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The Effective use of Digital Technologies for
Learning in Schools
Professor Steve Higgins
Durham University
Overview
Past What does the research evidence tell us? Building the case for evidence-based education
Present What are the current opportunities and
challenges? Future
How should we be integrating digital technologies in schools?
Overview
The past…
Technologising teaching
Replacing the teacher Discrete learning
objectives Most recently
Integrated learning systems
The “Auto-Tutor” for “Push-Button Learning” permitting each student to progress at her own pace – sound familiar?
The past
Types of evidence
Correlational – association between availability or use of technologies and learning outcomes
Experimental – trying to improve learning with technology and using a control group
Outcome data – qualitative, quantitative on perceptions and on learning outcomes
The past
Qualitative studies
Perceptions of participants Identify qualitative changes Overwhelmingly positive Impact of technology or impact of change?
The past
Quantitative assessment of impact of ICTs
Correlational studies Provision of equipment/ use etc linked to
outcomes (test performance, attitudes etc) Tend to find positive associations
Experimental studies Group comparisons (control/ experimental) Technology/ no technology Usually identify benefits for technology
The past
Correlational studies: Becta ‘Impact’ studies
Impact 2 study Identified statistically significant findings associating
higher levels of ICT positively with school achievement at each Key Stage, and in English, Maths, Science, Modern Foreign Languages and Design Technology (Harrison et al. 2002; Harrison et al. 2004)
Impact 2007 study Showed that ‘e-maturity’ was linked positively with
school performance in Key Stage 3 mathematics, science and GCSE level 1 (Underwood et al. 2007)
The past
The problem…
Shows “that the statistically significant positive correlation between the availability of computers at home and student performance in mathematics and reading reverses into a statistically significantly negative one as soon as other family-background influences are extensively controlled for in multivariate regressions.”
OR Wealthy homes have more computers and they have kids who do better at school. When you take this into account the kids who have computers at home do worse at school.
Fuchs and Woessman, 2004
The past
… with correlational studies
Shows how “bivariate results on computer availability at school are severely biased because the availability of school computers is strongly correlated with the availability of other school resources. While the bivariate correlation between the availability of computers at school and student performance is strongly and statistically significantly positive, the correlation becomes small and statistically indistinguishable from zero once other school characteristics are held constant.”
Effective schools have computers and other technologies. But good schools invest in a range of learning resources, and technology is only one of the resources they invest in.
Fuchs and Woessman, 2004
The past
Evidence from correlation studies Studies linking provision and use of technology
in school tend to find small positive associations with educational outcomes but it is not clear that this is always a causal link (e.g. Harrison et al. 2004)
Good schools invest more in technology (Moseley et al. 1999)
When SES is controlled for - no effect (Fuchs and Woessmann 2004)
Association not linear one – optimal use may be a better concept (e.g. OECD 2006)
The past
Evidence from experimental studies
Consistent positive gains for computer use in schools
Particularly for: Writing (quantity in particular) Low attaining and SEN pupils (particularly in
mathematics) Younger learners mastering basic skills Providing feedback Supporting interaction
The past
Findings from meta-analysis
Computer and digital technology interventions Effect
Waxman, Lin, Michko, 2003 0.45
Waxman et al., 2002 0.30
Tamim et al. 2009 0.35
Hattie, 2003 0.31
The past
Guess the average impact of different approaches…
Learning stylesTechnology/ICTHomeworkProviding feedback Direct instruction
The past
Rank order of effects
Providing feedback (Hattie & Timperley, 2007) 0.79
Direct instruction (Sipe & Curlette, 1997) 0.60
Technology/ICT (Tamim et al., 2009) 0.35
Homework (Hattie, 2008) 0.29
Learning styles (Kavale & Forness, 1987; Slemmer 2002) 0.15
The past
Summary from experimental studies
Evidence from experimental and quasi- experimental designs indicates consistent moderate benefit (e.g. Sipe and Curlette 1997; Pearson, 2005)
Comparison with other researched interventions technology-based interventions tend to produce below average gains (e.g. Hattie, 2009)
The past
Diffusion of innovations
Everett Rogers Technology Adoption Lifecycle model
Persuasive perceptions
Credible correlational data
Disappointing experimental data
The past
The present
Learning platforms Transfer from HE and FE
Mobile and hand-held technologies Engaging learners Niche activities
Gaming technologies Collaboration skills
Interactive surfaces
The present
A case study: Interactive whiteboards
Rapid UK uptake 1997 - 1 (Moseley et al., 1999)
2005 6 per primary; 18 per secondary (Becta, 2006)
2007 18 per primary; 38 per secondary (Smith et al. 2008)
Successful in becoming ‘embedded’ Clear impact on classroom interaction
More whole class teaching, faster pace, more interactions, more shorter answers, more evaluation, less uptake questions, shorter pupil presentations
No significant attainment advantage
The present
The wrong question?
The way you use technology is more important than the technology
New technologies are appealing and will be adopted in schools
The question is not does technology ‘work’ but how can different technologies be best used to support learning?
The present
The future
Technology and society Rapid projected development New technologies, new opportunities Constant change – challenging choices
The future
Problems with the evidence
Reliant on perceptions Over-emphasises “early-adopter”
experiences Breaking waves and always ‘jam tomorrow’
The future
The ecology of technology
Pedagogy trumps technology Build on research on effective teaching and
learning When technology is introduced, what is
squeezed out?
Motivation for adoption
Solving pedagogical problems
Inspired to try the technology
Keeping up with the Joneses
Accepting the inevitable
Kicking and screaming into the 21st Century
Conclusions
Support teachers who know what they want to use it for
Use it to support the evidence on effective teaching and learning
Look beyond motivation and engagement Evaluate impact on learning Be critical “beware of Geeks bearing gifts”