Title page
Contents
Executive Summary 11
Reader's Guide 17
Introduction 22
Section 1: Student Use of Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom 25
Indicator 1. Prevalence of Computer Access at Home 26
Indicator 2. Prevalence of Internet Use at Home 31
Indicator 3. Location of Internet Use 36
Indicator 4. Means of Internet Access at Home 42
Indicator 5. Student Computer Use and Internet Access at Home 47
Indicator 6. Computer Use for Schoolwork 52
Indicator 7. Household Computer and Internet Access by State 54
Indicator 8. Access to Computers and the Internet: International Comparisons 57
Indicator 9. Computer and Internet Use: International Comparisons 62
Section 2: Barriers in Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom 68
Indicator 10. Barriers to Internet Access at Home 70
Indicator 11. Student Internet Access by Locale and Poverty 76
Indicator 12. Student Internet Access by Locale and Race/Ethnicity 86
Indicator 13. Ownership of Digital Devices 96
Indicator 14. First Use of Computer 100
Section 3: Challenges Faced by Students Who Lack Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom 104
Indicator 15. Reading Scores by Computer Use and Internet Access at Home 106
Indicator 16. Mathematics Scores by Computer Use and Internet Access at Home 111
Indicator 17. Science Scores by Computer Use and Internet Access at Home 116
Indicator 18. Information and Communication Technology Scores by Computer Use and Internet Access at Home 121
Indicator 19. International Comparisons of Mathematics Scores by Student Computer Use and Internet Access at Home and at School 126
Indicator 20. International Comparisons of Science Score by Student Computer Use and Internet Access at Home and at School 133
Indicator 21. International Comparisons of Science Score by Reading Literacy Scores by Student Computer Use and Internet Access at Home 140
Indicator 22. Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments Among 16-to 19-Year-Olds: National and International Comparisons 145
Section 4: Impact of Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom on Instructional Practices of Educators 152
Section 5: Interventions at State and Local Levels 154
References 156
Appendix A: Guide to Data Sources for Indicators 160
Appendix B: Definitions 168
Appendix C: Reference Tables 176
Table 1.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households with a computer, by type of computer and selected child and family characteristics: Selected years, 2010 through 2015 177
Table 2.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet from home, by selected child and family characteristics: Selected years, 2010 through 2015 178
Table 3.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet and, among those who use the Internet, percentage using it in various locations, by selected child and family... 179
Table 4.1. Percentage of home internet users age 3 and over and ages 3 to 18, by means of internet access from home and selected characteristics: 2010 and 2015 180
Table 5.1. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale score and percentage distribution of 4th-and 8th-graders, by computer use and internet... 182
Table 6.1. Percentage distribution of 8th-grade public school students, by number of hours they spend using a laptop or desktop computer for schoolwork on a weekday and selected... 184
Table 7.1. Number and percentage of households with computer and internet access, by state: 2015 185
Table 8.1. Average mathematics score and percentage of eighth-graders, by access to the Internet at home, access to a computer or tablet at home or other place outside of school... 186
Table 8.2. Average mathematics score and percentage of eighth-graders, by mathematics teachers' reports of student access to computers and frequency of computer use during... 189
Table 8.3. Average science score and percentage of eighth-graders, by science teachers' reports of student access to computers and frequency of computer use during science lessons... 192
Table 9.1. Percentage distribution of 16-to 19-year-olds, by frequency of using computers or the Internet to perform selected activities in everyday life and country or subnational region... 195
Table 10.1. Percentage of persons age 3 and over and ages 3 to 18 with no internet access at home and percentage distribution of those with no home access, by main reason for not... 197
Table 11.1. Number and percentage distribution of 5-to 17-year-old students, by home internet access, poverty status, and locale: 2015 199
Table 12.1. Number and percentage distribution of 5-to 17-year-old students, by home internet access, race/ethnicity, and locale: 2015 200
Table 13.1. Percentage of 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade public school students with their own or a shared digital device at home, by selected student and school characteristics: 2015 202
Table 14.1. Percentage distribution of 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade public school students, by when student first used a laptop or desktop computer and selected student and school characteristics: 2015 203
Table 16.1. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics scale score and percentage distribution of 4th-and 8th-graders, by computer use and internet access... 204
Table 17.1. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science scale score and percentage distribution of 4th-and 8th-graders, by computer use and internet access at... 206
Table 18.1. Average scale score of 8th-graders on the information and communication technology (ICT) content area of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) technology... 208
Table 20.1. Average science score and percentage of eighth-graders, by access to the Internet at home, access to a computer or tablet at home or other place outside of school, frequency of... 209
Table 21.1. Average reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy scores of 15-year-old students, by computer and internet access at home and country or other education system: 2015 212
Table 22.1. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds who were not assessed in the problem solving in technology-rich environments domain and percentage distribution of those who were assessed... 214
Figure 1.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer: 2010 and 2015 26
Figure 1.2. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and race/ethnicity: 2015 27
Figure 1.3. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and age: 2015 28
Figure 1.4. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and highest level of education attained by either parent: 2015 29
Figure 1.5. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and family income: 2015 30
Figure 2.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet at home, by sex: 2010 and 2015 31
Figure 2.2. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet at home, by race/ethnicity: 2010 and 2015 32
Figure 2.3. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet at home, by age: 2010 and 2015 33
Figure 2.4. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet at home, by highest level of education attained by either parent: 2010 and 2015 34
Figure 2.5. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet at home, by family income: 2010 and 2015 35
Figure 3.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet anywhere, and among children who use the Internet anywhere, percentage using it in various locations: 2011 and 2015 36
Figure 3.2. Among children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet anywhere, percentage using it at home, by selected child and family characteristics: 2015 37
Figure 3.3. Among children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet anywhere, percentage using it at school, by selected child and family characteristics: 2015 38
Figure 3.4. Among children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet anywhere, percentage using it at a library, community center, or other public place, by selected child and family characteristics: 2015 39
Figure 3.5. Among children ages 3 to 18 who use the Internet anywhere, percentage using it at someone else's home, by selected child and family characteristics: 2015 40
Figure 4.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 who used the Internet at home, by means of internet access from home: 2010 and 2015 42
Figure 4.2. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 using the Internet at home through a high-speed internet service installed at home or a mobile internet service or a data plan, by race/ethnicity: 2015 43
Figure 4.3. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 using the Internet at home through a high-speed internet service installed at home or a mobile internet service or a data plan, by age: 2015 44
Figure 4.4. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 using the Internet at home through a high-speed internet service installed at home or a mobile internet service or a data plan, by highest level... 45
Figure 4.5. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 using the Internet at home through a high-speed internet service installed at home or a mobile internet service or a data plan, by family income: 2015 46
Figure 5.1. Percentage of 8th-graders who reported using a computer at home, by selected student and school characteristics: 2015 48
Figure 5.2. Percentage of 8th-graders who reported using a computer at home, by school locale: 2015 49
Figure 5.3. Percentage of 8th-graders who reported having access to the Internet at home, by selected student and school characteristics: 2015 50
Figure 5.4. Percentage of 8th-graders who reported having access to the Internet at home, by school locale: 2015 51
Figure 6.1. Percentage distribution of 8th-grade public school students, by number of hours they spend using a laptop or desktop computer for schoolwork on a weekday and selected student... 52
Figure 7.1. Percentage of households with computer access, by state: 2015 55
Figure 7.2. Percentage of households with internet access, by state: 2015 56
Figure 8.1. Percentage of eighth-graders who had access to their own or a shared computer or tablet at home, by country or other education system: 2015 58
Figure 8.2. Percentage of eighth-graders who had access to an internet connection at home, by country or other education system: 2015 60
Figure 9.1. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds who used spreadsheet or word processing software every day, by selected Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries... 63
Figure 9.2. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds who used email every day, by selected Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries or subnational regions: 2012, 2014, and 2015 64
Figure 9.3. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds who participated in real-time discussions on the Internet every day, by selected Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)... 65
Figure 9.4. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds who used the Internet to understand issues such as health/illness, financial matters, or environmental issues every day, by selected Organization for... 66
Figure 10.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 with no internet access at home, by family income and race/ethnicity: 2010 and 2015 70
Figure 10.2. Percentage distribution of children ages 3 to 18 with no internet access at home, by main reason for not having access: 2015 71
Figure 10.3. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 whose main reason for no home internet access was that it was too expensive, by race/ethnicity: 2015 72
Figure 10.4. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 whose main reason for no home internet access was that it was too expensive or that the home lacked a computer or computer adequate for... 73
Figure 10.5. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 whose main reason for no home internet access was that it was too expensive or that internet service was not available in the area, by highest... 74
Figure 10.6. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 whose main reason for no home internet access was that it was too expensive, by family income: 2015 75
Figure 11.1. Percentage distribution of students 5 to 17 years old, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 77
Figure 11.2. Percentage of students 5 to 17 years old, by internet access at home and poverty level: 2015 79
Figure 11.3. Percentage distribution of students 5 to 17 years old living in families below the poverty threshold, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 80
Figure 11.4. Percentage distribution of students 5 to 17 years old living in families between 100 and 185 percent of the poverty threshold, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 82
Figure 11.5. Percentage distribution of students 5 to 17 years old living in families at greater than 185 percent of the poverty threshold, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 84
Figure 12.1. Percentage distribution of students 5 to 17 years old, by race/ethnicity and internet access at home: 2015 87
Figure 12.2. Percentage distribution of White students 5 to 17 years old, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 88
Figure 12.3. Percentage distribution of Black students 5 to 17 years old, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 90
Figure 12.4. Percentage distribution of Hispanic students 5 to 17 years old, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 92
Figure 12.5. Percentage distribution of Asian students 5 to 17 years old, by internet access at home and locale: 2015 94
Figure 13.1. Percentage of 4th-grade public school students who reported that they owned or shared a digital device at home, by selected student and school characteristics: 2015 97
Figure 13.2. Percentage of 8th-grade public school students who reported that they owned or shared a digital device at home, by selected student and school characteristics: 2015 98
Figure 13.3. Percentage of 12th-grade public school students who reported that they owned or shared a digital device at home, by selected student and school characteristics: 2015 99
Figure 14.1. Percentage of public school students who first used a laptop or desktop computer in or before kindergarten, by grade level and race/ethnicity: 2015 100
Figure 14.2. Percentage of public school students who first used a laptop or desktop computer in or before kindergarten, by grade level and locale: 2015 102
Figure 15.1. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale scores of 8th-graders, by selected student and school characteristics and computer use at home: 2015 107
Figure 15.2. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scale scores of 8th-graders, by selected student and school characteristics and internet access at home: 2015 109
Figure 16.1. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics scale scores of 8th-graders, by selected student and school characteristics and computer use at home: 2015 112
Figure 16.2. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics scale scores of 8th-graders, by selected student and school characteristics and internet access at home: 2015 114
Figure 17.1. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science scale scores of 8th-graders, by selected student and school characteristics and computer use at home: 2015 117
Figure 17.2. Average National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science scale scores of 8th-graders, by selected student and school characteristics and internet access at home: 2015 119
Figure 18.1. Average scale score of 8th-graders on the information and communication technology (ICT) content area of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Technology... 122
Figure 18.2. Average scale score of 8th-graders on the information and communication technology (ICT) content area of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Technology... 124
Figure 19.1. Average mathematics scores of eighth-graders, by country or other education system and whether they have access to their own or a shared computer or tablet at home: 2015 127
Figure 19.2. Average mathematics scores of eighth-graders, by country or other education system and whether they have access to the Internet at home: 2015 129
Figure 19.3. Average mathematics scores of eighth-graders, by country or other education system and frequency of computer or tablet use for schoolwork at home: 2015 131
Figure 20.1. Average science scores of eighth-graders, by country or other education system and whether they have access to their own or a shared computer or tablet at home: 2015 134
Figure 20.2. Average science scores of eighth-graders, by country or other education system and whether they have access to the Internet at home: 2015 136
Figure 20.3. Average science scores of eighth-graders, by country or other education system and frequency of computer or tablet use for schoolwork at home: 2015 138
Figure 21.1. Average scores of 15-year-old students on the PISA reading literacy scale, by country and whether they had a computer to use at home for schoolwork: 2015 141
Figure 21.2. Average reading scores of 15-year-old students in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, by country and whether they had access to the Internet at home: 2015 143
Figure 22.1. Percentage distribution of 16-to 19-year-olds assessed in the problem solving in technology-rich environments domain for the United States and the OECD average, by sex and... 146
Figure 22.2. Percentage distribution of U.S. 16-to 19-year-olds assessed in the problem solving in technology-rich environments domain, by race/ethnicity and proficiency level: 2012 and 2014 147
Figure 22.3. Percentage distribution of 16-to 19-year-olds assessed in the problem solving in technology-rich environments domain for the United States and the OECD average, by highest level... 148
Figure 22.4. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds assessed in the problem solving in technology-rich environments domain performing at the lowest proficiency level (below level 1), by country: 2012, 2014, and 2015 149
Figure 22.5. Percentage of 16-to 19-year-olds assessed in the problem solving in technology-rich environments domain performing at the highest proficiency level (level 3), by country: 2012, 2014, and 2015 150