Examining student ICT use and learning outcomes: Evidence from Japanese PISA data

Abstract

The relationship between student ICT use and learning outcomes is being debated. Few studies on the topic examined different forms of ICT use and heterogenous relationships with learning outcomes. This study addresses this gap by examining the association between different forms of ICT use and learning outcomes and by exploring variations in associations based on student-perceived ICT competence and across the learning distribution. The Japanese sample of PISA 2018 data was analyzed employing a regression approach accounting for the complexity of the PISA design and unconditional quantile regression. Results suggest that the variables student ICT use outside school for schoolwork activities and at school in general are not statistically related to reading and science achievements, but the former is weakly related to mathematics. The two forms of ICT use improve learning among students with lower ICT competence and also show statistical significance for low- and high-achieving students. Moreover, subject-related uses of ICT during lessons and outside lessons are positively associated with the three measures of learning achievements investigated. The association remains consistent by student ICT competence and across the learning distribution. In contrast, ICT use outside of school for leisure is negatively associated with all three measures of learning achievements. The association remains negative by student ICT competence and across the learning distribution. These findings suggest that education stakeholders promoting student ICT use should be cautious by considering forms of ICT use, student ICT competence, and heterogenous abilities.