Does technology integration "work" when key barriers are removed?

The effectiveness of Tennessee EdTech Launch (TnETL), a statewide technology program designed to meet the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate, was investigated in this matched treatment-control quasi-experimental study. The goal of the program was to provide full-time, on-site technology coaches to prepare teachers to create lessons that engage students in critical thinking and use of computers as tools in order to increase learning. The study examined TnETL impact on student achievement, teachers' skills and attitudes toward technology integration; use of research-based practices; and students' skills in using technology as a tool. The study was implemented in two cohorts: "Launches" 1 and 2. This paper presents the findings of Launch 1, a three-year program that involved 26 schools, 12,420 students and 927 teachers. Program effectiveness was measured via direct classroom observations, surveys, student performance assessments, focus groups, and student achievement analysis. Survey results showed that program teachers had significantly higher confidence to integrate technology and in using technology for learning. Observation results revealed that program compared with control students more frequently used computers as tools, worked in centers, and engaged in research and project-based learning. Although the TnETL program demonstrated progress in changing school culture to benefit students through the use of technology, student gains on high-stakes tests were mixed. The implications of the results are discussed relative to implementation successes and barriers, sustainability prospects, and the observed impacts of technology integration on teaching and student learning.