Interactive Whiteboards in Mathematics Spaces - An Examination of Technology Integration in an Urban Middle School - [Inferred Main Title]

Oct 15, 2026

This study examines how integrating interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology affects middle school mathematics achievement in an urban setting. Propensity score matching created a comparable control group to isolate IWB effects, using an experimental group of 716 students and a control group of 856. Achievement outcomes were analyzed with 2×4 ANOVA, testing treatment effects and demographic moderators. Results showed ethnicity as a significant moderator, with observed positive effects for White students and a reduced achievement gap for Hispanic students, informing IWB-based pedagogy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Interactive Whiteboards in the Mathematics Classroom

Interactive Whiteboards in Mathematics Spaces: An Examination of Technology Integration in an Urban Middle School Jamaal Young University of North Texas, United States Christina Hamilton Texas A&M University Central Texas, United States Marti Cason University of North Texas, United States Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of integrating Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) technology on middle school mathematics achievement in an urban school. Propensity score matching was used to create a comparable control group in order to isolate the effects of IWB technology on mathematics achievement. An initial experimental group (n = 716) of ethnically diverse urban students receiving IWB instruction was matched to a control population (n = 856) based on propensity scores generated from demographic and ability data. Student achievement data were analyzed with 2 × 4 ANOVA to access treatment main effects and the effects of demographic variables such as gender, ethnicity, and ability. Ethnicity was a significant moderator of the effects. Specifically, a positive effect size was observed for White students, and the achievement gap was also reduced for Hispanic students. Implications for mathematics pedagogy with an IWB are provided based on these conclusions. Keywords: Technology integration; Interactive whiteboard; Mathematics; Achievement gap Introduction The influence of technology on mathematics achievement remains a pedagogical concern. This concern is proliferated by the constant influx of technology in the everyday lives of school-age children (Hsin, Li, & Tsai, 2014) . Many researchers have posited that technology integration in the mathematics classroom transforms learning and creates an environment that captures the attention of digital learners (Grady, Watkins, & Montalvo, 2012; Hallett, Nunes, & Bryant, 2010; Jones, Irvin, & Kibe, 2012; Whyte, Beauchamp, & Alexander, 2014) . Yet, this was not always the case. The integration of desktop computers in the late 1980s marked a shift in the perceptions of the tools necessary to teach mathematics effectively (Jacobsen, Clifford, & Friesen, 2002) . Subsequently, decades of mathematics education research consistently conclude that digital technology, such as computers and calculators, improve mathematics attitudes and problem solving without adversely affecting computational skills (Cheung & Slavin, 2012, 2013; Drijvers, 2013) . As a result, the calculator is recognized as an indispensable tool in many mathematics classrooms (NCTM, 2000) . Similarly, the interactive white board (IWB) has slowly replaced traditional dry-erase and chalkboards in many mathematics classrooms (Beauchamp & Kennewell, 2013; Torff & Tirotto, 2010) . Technology use in K–12 urban classrooms is currently declining, causing some to conclude that effective integration of computer technology into urban classroom instruction has yet to be realized (Keengwe & Akyeampong, 2010; Young & Young, 2012) . Despite the rapid adoption of the IWB across the globe, urban classrooms are the last places to receive access to technologies like the IWB (Kidd & Jared, 2010) . However, the affordances of the IWB can transform teaching and learning in the urban mathematics classroom. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of integrating IWB technology on middle school mathematics achievement. The next section provides a contextualized description of the instructional affordances of the IWB in the mathematics classroom. Interactive Whiteboards in the Mathematics Classroom One of the myths about the IWB is that it is an electronic dry-erase board. A dry-erase board shares many of the same affordances as an IWB; however, the constraints of the dry-erase board alter the specific technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) needed to teach effectively. Both the dry-erase board and the IWB allow a teacher to handwrite information on a large, visible area in multiple

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study on interactive whiteboards?

The study examined the effects of integrating interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology on middle school mathematics achievement in an urban school.

How did the study create the control group and isolate IWB effects?

Propensity score matching generated a comparable control group based on demographic and ability data, allowing isolation of IWB technology effects.

What did the analysis show about achievement gaps and moderators?

2×4 ANOVA indicated ethnicity was a significant moderator: a positive effect size appeared for White students, and the achievement gap was reduced for Hispanic students.

Oct 15, 2026

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