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Historically, much of the research on the influence of technology on student achievement has involved drill and practice or tutorial software aimed at developing lower-level cognitive skills. Generally, in comparing such computer-assisted instruction with traditional methods of education, moderate, positive gains in student achievement and substantial reductions in instructional time have been reported. The major drawback is that CAI materials are extremely time-consuming and expensive to produce, compared with traditional learning materials.
top next Technology in EducationThe following are meta-analyses (a method of assessing the effects of a treatment across many different studies using a common measurement scale, called effect size) on the impact of technology on student learning:
Another more recent survey showed that computer applications have a positive effect on students’ academic achievement from elementary school to college. The average effect size over 36 independent studies was .38, indicating that computer use raised students’ exam scores by .38 standard deviation. However, this research was not limited to examining lower level skills. In fact, effect sizes were higher when simulation and problem solving were used as opposed to other modes of production such as tutorial or drill and practice.
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The University of Alberta has conducted various studies regarding instructional technology. One recent study examines the motivational effects of using animation in CAI. A one-hour lesson on the grade 10 math topic "construction of triangles using a compass" was developed in three instructional formats : (a) text only, (b) text plus static graphics, and (c) text plus animation. Format (c) produced achievements 21% higher than (b) and 35% higher than (a). The conclusion drawn was that when animation is used to present content and is directly related to the objectives of learning, substantial gains are possible and students tend to like it better than text presentations.
top next Technology in Education
top next Technology in Education
The Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL), located in Aurora, Colorado, is one of 10 REL’s sponsored by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of Education. McREL’s website provides links to a vast array of research on the use of technology in education:
Most of McREL’s research collection indicates positive results. For example:
McREL's website also includes a link to a collection of studies indicating that technology’s effect is neutral, plus a counter-argument citing newer research:
top next Technology in Education
top next Technology in Education
The following website discusses research on the use of technology in education, assessment issues, and practical information on implementation strategies:
From Now On
, by Jamieson McKenzie
The need for more complex assessment tools is described in the following example from the above website:
Evaluating the Impact of Technology: The Less Simple Answer
, by Doug Johnson
Johnson concludes that technology is best used for instructional purposes as an information processing tool: "The use by students at all grade levels of real-world productivity software like word processors, databases, spreadsheets, presentation programs, multimedia authoring tools, e-mail, video production equipment, digital reference materials, electronic indexes, and network search engines to complete complex, authentic projects. Here students will be asked to complete tasks similar to those they will be asked to do in jobs which require using information to solve problems - the kinds of jobs which are both better paying and give greater job satisfaction. The product of such instruction is not a neatly quantifiable score on an objective, nationally normed, quickly scored test. It requires using technology to build personal portfolios of thoughtful, creative work to determine if the use of technology is making our children better citizens, better consumers, better communicators, better thinkers - better people."
top next Technology in Education
top next Technology in Education
Research which attempts to prove that technology raises test scores has been very much sought-after during the past few years. Brunner and McMillan state that "if we had a nickel for every reporter who called us at the Center for Children and Technology to ask us if our research proves that technology raises test scores, we wouldn’t have to apply for any more government grants".
"Measuring the effectiveness of many of the new diverse technologies in education is more complicated than administering standardized tests. Assessment of these programs through multiple-choice tests and comparison studies does not provide adequate answers as to their effectiveness."
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© Copyright 1997, JoAnne E. Davies, EdpyDevelopmentTeam@ualberta.ca