Date

5-2026

Document Type

Capstone Project (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Department

Liberal Studies

Major

Liberal Studies

First Advisor

Paoze Thao

Abstract

The widespread adoption of 1:1 smart device initiatives in K-8 classrooms across the United States has coincided with growing national concern over declining student literacy, reading comprehension, and long-term retention. This capstone research paper examines the effects of smart device integration on K-8 student learning and retention through two complementary methods: a review of peer-reviewed academic literature and a series of interviews conducted with five educators working across a range of grade levels and school contexts. The literature review identifies a tension between the documented benefits of smart device use. Also a series of educator interviews, conducted with teachers spanning kindergarten through eighth grade, reveal that on-the-ground implementation frequently diverges from the conditions under which the research suggests devices are most effective. A recurring theme across both the literature and the interview data is that smart devices are not inherently beneficial or harmful to student learning, their effects are determined almost entirely by the conditions of their implementation.

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