A large-scale systematic review relating behaviorism to research of digital technology in primary education

Abstract

Behaviorist methodological considerations in the learning sciences are rare compared to the 20th century. As a result, researchers may be conditioned towards an unbalanced and fragmented evidence base for the improvement of classroom teaching in primary education. The presented systematic literature review relates research of digital technology and learning in primary education to expected learning in primary education. In total, 641 articles published 2011–2020 were included and 2777 were excluded by full-text criteria review using radical behaviorist methodological presuppositions.Findings show a low but increasing frequency of articles with behaviorist approaches, optimistic expectancy and evidence of learning in primary education through use of digital technology, and a trend for research to emphasize representational functions of digital technology. The relevancy of radical behaviorist methodology is discussed based upon the implications of the findings and other 21st century themes.