Tamin, R., Bernard, R., Borokhovski, E., Abrami, P., & Schmid, R. (2011) What forty years of research says about the impact of technology: A Second-Order Meta-Analysis and Validation Study. Review of Educational Research, 81, 408-448 http://rre.sagepub.com/content/32/1/241.full
I should have stopped at the abstract. I would rather eat sand than to reread this journal article. It was like eating Captain Crunch cereal with a sprinkling of ground glass. I guess you're probably thinking to yourself "Self, I really don't think he liked this article." Well, you'd be right if I had had my rathers but, let's take a better look at the article. It says right upfront, "An extensive literature search and a systematic review process resulted in the inclusion of 25 meta-analysis with minimal overlap in primary literature, encompassing 1,055 primary studies." Right there should have been my first clue! They're saying "We're doing you a favor!" Don't be so ungrateful that you fail to appreciate the potential wealth of information we are bring to you so that you don't have to bust a hump trying to do this yourself. Well, now that you put it that way. Sure! I guess? I have never, in my career as a student and an educator, read such an in depth statistical study on such a broad topic. Forty years of statistics cooked down into a 26 page article is enough to make B.F. Skinner role over in his grave.
Seriously, the study makes a good point of describing the process that was undertaken to identify key issues in Literacy as impacted by technology and how this method of meta-analysis can help identify and better define the need for future research. Is it an easy read? No, by no means but then it isn't intended to be. As technology advances so will its application in the field of education. The study opened up with a prediction made by Thomas Edison which implied that books in the future will become obsolete in the face of technological advancement. The study claims that the technology is best suited and can best serve in the classroom as a support for direct instruction. If I had to use a quote by someone famous to describe the impact of technology on education and literacy, I can think of no better a man than Issac Asimov who, in 1988, in an interview with Bill Moyers said:
" Once we have computer outlets in every home, each of them hooked up to enormous libraries where anyone can ask any question and be given answers, be given reference materials, be something you’re interested in knowing, from an early age, however silly it might seem to someone else… that’s what YOU are interested in, and you can ask, and you can find out, and you can do it in your own home, at your own speed, in your own direction, in your own time… Then, everyone would enjoy learning. Nowadays, what people call learning is forced on you, and everyone is forced to learn the same thing on the same day at the same speed in class, and everyone is different.”
~ Isaac Asimov"
Please see a video of an interview between Bill Moyers and Isaac Asimov at the following link:
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/01/28/isaac-asimov-creativity-education-science/
You can find a link to this video down below. It is a must see.
P.S. I believe that this article is a wonderful choice to help introduce our future educational leaders the role research plays in the development of future trends and advancements.
So, what did all those studies and annoying numbers determine about technology and classroom instruction??
ReplyDeleteFortunately I don't have to worry about the dietary fare in order to discuss what was on the menu :)
ReplyDeleteThe study gave a variety of results and comparisons that depended on the method and intent of the different meta analysis used and hypothesis investigated. Ultimately, a composite of the results was posited with a variety of caveats. In short:
When compared against traditional instructional approaches (Tech free), Computer aided instruction fared better than computer based instruction and that this distinction could not be generalized into the post-secondary environment. Overall, the validation of a conclusive determination could be supported if only because of the avaerage effect size that did not vary greatly. The study cautioned that confounding variables such as teacher practices, pedogogical approach, type of software used, and fidelity to use of technology etc. can have a significant influence on the effect size.
Next time I'll take an ALE with that SANDwich thank you very much. :)
To those whoo are still reading I would like to take a moment to apologize if any of you found my Blog offensive in any way. My intent was to establish a hook and set a tone in order to get your attention. It is my understanding that this is not the way I came across and for that I apologize. The work of Tamin, R., Bernard, R., Borokhovski, E., Abrami, P., & Schmid, R. is an indepth and very thought provoking look into the quantitative measures that give validity to any study and a solid foundation for future research that a reader/researcher might find helpful in the development of his/her own studies. I have nothing if not respect for the authors and am very thankful that they have produced such an indepth analysis.
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