--- Forwarded Message from "Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan" <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:57:53 -0500
>Subject: RE: #9553 Research on student learning effects of technology
>To: "'Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum'"    <[log in to unmask]>

Hi Harry,

The debate about whether the use of media improves student learning started
decades ago, and is still ongoing. In the field of instructional technology
there is the famous debate between two researchers Richard E Clark and
Robert E Kozma on this exact same topic. In a series of articles in the 80's
and 90's Clark argued that media did not influence student learning, and
Kozma disagreed.

Clark also pointed out the difficulty in designing studies where one could
attribute the differences in learning outcomes entirely to the use of media.
Clark argued that it was the method, and not the media that impacted student
learning.
Many of the studies comparing student achievements with and without
technology use reported that there was "no significant difference".

The booming growth of online learning has brought this issue, once again, to
the forefront. As Joel noted, it has been and is difficult to provide such
hard evidence about the impact of instructional technology on student
learning.
However, Joel and the University of Central Florida, with which he is
associated, are really big on assessment and evaluation. They are quite
rigorous about collecting and analyzing data pertaining to student learning.
Their Research Initiative for Teaching effectiveness does a lot of work in
this area.
http://dl.ucf.edu/research/rite/dl-impact-evaluation/


More recently, in Sept. 2010 the U.S. Department of Education published the
results of a study on the effectiveness of online learning. The study
involved a systematic search and a meta-analysis of about 1000 empirical
studies on online learning. The report concluded that when compared with
traditional face-to-face instruction online learning is as effective, and
blended learning more effective. The difference in outcomes, they point out,
should not be attributed to the media per say, but to the increased
opportunities for learning that is facilitated by the use of media.
http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.p
df

The integration of technology in teaching makes sense for many, many
reasons. Technology can help address different learning styles, meet the
learning and communication preferences of our digital native students, meet
student needs for anytime-anyplace learning, individualize learning, provide
increased opportunities for interacting with content, practice and
assessment, and enrich the learning experience of students in a way that the
non-use of technology does not. And so on and so forth.

When trying to make the case for instructional technology, I like to also
focus on these other areas. But in many cases, without actual data, it is a
hard sell.

********************************************
Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan

Director
Foreign Language Technology Center

Wayne State University
385 Alex Manoogian Hall
906 W. Warren Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA

Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 313-577-6391
Fax: 313-577-3041

http://www.langlab.wayne.edu
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