Abstract

This article explores the effects of the Time To Know program, a comprehensive technology-rich learning environment, on low socio-economic status (SES) students' learning achievements in Mathematics, Hebrew, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Israel. The study is based on the assumption that one of the possible solutions for bridging the social gap can be achieved through narrowing the digital divide, particularly by bringing a 1:1 computing social-constructivist learning environment to the low-SES students. The subjects were 49 fifth-grade students from low-SES who joined a Time To Know program in Israel and 42 fifth-grade students who learned in a traditional setting. Findings indicated that learning with the Time To Know program significantly enhanced students’ Mathematics, Hebrew, and EFL achievements. In addition, the findings showed that, as a result of learning in the Time To Know environment, the knowledge and skills gap between the low SES students was significantly narrowed. This article is based on data collected in an evaluation study conducted by Manny-Ikan, and Berger-Tikochonski, (2010).