Colleagues,

I am often asked "Is there evidence that technology works, that it  
has an impact on learning, that it adds value to teaching and  
learning?" While there isn't much in adult literacy education -- you  
can see what evidence there is at  http://wiki.literacytent.org/ 
index.php/ResearchOnTech -- there is much more evidence  in K-12  of  
how, where, and with whom technology in the classroom and online  
makes a difference, where it has a big impact (a "spike" ) in  
learning gains.

Recently,  Cheryl Lemke, head of the ed-tech research firm The  
MetiriGroup, completed a comprehensive review (not a meta-analysis or  
systematic review) of existing studies on technology's impact on K-12  
learning. You can see a short video interview with her that boils  
down some of the things she learned at:

http://www.eschoolnews.com/video-center/esn-techwatch/? 
i=52311;_hbguid=bcc0df8f-6a25-4f4b-9552-7aff86845dc4&d=esn-techwatch

Short form of the same web page address:

http://tinyurl.com/2c4n2s

She has some interesting things to say about reading software that  
makes a difference, and also about the power of education gaming and  
simulation software, for example the strength of dissection of frogs  
online vs. dissecting actual frogs.  (That was heartening as I have  
been promoting online dissection for ASE science students and now I  
know it can be very effective.)  She also talks about "fidelity",  
that is, using the technology (hardware and software) the way it was  
intended to be used in order to get the learning gains claimed. These  
"spikes" in learning gains, she notes, require high quality teaching,  
that is, the technology is not a magic bullet, a "plug and go",  but  
rather technology offers some good tools for good teachers.

 From the report: Researchers find that extracting the full learning  
return from a technology investment requires much more than the mere
introduction of technology with software and web resources aligned  
with the curriculum. It requires the triangulation of content,
sound principles of learning, and high-quality teaching—all of which  
must be aligned with assessment and accountability. (Technology in  
Schools)

One intriguing statement has to do with a software package, that if  
used with fidelity, 100 minutes a day for 6-8 weeks, shows  
significant reading gains. My first reaction was, how many U.S. adult  
literacy programs could provide students with 100 minutes a day, 500  
minutes a week (over 8 hours a week), of anything?  My second thought  
was, perhaps we should be designing programs that offer intensive  
learning as an option. For example, recently laid off workers who  
need to improve their reading skills have a lot of time. They could  
be enrolled in intensive programs that might include good use of  
technology. If there are intensive models like this -- that use  
reading software well and that can show significant learning gains --  
we could use these programs as examples to persuade policy makers to  
fund intensive models. Of course that's a discussion that probably  
belongs on the AAACE-NLA policy discussion list.

In the report, there is also good news about virtual learning:

The types of virtual learning range from supplementary to  
comprehensive, from synchronous to asynchronous, from audio to web-based
or videoconferenced, as well as innovative hybrids thereof. In 2004,  
a synthesis of new research on K–12 online learning reported results
across five major meta-analyses. The authors summarized multiple meta- 
analyses, reporting that on average students perform equally well or  
better academically in formal online learning situations as students  
under traditional instruction. Summaries also indicate that student  
achievement in courses using email and web-based virtual learning was  
slightly better than in courses using traditional instruction, while  
student achievement in courses with video-based virtual learning was  
either the same or slightly lower than traditional instruction.  
Emergent research on visualization and learning through multimedia  
and a summary report from England suggest that results will be  
determined somewhat by learner control, dialogue, learner support,  
and opportunities for direct learner involvement.xxiii
(Technology in Schools)

The Technology in Schools report offers a lot more that you might  
find interesting.  It will be found at http://www.metiri.com/  (under  
What's New)


David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net



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