TechYES

TechYES - A Research-Based and Proven Model

Independent Evaluation Study

Download the Evaluation Study



Evaluation Summary (2 page PDF)



Full Evaluation Report (28 page PDF)


The Verizon California Technology Literacy Project is the largest middle school technology literacy initiative ever implemented. The non-profit Generation Y Corporation was designated to deliver the Project to 10,000 7th grade students in 45 underserved schools in California's Central Valley starting in January of 2006. These schools received the TechYES Starter Kit, enough Student Guides for their entire 7th grade, and training for an advisor and 5 peer mentors.

Evaluation of the Project was performed by the Woodside Research Consortium (WRC) under the direction of Dr. Steven A. Schneider as the external evaluator for the project.

Evaluation Highlights

  • Advisors agreed (97%) that TechYES helped bridge the digital divide in their primarily Hispanic and Southeast Asian schools.
  • 100% of advisors agreed that TechYES is a good way to ensure middle school technology literacy.
  • TechYES advisors, peer mentors and students felt that there was significant positive change in the knowledge and skills of all those involved in TechYES.
  • Advisors saw growth in their students' technology skills, in peer mentors' skills as effective leaders and tutors, and in their own abilities to teach technology.
  • Advisors reported a significant improvement in their own abilities to teach technology and use project-based, collaborative methods.

More information on the California Technology Literacy Project can be found on the Generation Y website.

TechYES is Research-Based

TechYES is a technology literacy certification model that provides students with the resources to show that they meet national and local technology standards. The model is based on the premise that in the area of technology literacy, the students can take on much of the responsibility of demonstrating they possess these skills. Students do this by creating two projects that show they meet national technology standards. Including students as peer mentors and evaluators further reinforces this student-centered model.

TechYES technology literacy is built on four proven research results:

  1. Project based learning is effective - Doing projects using technology shows that students know and understand technology as compared to simply learning out of context technology skills.
  2. Authentic assessment is accurate and informs practice - Student achievement can be assessed better and provide relevant feedback if the evaluators know the student and the assessment is based on student-produced work rather than tests.
  3. Peer mentoring is effective - Students learn from their peers in a non-competitive learning community better than they do in a completely teacher-directed classroom. In addition, the benefits to the peer mentors are well documented.
  4. Students can be agents of positive change - Students can be accountable for their own learning when given well-designed opportunities and trusted to take that responsibility seriously.

The TechYES Implementation Guide contains a wealth of research on these topics. Besides the theory, the guide lays the TechYES model out step-by-step, in an easy to understand manner. Best practices, guidelines, and helpful tips mean that the research is more than just theory. Every aspect of the TechYES program was designed to create conditions of success proven in international research studies, and provide every teacher and advisor the tools to make them happen at the local site.

We would be happy to email you the chapter of the TechYES Implementation Guide that contains the research that supports the TechYES model. Contact us through the online form here and request the TechYES Research chapter.