Educational Technology Literature Research Articles

Assistive and Educational Technology Standards and Teacher Competencies in Relation to Evidence-Based Practice: Identification and Classification of the Literature

The federal No Child Left Behind Act mandates the application of the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) in U.S. education. The purpose of this study was to identify available assistive technology (AT) and educational technology (ET) literature that relates to standards and teacher competencies, and to categorize that literature in relation to Sweeney's (1999) definition of standards and Davies' (1999) EBP hierarchy. Literature was identified through subject index searching, browsing, footnote chasing, and consultation. Content analysis was conducted on 110 documents from years 1995–2009 that met inclusion criteria. The majority of literature is based upon expert opinion evidence, which is not highly rigorous. The most rigorous evidence identified came from survey and correlation descriptive studies; a complete lack of experimental evidence was noted. AT and ET are in the beginning stages of implementing EBP in the area of teacher standards and competencies. Advancing AT and ET practice through evidence is critical for moving the field forward scientifically and for ensuring accountability.

Pragmatic meta-analytic studies: learning the lessons from naturalistic evaluations of multiple cases

This paper explores the concept of pragmatic meta-analytic studies in eLearning. Much educational technology literature focuses on developers and teachers describing and reflecting on their experiences. Few connections are made between these experiential ‘stories’. The data set is fragmented and offers few generalisable lessons. The field needs guidelines about what can be learnt from such single-case reports. The pragmatic meta-analytic studies described in this paper have two common aspects: (1) the cases are related in some way, and (2) the data are authentic, that is, the evaluations have followed a naturalistic approach. We suggest that examining a number of such cases is best done by a mixed-methods approach with an emphasis on qualitative strategies. In the paper, we overview 63 eLearning cases. Three main meta-analytic strategies were used: (1) meta-analysis of the perception of usefulness across all cases, (2) metaanalysis of recorded benefits and challenges across all cases, and (3) meta-analysis of smaller groups of cases where the learning design and/or use of technology are similar. This study indicated that in Hong Kong the basic and non-interactive eLearning strategies are often valued by students, while their perceptions of interactive strategies that are potentially more beneficial fluctuate. One possible explanation relates to the level of risk that teachers and students are willing to take in venturing into more innovative teaching and learning strategies.Keywords: evaluation; meta-analysis; eLearning cases; risk-takingDOI: 10.1080/09687760802315879

Pragmatic meta-analytic studies: learning the lessons from naturalistic evaluations of multiple cases

This paper explores the concept of pragmatic meta-analytic studies in eLearning. Much educational technology literature focuses on developers and teachers describing and reflecting on their experiences. Few connections are made between these experiential ‘stories’. The data set is fragmented and offers few generalisable lessons. The field needs guidelines about what can be learnt from such single-case reports. The pragmatic meta-analytic studies described in this paper have two common aspects: (1) the cases are related in some way, and (2) the data are authentic, that is, the evaluations have followed a naturalistic approach. We suggest that examining a number of such cases is best done by a mixed-methods approach with an emphasis on qualitative strategies. In the paper, we overview 63 eLearning cases. Three main meta-analytic strategies were used: (1) meta-analysis of the perception of usefulness across all cases, (2) metaanalysis of recorded benefits and challenges across all cases, and (3) meta-analysis of smaller groups of cases where the learning design and/or use of technology are similar. This study indicated that in Hong Kong the basic and non-interactive eLearning strategies are often valued by students, while their perceptions of interactive strategies that are potentially more beneficial fluctuate. One possible explanation relates to the level of risk that teachers and students are willing to take in venturing into more innovative teaching and learning strategies.Keywords: evaluation; meta-analysis; eLearning cases; risk-takingDOI: 10.1080/09687760802315879

2003 in Review: A Synthesis of the Special Education Technology Literature

The professional literature continues to be an essential resource for scholars and practioners for filtering and highlighting new advances in research and practice. However, the ongoing challenges associated with too much information, inadequate tools for managing information overload, and too little time for professional development demand that new approaches to literature analysis and synthesis be explored. The purpose of this study was to examine recent additions to the extant knowledge base in special education technology using a methodology known as the comprehensive one-year research synthesis. Two questions guided the inquiry: How widely scattered is the literature on special education technology? and What have we learned lately? The table of contents from each issue of 31 journals in special education technology (n=5), special education (n=17), and educational technology (n=9) published in 2003 were studied. The procedures yielded a corpus of 814 articles of which 224 articles (28%) were judged relevant for this review as contributing to the emerging knowledge base on special education technology research and practice. Analysis of the literature scatter revealed relevant literature could be found in 30 journals but that a core set of 11 journals contributed 70% of the relevant articles. Content analysis of the relevant articles revealed a number of dominant themes in the literature during 2003: assistive technology, implementation issues, instructional design, instructional strategies, outcomes of technology, professional development, reading and technology, and technology integration. The limitations of the comprehensive one-year research synthesis methodology are discussed along with the new importance this tool may have in filling the void created by the recent restructuring of the ERIC system.

An Evaluation of ActivStats for SPSS for Teaching and Learning

This article is a review of the multimedia software package ActivStats for SPSS, a program that teaches introductory statistics concepts and methods using activities that contain narration and animation, video, simulation, and interactive experiments. Using evaluation criteria from the statistics education and instructional technology literature, we consider the usefulness of this software based on a framework of how students learn statistics. Our recommendations about how to best use ActivStats for introductory students as well as limitations of the review conclude the article.

2002 in Review: A Synthesis of the Special Education Technology Literature

Both scholars and practitioners struggle with the concomitant problems of too much information, inadequate tools for managing information overload, and too little time for professional development. As a result, professionals routinely lament how difficult it is to stay current within their discipline. The purpose of this study was to examine recent additions to the extant knowledge base in special education technology using a methodology known as the comprehensive one-year research synthesis. Two questions guided the inquiry: How widely scattered is the literature on special education technology? and What have we learned lately? The table of contents from each issue of 31 journals in special education technology (n = 5), special education (n = 17), and educational technology (n = 9) published in 2002 were studied. The procedures yielded a corpus of 833 articles of which 221 articles (27%) were judged relevant for this review as contributing to the emerging knowledge base on special education technology research and practice. Analysis of the literature scatter revealed relevant literature could be found in 28 journals but that a core set of 8 journals contributed 58% of the relevant articles. Content analysis of the relevant articles revealed a number of dominant themes in the literature during 2002: alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), assistive technology, instructional design, instructional strategies, multimedia, preservice teacher education, staff development, and technology integration. The major attributes of the comprehensive one-year research synthesis approach are that it simultaneously addresses the problem of information overload and provides a new tool for accessing the knowledge base. Limitations of the one-year research synthesis methodology are discussed along with the implications of this work for future research, development, and practice.

Expanding the Notion of Social Context in Educational Technology Research: Notes from the Field

Within the past decade, researchers, policy-makers and public and private funding agencies have moved from simply calling for schools to invest heavily in technology infrastructure to emphasizing various social factors necessary for the effective use of that technology. This paper juxtaposes what appear to be sanitized, over-simplified and/or narrow understandings of social context presented in the recent educational technology literature with examples 'from the field'. Examples are taken from a recent study examining how features of the social context contribute to unintended outcomes of educational technologies. The paper concludes with a summary of the nature and meaning of social context, highlighting factors for future enquiry.

Measuring quality in online programs

This study investigates the distance education and information technology literature in an attempt to develop a model to measure quality and learning in online courses. The resulting model is the first proposed to address issues of flexibility, responsiveness, interaction, student learning, technical support, technology, and student satisfaction simultaneously. The reliability and validity of the model are explored with suggestions for future research. As Internet-based education continues to grow worldwide, this model may assist policymakers, faculty, students, and others in making reasonable and informed judgments with regard to the quality of and learning in Internet-based distance education.

2001 in Review: A Synthesis of the Special Education Technology Literature

The challenge of how to stay current is a problem for both scholars and practioners. Whereas innovative applications of the World Wide Web have the potential to filter reading materials of interest and deliver the full-text of documents, professionals continue to rely on professional journals to manage a discipline's emerging knowledge base. The purpose of this study was to examine recent additions to the extant knowledge base in special education technology. Research synthesis methods were used to examine two questions: How widely scattered is the literature on special education technology? and What have we learned lately? The table of contents from each issue of 31 journals in special education technology, special education, and educational technology published in 2001 were studied. The procedures yielded a corpus of 931 articles of which 198 articles (21%) were judged relevant for this review by contributing to the emerging knowledge base on special education technology research and practice. Analysis of the literature scatter revealed relevant literature could be found in 28 journals but that a core set of seven journals contributed 70% of the relevant articles. Content analysis of the relevant articles revealed a number of dominant themes in the literature during 2001: accessibility, assistive technology, implementation issues, Internet use and web resources, technology integration, and universal design. Limitations of the one-year research synthesis methodology are discussed along with the implications of this work for future research.

2000 in Review: A Synthesis of the Special Education Technology Literature

Scholars and practitioners alike are challenged by the pace of change and the challenge of staying apprised of current developments in their discipline. Despite the ease of accessing the World Wide Web and its ever-increasing supply of information, the professional journal continues to serve an important gatekeeping function that validates and manages a discipline's emerging knowledge base. The purpose of this study was to examine the extant knowledge base that contributes to recent additions to special education technology knowledge. Research synthesis methods were used to examine two questions: How widely scattered is the literature on special education technology? What have we learned lately? The table of contents from each issue of 31 journals in special education technology, special education, and educational technology published in 2000 were studied. The procedures yielded a corpus of 906 articles of which 197 articles (22%) were judged relevant for this review by contributing to the emerging knowledge base on special education technology research and practice. Analysis of the literature scatter revealed relevant literature could be found in 29 journals but that a core set of four journals contributed 55% of the relevant articles. Content analysis of the relevant articles revealed several recurrent themes in the literature: (a) augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), (b) accessibility (c) assistive technology, (d) implementation issues, (e) Internet applications and web resources, (f) preservice teacher education, and (g) technology integration. The value and limitations of this synthesis methodology are noted along with the implications of this work for future research.

1999 in Review: A Synthesis of the Special Education Technology Literature

Despite ready access to technology and the overwhelming amount of information available via the World Wide Web, the professional journal continues to serve as a critical source of information used by researchers and practitioners to stay apprised of current developments in their discipline. To facilitate use of the extant knowledge base, this study utilized research synthesis methods to examine two questions: How widely scattered is the literature on special education technology? and What did we learn in 1999? The table of contents for all 1999 issues of 26 journals in special education technology, special education, and educational technology were studied. The procedures yielded a corpus of 788 articles of which 114 articles (14%) were judged as contributing to the emerging knowledge base on special education technology research and practice and therefore relevant for this review. Analysis of the literature scatter revealed that 92% of the relevant literature could be found in 12 journals and that a core set of four journals contained 60% of the relevant articles. Content analysis of the relevant articles resulted in a profile concerning what the discipline has learned in 1999 relative to research and practice on a wide array of topics in special education technology. The strengths and weaknesses of this literature analysis approach are discussed and the implications of this work for future research and practice are noted.

Software Development in Special Education

Over the last ten years, special educators have developed a variety of software programs which attempt to address the unique needs of mildly handicapped students. Much of this work has been funded by the Division of Innovation and Development in the Office of Special Education Programs. This article examines software development techniques used by many of these special educators through the perspective of the software lifecycle. This perspective, which is used intimately by professional software developers, is rarely discussed in the special education technology literature. With rapid advancements in computers, particularly the graphical user interface, the authors argue that traditional programming techniques are becoming less and less viable for software development within the typical funding levels and timelines of federal initiatives. Instead, a trend toward the use of commercial software tools is viewed as inevitable, given these constraints. The article concludes with a brief description of two recently completed, technology-based assessment programs.

Opinion: Culture and Ideology in the Training Literature

SUMMARY Although it has been argued that education involves the promotion of various cultures and ideologies, to what extent is this also true of training (as portrayed in the training literature)? The educational technology literature on training is analysed. The dominant ideology is one which justifies training in terms of technological optimism and national economic competition. This tends to be related to the social location of the authors. Various alternative viewpoints are offered. The question is posed: How should educational technologists take account of these alternative viewpoints? All this suggests that educational technologists cannot escape the epistemological crisis which confronts all the other social disciplines. The new critical social theory (exemplified in this paper) aims to address the crisis by making previously suppressed voices heard.

ROLF—an open learning delivery system

AbstractThe Resourced Open Learning Facility (ROLF) has been developed by the UK Skills Training Agency (STA) as a means of delivering off‐the‐job skill training in the national network of 60 skillcentres. STA introduced ROLF as a pilot scheme in six skillcentres at a time when the government was introducing a new programme for the long‐term unemployed (Employment Training). The authors evaluated the pilot scheme and concluded that ROLF was working well for low achieving adults. ROLF is also important because it is a systematic approach to open learning delivery in a chain of centres under the same management. Most educational technology literature about open learning features materials, rather than delivery.