Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom

Xiaolei Wang
,
Lisa Corcoran
,
Melissa Diliberti
,

The role that technology plays in education is an ever evolving area of research which is only growing in importance. Technology has the ability to create new opportunities for students and designing successful practices for using technology can help to increase educational experiences for students. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides guidance to state governments on how to receive supplemental federal funding for public education. Within the ESSA legislation, the Institute of Education Sciences is required to report on the education impact of student's access to digital learning resources (DLR) outside of the classroom.

Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom uses the most current national representative data sources available, current research in the field, and intervention efforts on a state and local level to examine the five research areas highlighted in ESSA and to summarize current student access to DLR outside of the classroom.

The five research areas of analysis are:

  • Student habits related to digital learning resources outside of the classroom
  • Barriers students may face in accessing digital learning resources outside of the classroom
  • Challenges for students who lack internet access at home
  • Analysis of how barriers and challenges faced by students impact instructional practices
  • A description of ways that these barriers and challenges have been addressed