Predicting classroom achievement from active responding on a computer-based groupware system

The predictive validity of active responding on a computer-based groupware system was examined with 48 second graders. Students' achievement at the en d of a school year (final performance) was predicted with two independent v ariables: (a) active responding during the school year and (b) achievement at the beginning of the school year (initial performance). The results show ed that active responding correlated highly with initial and final performa nce measures and that active responding contributed significantly to predic ting final performance when initial performance was controlled for. As expe cted, students with higher initial performance participated significantly m ore in classroom activities than did those with lower initial performance W e conclude that active responding on a computer-based groupware system can be used as a process variable indicative of later achievement and that clas sroom teachers can use students' active responding to formatively evaluate instruction.