The impact of computer and mathematics software usage on performance of school leavers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: A comparative analysis

In this study the impact of computer immersion on performance of school leavers Senior Certificate mathematics scores was investigated across 31 schools in the EMDC East education district of Cape Town, South Africa by comparing performance between two groups: a control and an experimental group. The experimental group (14 high schools) had access to computers since 2001 while the control schools received computers between 2006 and early 2007. That is, the experimental schools could be expected to be more immersed in computer technology than the control schools. Findings indicated that there was no significant difference between the final Senior Certificate mathematics results of the schools with the computers and those without; no significant change in the results after the Khanya labs were installed; no significant change in the percentage of pupils that passed Senior Certificate Mathematics; and no significant change in Higher Grade Maths enrolment rates. This finding points to the need for caution in the implementation of ICT’s into schools as a potential panacea for mathematical failure in our context. Recommendations for further qualitative work to provide a more nuanced picture of computer usage should be made.