The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and the Sutton Trust/EEF Toolkit

The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and the Sutton Trust/EEF Toolkit

Prof Steve Higgins, School of Education, Durham University,

s.e.higgins@durham.ac.uk

Transforming Teaching National Seminar 17th October, 2013

Priory Rooms, Birmingham

Overview

What’s ‘worked’ in the past

What hasn’t worked The importance of

pedagogy A look towards the

future

The UK context

Huge investments in ICT in schools World leader on IWB uptake Learning platforms/ VLEs common in schools Gaming approaches promoted with (past)

government support New computing curriculum

Evidence from correlational studies

“Studies linking provision and use of technology in schools ...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 may invest more in technology (Moseley et

al. 1999)

When socio-economic factors are controlled for - no effect (Fuchs and Woessmann 2004)

The link is not a simple linear one – optimal use may be a better concept (e.g. OECD 2006)

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 suggests technology-based interventions tend to produce average gains (e.g. Hattie, 2009; Higgins et al. 2012)

Digital technologies in the Sutton Trust/EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit

http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit/

Six myths about digital technology

1. The ‘Future Facing’ Fallacy“New technologies are being developed all the time, the past history of the impact of technology is irrelevant to what we have now or will be available tomorrow.”

2. The ‘Different Learners’ Myth“Today’s children are digital natives and the ‘net generation – they learn differently from older people”.

3. The Information and Knowledge Confusion“Learning has changed now we have access to knowledge through the internet, today’s children don’t need to know stuff, they just need to know where to find it.”

Six myths about digital technology

4. The Motivation Myth “Students are motivated by technology so they must learn better when they use it.”

5. The Everest Fallacy“We must use technology because it is there!”

6. The “More is Better” Mistake“If some technology is a good thing, then more must be better.”

Evidence from ICT meta-analyses Collaborative use (pairs/ small groups)

more effective than individual use Effective as short but focussed

interventions Remedial / tutorial use can be particularly

effective as catch-up Greater gains when it supplements rather

than replaces normal teaching. Training and professional development

are essential

http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-funding/digital-technology-round/impact-of-digital-technology-on-learning-report

What hasn’t ‘worked’…

LOGO Integrated learning systems One-to-one laptops Talking books Interactive whiteboards

No ‘magic bullets’

It ain’t what you use it’s the way that you use it!

Getting the most from technology Innovators & early adopters

choose digital technology to do something differently – as a solution to a problem

When adopted by the majority, focus is on the technology, but not as a solution

The laggards use the technology to replicate what they were already doing without ICT

Rogers, E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations. Simon and Schuster.

Issues

How well you use it is more important than whether you use it or not

Pedagogy trumps technology Consider cost effectiveness?

So…beware of geeks bearing gifts?

Quality matters…

Good teaching and learning activities At the right level of challenge Provide opportunities for feedback Provide opportunities for self-regulation Help learners to plan, monitor and evaluate

their own learning (meta-cognition) Move the learner on

From the task (skills, knowledge, understanding)

In their learning (attitudes, dispositions, meta-cognition)

kinect

e-learning

Why will these be any different?

Wii

iPads

Raspberry Pi

Improving learning – what improves? What changes?

For teachersBetter explanations? More feedback? More accurate assessment? Quicker feedback? Greater level of challenge/focus? More efficient use of time?

For pupilsWork harder? For longer? More efficiently? Greater understanding? More depth? Faster? Better self-regulation? More meta-cognition? Effective collaboration?

With tasksBetter matched? Better support/feedback? Better progression? Greater self-regulation?

A counting picture... Child chooses a stamp Creates collections to

count Teacher helps with

colouring of sets and assesses number skills

Picture used for whole class discussions, goes home for further practice

Learning about decimals with a portable computer in 1998...

used Apple e-Mate with pressure mats

used as sophisticated timing device

Challenge 1: how fast can you run?start on mat - run

to wall - return to mat

record time in secs to 2 decimal places

smallest is best

Challenge 2: how long can you stay in the air?

stand on mat - jump - how long in the air (to 2 decimal places)?

children see need for multiple trials

change of focus - biggest is best - jumping