The use of computers and other information and communications technology (ICT) in the classroom, as well as investments in educational software, has largely increased over the past decade. However, studies have found little evidence that greater computer and ICT use among students in the classroom has a positive impact on student achievement (OECD, 2015). Based on meta‑analyses of over 80 research articles pertaining to computer‑based instruction and student achievement, Hattie (2013) found that the impact on student learning is about the same as most well‑intentioned teaching interventions.
The TIMSS 2019 questionnaires asked a variety of questions relating to technology in the classroom, three of which will be examined in this chapter. Table 3.17 presents information about students’ access to computers at school based on teachers’ reports. At the Grade 4 level, students generally have access to a computer that is shared in their mathematics or science class, or computers that are shared within the school. The proportion of students whose teachers reported that each student has a computer is similar at the Canada
524 532
or less More than 15 minutes
Percentage
Average score in science
Science Percentage
and international levels; however, a higher proportion of students have access to shared computers in Canada compared to other countries.
Table 3.17 Percentage of students with access to computers at school
Mathematics Science
Each student has a computer
The class has a computer that students
can share
school has The computers that the class can sometimes
use
Each student has a computer
The class has a computer that students
can share
school has The computers that the class can sometimes
use
Newfoundland and Labrador U 47 62 U 51 65
Quebec 8 17 28 10 20 32
Ontario 13 42 49 15 52 61
Manitoba 7 41 54 11 53 68
Alberta 25 26 49 33 38 62
Canada 13 32 43 16 40 52
International 13 17 29 14 22 36
Teachers were also asked about the availability of computers for students during mathematics and science lessons. In Canada overall, about half of Grade 4 students had access to computers for mathematics lessons, while nearly two‑thirds had access to devices during science classes. Students in Quebec were less likely to have access to computers for mathematics and science lessons compared to students in all other provinces (Table 3.18; Appendix B.3.22).
Table 3.18 Percentage of students with computers available to use during mathematics and science lessons
Mathematics Science
Newfoundland and Labrador 64 67
Quebec 32 38
Ontario 59 75
Manitoba 62 76
Alberta 63 79
Canada 51 64
International 39 45
In Canada overall, students who did not have access to devices for mathematics lessons scored 15 points higher than students who did have access to computers or tablets, although this pattern was not found in science. Access to computers for lessons had no relationship with achievement in either mathematics or science at the provincial level (Figure 3.28; Appendix B.3.22).
Figure 3.28 Relationship between access to computers for lessons and achievement 14
-7 -9
-2 -9
-15
5 8
-1 -8
-2 7
-1 6
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
NL QC ON MB AB CAN INT NL QC ON MB AB CAN INT
Mathema�cs Science
Achevement gap
Note: Darker shade denotes significant difference between students with access to computers for subject lessons compared to students without access.
Teachers were also asked questions relating to how often their students use computers or tablets in the
classroom for lessons and tests. Just over half of students in Canada never used computers during mathematics lessons, while 45 percent of Canadian students never used devices for science lessons. Internationally, students were less likely to use computers for lessons in comparison to students in Canada. There were relatively small provincial differences for computer usage during lessons. Students in Quebec were less likely to use devices while students in Manitoba and Alberta were more likely to use computers or tablets for lessons at least monthly (Figure 3.29; Appendix B.3.23). At the Canadian level, although higher scores were achieved by students using computers one or twice a month in mathematics and science compared to those who never or almost never used computers, there were no further gains found for students whose teachers used computers to support learning more frequently.
Figure 3.29 Percentage of students by frequency teachers support learning with computers during lessons
Never or almost never Once or twice a month Once or twice a week Everyday or almost every day Note: U – too unreliable to be published.
Figure 3.30 examines how often students take tests on computers or tablets in their mathematics or science classes. Overall in Canada, 79 percent of students never took a mathematics or science test using a digital device. Students in Alberta were more likely to have taken tests in mathematics and science on computers or tablets while students in Manitoba were least likely to be tested on digital devices.
Figure 3.30 Percentage of students by frequency students take tests on computers/tablets
Never Once or twice a year Once a month or more Note: U – too unreliable to be published.
In Canada, and in about half of participating countries, TIMSS was administered on computers for the first time in 2019. In Canada, students who took science tests on computers or devices once or twice a year had higher performance than those who never did the same. No significant differences were found at the Canadian level in mathematics (Figure 3.31; Appendix B.3.24).
Figure 3.31 Relationship between frequency students take tests on computers and student achievement
Average score in mathema�cs
Mathema�cs Percentage
Note: Darker shade denotes significant difference compared to the never category.
Intended curriculum
An important element of TIMSS is its ability to identify what proportion of the topics covered by the
assessment have been taught to students. As part of the Teacher Questionnaire, classroom teachers were asked to describe when students in their classes were taught each mathematics and science subdomain covered by TIMSS. In each case, teachers had to select among three choices: mostly taught before this year, mostly taught this year, and not yet taught or just introduced. The information provided by this process allows provinces to identify opportunities for improvement in their programs. However, because curriculum is under the exclusive jurisdiction of Canadian provinces and territories, provincial results were not compared.