The use of time data in assessing the effectiveness of IT resources in a sixth form college

• Main Author: Parker, Robert Neil
• Published: University of Birmingham 2009
• Subjects: 378.1; LB Theory and practice of education
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.512418

This study develops and explores a technique of individual time data analysis (ITDA) which can be used as a tool for demonstrating the effectiveness of resource use in further education. The study focuses on Information Technology (IT) resources and investigates effectiveness by surveying individual students’ reported resource use and exploring the relationship between this and performance. Using quantitative data from a positivist methodological standpoint, the study aims to provide techniques which are accessible to educational practitioners. Two surveys were used in a West Midlands sixth form college. The first was conducted in the academic year from September 1998 and the second from September 2006. Data was gathered on students’ use of IT resources and performance was measured using students’ value added results. This information was used in a statistical analysis which evaluated the effectiveness of the students’ resource use. The conclusions differed for the two surveys. The 1998 survey showed that those students who spent a greater proportion of their time using IT resources were more likely to achieve better value added results. However, the 2006 survey appeared to show the opposite. As a result of the two surveys the ITDA technique was evaluated and recommended for further development by practitioners.