in science attitudes and in the middle in social, economic and cultural status, its academic performance is high.
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