Classroom connectivity in Algebra I classrooms: results of a randomized control trial Stephen J. Pape a∗ , Karen E. Irving b , Douglas T. Owens b , Christy K. Boscardin c , Vehbi A. Sanalan d , A. Louis Abrahamson e† , Sukru Kaya f , Hye Sook Shin g and David Silver g a John Hopkins University, USA AQ1 ; b Ohio State University, USA; c University of California, CRESST, San Francisco, CA, USA; d Erzincan University, Turkey; e Better Education Foundation, USA; f Scientific and Technological Research Council, Turkey; g University of California, CRESST, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Received 15 January 2013; accepted 21 August 2013) This study reports the outcomes of a randomized control trial in algebra involving a national US sample. The primary research question examines an intervention consisting of two components: (1) professional development (PD) and (2) connected classroom technology (CCT) on student achievement. The theoretical framework emphasizes a sociocultural perspective that calls attention to the relationship between the affordances or the classroom learning opportunities and students’ ability to take up these affordances in the service of learning. We forward the argument that CCT helps teachers to align the learning possibilities of their classroom with students’ capacities leading to greater student achievement. The treatment group implemented CCT following PD to support its effective use and control teachers implemented graphing calculator technology only. The effect size on student achievement after accounting for background factors was 0.30. This medium-sized effect is relatively rare for randomized experiments in education. Keywords: mathematics achievement; algebra; technology; classroom contexts 1. Introduction Communication is at the heart of teaching and learning. ‘It is a way of sharing ideas and clarifying understanding. Through communication, ideas become objects of reflection, refinement, discussion, and amendment’ (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000, p. 60). Over the past decade, classroom connectivity technology (CCT), which refers to wireless communication systems that connect the teacher’s computer and stu- dents’ handheld technology, has emerged as a genre of instructional tools that facilitate teacher – student communication and students’ engagement with content (Roschelle, Penuel, & Abrahamson, 2004a, 2004b for reviews). In fact, Hegedus and Penuel (2008) indicate, ‘James Kaput thought that wireless connectivity “inside” the classroom would change the communicative heart of the mathematics classroom’ (p. 171). The present study reports findings from a randomized control trial in which we examined the impact of a second-generation CCT supported with professional CE: MJ/PB QA: Coll: # 2013 Taylor & Francis ∗ Corresponding author. Email: stephen.pape@jhu.edu † Dr A. Louis Abrahamson was a Co-PI on this project and owns a stake in a Virginia S-Corpor- ation (Better Education Inc.) which has Intellectual Property Agreements with Texas Instru- ments Incorporated (maker of the TI Navigator) dating originally from 1996. Effective Education 2013 Vol. 2, No. 4, 1 – 21, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19415532.2013.841059 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 REFE841059 Techset Composition India (P) Ltd., Bangalore and Chennai, India 9/16/2013