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The impact of computer usage on academic performance: Evidence from a randomized trial at the United States Military Academy

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  • Carter, Susan Payne
  • Greenberg, Kyle
  • Walker, Michael S.

Abstract

We present findings from a study that prohibited computer devices in randomly selected classrooms of an introductory economics course at the United States Military Academy. Average final exam scores among students assigned to classrooms that allowed computers were 0.18 standard deviations lower than exam scores of students in classrooms that prohibited computers. Through the use of two separate treatment arms, we uncover evidence that this negative effect occurs in classrooms where laptops and tablets are permitted without restriction and in classrooms where students are only permitted to use tablets that must remain flat on the desk.

Suggested Citation

  • Carter, Susan Payne & Greenberg, Kyle & Walker, Michael S., 2017. "The impact of computer usage on academic performance: Evidence from a randomized trial at the United States Military Academy," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 118-132.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:56:y:2017:i:c:p:118-132
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2016.12.005
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    4. Maria De Paola & Francesca Gioia & Vincenzo Scoppa, 2022. "Online Teaching, Procrastination And Students’ Achievement: Evidence From Covid-19 Induced Remote Learning," Working Papers 202202, Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di Economia, Statistica e Finanza "Giovanni Anania" - DESF.
    5. Astghik Mavisakalyan & Anu Rammohan, 2021. "Female autonomy in household decision-making and intimate partner violence: evidence from Pakistan," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 255-280, March.
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    7. Caria, Andrea & Di Liberto, Adriana & Pau, Sara, 2024. "Remote Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Three-Level Survey of Italian Schools," IZA Discussion Papers 17545, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Meyer, Kevin, 2022. "Do laptops in the classroom produce negative externalities? Evidence from a classroom field experiment," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    9. Patterson, Richard & Pope, Nolan G. & Feudo, Aaron, 2019. "Timing Is Everything: Evidence from College Major Decisions," IZA Discussion Papers 12069, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Oreopoulos, Philip, 2020. "Promises and Limitations of Nudging in Education," IZA Discussion Papers 13718, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2023. "Beyond the Covid-19 pandemic: remote learning and education inequalities," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 50(1), pages 207-236, February.
    12. Ming Wen & Weidong Wang & Neng Wan & Dejun Su, 2020. "Family Income and Student Educational and Cognitive Outcomes in China: Exploring the Material and Psychosocial Mechanisms," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-23, December.
    13. Resul Cesur & Joseph J. Sabia & Erdal Tekin, 2020. "Post-9/11 War Deployments Increased Crime among Veterans," NBER Working Papers 27279, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Frances Woolley, 2018. "The political economy of university education in Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 51(4), pages 1061-1087, November.
    15. Patterson, Richard W. & Patterson, Robert M., 2017. "Computers and productivity: Evidence from laptop use in the college classroom," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 66-79.
    16. Andrew J. Peterson, 2025. "Training for Obsolescence? The AI-Driven Education Trap," Papers 2508.19625, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2025.
    17. Hall, Caroline & Lundin, Martin & Sibbmark, Kristina, 2019. "A laptop for every child? The impact of ICT on educational outcomes," Working Paper Series 2019:26, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    18. Michael Gr. Voskoglou & Abdel-Badeeh M. Salem, 2020. "Benefits and Limitations of the Artificial with Respect to the Traditional Learning of Mathematics," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-15, April.
    19. Marie Connolly & Catherine Haeck, 2018. "Le lien entre la taille des classes et les compétences cognitives et non cognitives," CIRANO Project Reports 2018rp-18, CIRANO.

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