Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Home Computers on Academic Achievement among Schoolchildren
通过大规模随机实验，向学生免费提供家庭电脑，发现电脑使用增加但未对成绩、出勤等教育结果产生任何显著影响，排除了中等程度正负效应的可能性。
Computers are an important part of modern education, yet many schoolchildren lack access to a computer at home. We test whether this impedes educational achievement by conducting the largest-ever field experiment that randomly provides free home computers to students. Although computer ownership and use increased substantially, we find no effects on any educational outcomes, including grades, test scores, credits earned, attendance, and disciplinary actions. Our estimates are precise enough to rule out even modestly-sized positive or negative impacts. The estimated null effect is consistent with survey evidence showing no change in homework time or other “intermediate” inputs in education.