The Effects of the Use of Modern Technologies on Learning Achievement in Different Upper-Secondary Education Programmes: The Pisa 2022 Study

Klaudija Šterman Ivančič

Summary:  The rapid development of digital technology has had significant effects on the design of the educational environment and the integration of digital resources into the teaching and learning process. It has not only changed the way students interact with educational content but also the way teachers teach. Using data from the PISA 2022 study and a representative sample of 5,591 students aged 15, the aim was to examine the extent to which students from different upper-secondary education programmes in Slovenia report the availability and use of digital resources for learning and leisure both in and out of school, the use of digital resources by teachers in the classroom and which aspects of the use of digital resources are significant predictors of achievement in mathematics and reading. The results show that, as reported by 15-year-olds, about a quarter of teachers from all upper secondary education programmes are unwilling to use digital resources in the classroom. Students who attend general gymnasiums report better access to and more frequent use of digital resources, both inside and outside of school. In terms of the positive predictors of the use of digital resources for academic achievement, more effective and intentional use of digital resources for learning outside school appears to be more important for general gymnasium programmes. However, the use of digital resources in the classroom by students and teachers appears to be more important for vocational education programmes. The predictor with the most negative impact on mathematics and reading achievement in all educational programmes is the frequent use of digital resources in leisure time for non-educational purposes. In Slovenia, it is important to promote the effective and meaningful use of digital resources for educational purposes by academically disadvantaged students, as well as ongoing awareness-raising programmes on the pitfalls and negative effects of the excessive use of digital resources in leisure time on learning achievement in all upper secondary education programmes.