Effects of the iPad use on K-12 students' STEM achievement: a meta-analysis

Considerable research has been conducted globally to explore the effects of handheld devices on students' academic achievement, but no consistent conclusions from individual studies have been reached. Specifically, iPads accounted for 94% of the educational handheld device market and US school districts have recently allocated significant funding for iPads amid COVID-19; it is important to learn about the effectiveness of using iPads in school education. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis of related literature to examine the potential impact of iPad-assisted instructional approaches in K-12 STEM classrooms compared with traditional instruction. After analysing 17 selected studies, we found a significant overall effect (d̄RE = 0.37, p = 0.008) that suggests a better effect of iPad-assisted instruction than traditional instruction. Additionally, moderator analysis revealed that the two factors of subjects and assessment tools played a statistically significant moderator role in the effect of iPads on students' STEM achievement.