Research Reviews

Data has long been used in schools for administrative purposes, with the aim of achieving sustained improvements. Data capture, timely access and manipulation of data, have been considered obstacles to its effective use. The use of technology for teaching and learning better facilitates the capture and manipulation of data to enhance student learning while also addressing student leaning needs.  Although researchers have the skills to organise, analyse and synthesise data, the question is, are teachers skilled to do the same? Data-Driven Decision Making: Facilitating Teacher Use of Student Data to Inform Classroom Instruction, by Catherine Schifter et al, articulates a process and the findings of a case study that sought to address the issues around data collection, accessibility to data and teacher understanding of how to use the data to aid student learning.

Technology is an enabler for teaching and learning to take place at anytime and anywhere. Increasingly, K-12 courses are being delivered online in the hope that existing inequalities will diminish and access to a range of subjects can be made available to all who wish to partake. In our excitement at new opportunities afforded by technology, we may have overlooked the new skills and knowledge required by the newly online educator. Are our teachers skilled in the new pedagogies and complexities afforded by the online environment? Pioneering the Digital Age of Instruction: Learning From and About K-12 Online Teachers articulates the findings of a study undertaken by Leanna Archambault and Jean Larson at the Arizona State University, focusing on K-12 online teachers in the United States.

Recent researchers have built on previous research about students' internet use. Investigating students' use of the internet in their first years of university, this simple but enlightening piece of research is worth contemplating because it reveals that students today use the internet twice as much as they watch television but lack internet skills for learning.

Higher education experts report on educational technology trends for the immediate and near future. The recently released Horizon Report: 2015 Higher Education identifies six major trends, formulated from the experience, scholarship and expertise of leaders, managers and information technology users who shape strategic decisions at every level within higher education. An analysis of similar reports over the last six years reveals the level of accuracy of educational technology predictions in higher education.

The preparedness of pre-service teachers to use ICTs in learning and teaching develops from observing good teaching practices. Thus discussion and reflection of teaching practices with peers, university teachers and teaching practice mentors, is necessary, together with building pedagogical and technological knowledge across the curriculum.

There are opposing views about the benefits and value of digital games in education. Today’s children acquire knowledge and skills through role playing, observing and experiences in virtual worlds. A short paper by Dr. Robyn Gibbes, presented at the 2014 Australian Computers in Education Conference , considers the overarching question: ‘How can primary school teachers acknowledge and connect with students’ personal gaming culture to build learning relationships and teach critical multiliteracy skills?’

The ever-evolving nature of technologies and ubiquitous learning landscape have facilitated a movement towards ‘open education’, a concept encompassing initiatives such as open educational resources, open scholarship, open access publishing and open courses. In other words information and learning resources are shared, available for re-use and readily at one’s figure tips. The challenge facing practitioners is to understand the value of open education, and to effectively integrate open resources in their teaching. Developing Open Education Literacies with Practicing K-12 Teachers, a paper by Royce M Kimmons, articulates the findings of a study undertaken by researchers at the University of Idaho.

The iPad is gaining popularity as a learning tool at all levels. However, there is limited empirical research available about the nature of students’ interaction with the device or the potential of these devices to support student learning. iPads in the Primary School: Emerging Findings from Research, a paper presented at the 2014 Australian Council for Computers in Education conference, articulates ‘key findings from the first two phases of a 3-year study exploring primary school students’ use of iPads and apps in general class settings'.

The increasing ubiquity of computers in our lives, used to create efficiencies and solve many problems, necessitates a re-examination of our approach to computer education. Modern digital literacy: the computer science curriculum goes mainstream, by Joy Gasson, Patricia Haden, a paper presented at the recent ascilite 2014 conference proposes a model of computing education based around four distinct groups: the Theoretician, the Practitioner, the Power User and the End User.

In recent time social media has occupied an important role in education by enabling the dissemination of information and research, supporting reflection and empowering self-directed learning. A short paper, tilted Using social media to engage and develop the online learner in self-determined learning, by Lisa Marie Blaschke, explored the role of social media in engaging learners and in promoting cognitive and meta-cognitive development while using self-determined learning.