1. The Effective use of Digital Technologies for Learning in Schools
Professor Steve Higgins
Durham University

2. Overview Past Present Future 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

3. The past… Technologising teaching Replacing the teacher
The “Auto-Tutor” for “Push-Button Learning” permitting each student to progress at her own pace – sound familiar?
Technologising teaching
Replacing the teacher
Discrete learning objectives
Most recently Integrated learning systems
The past

4. 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

5. Qualitative studies Perceptions of participants
Identify qualitative changes
Overwhelmingly positive
Impact of technology or impact of change?
The past

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. … 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Findings from meta-analysis
Computer and digital technology interventions Effect
Waxman, Lin, Michko,
Waxman et al.,
Tamim et al
Hattie,
The past

13. Guess the average impact of different approaches…
Learning styles Technology/ICT Homework Providing feedback Direct instruction
The past

14. Rank order of effects
Providing feedback (Hattie & Timperley, 2007) 0.79
Direct instruction (Sipe & Curlette, 1997)
Technology/ICT (Tamim et al., 2009)
Homework (Hattie, 2008)
Learning styles (Kavale & Forness, 1987; Slemmer 2002) 0.15
The past

15. 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

16. Diffusion of innovations
Disappointing experimental data
Credible correlational data
Persuasive perceptions
Everett Rogers Technology Adoption Lifecycle model
The past

17. The present Learning platforms Mobile and hand-held technologies
Transfer from HE and FE
Mobile and hand-held technologies
Engaging learners
Niche activities
Gaming technologies
Collaboration skills
Interactive surfaces
The present

18. A case study: Interactive whiteboards
Rapid UK uptake
(Moseley et al., 1999)
per primary; 18 per secondary (Becta, 2006)
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

19. 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

20. The future Technology and society Rapid projected development
New technologies, new opportunities
Constant change – challenging choices
The future

21. Problems with the evidence
Reliant on perceptions
Over-emphasises “early-adopter” experiences
Breaking waves and always ‘jam tomorrow’
The future

22. The ecology of technology
Pedagogy trumps technology
Build on research on effective teaching and learning
When technology is introduced, what is squeezed out?

23. Motivation for adoption
Keeping up with the Joneses
Accepting the inevitable
Inspired to try the technology
Kicking and screaming into the 21st Century
Solving pedagogical problems

24. 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”