Another study found that at-risk students increased their social studies knowledge more when developing multimedia products than when receiving an additional week of instruction on the same content
Studies have shown that low-performing students are much more likely to be provided with opportunities to use computer-based technology for skill-building and drill and practice type activities. High-performing students, on the other hand, use technology for higher-order thinking activities such as data analysis and multimedia presentation
Teachers found that technology played an important role in identifying students’ instructional needs and helping them differentiate instruction to meet those needs. This showed up primarily in two ways: the open-ended nature of technology productivity software; and the ability of some technology programs to diagnose problems and provide targeted instruction in those areas
Researchers have agreed that this is an important role for technology, arguing that computer-based instruction “individualizes the educational process to accommodate . . . the student”