Research Reviews

A major international comparative research project involving some twenty countries has set about investigating the ways in which young people are developing computer and information literacy to support their capacity to participate in the digital age. A comprehensive and detailed background to the study which summarises ICT in education research to date, in order to develop an assessment framework, has been published.

A pedagogic framework for PLEs has been proposed in a very thorough and carefully developed evidence-based paper. The paper builds on the well researched and well accepted learning principles of participation, ownership of learning and the co-construction of knowledge which is a move away from the lecture and passive recipient model.

Recent research about games in the classroom has found some interesting results. The majority of teachers use digital games in the classroom although they use desktop computers to play games as well as interactive whiteboards, even though the number of tablets and educational games for tablets is increasing.

In a succinct and short article that summarises research into online social presence, scholars have recently outlined a number of key strategies to develop connectedness in order to harness its learning benefits in online courses. Human connectedness, argue the authors, is the key to a successful learning experience and they outline a number of key teaching and learning strategies that utilise the social presence model.

A recently released research review about the characteristics of MOOCs is particularly useful because it takes into account empirical research undertaken in recent years. The research paper distinguishes between genuine learning MOOCs and those that are used to scale up courses for large numbers of participants.

A collaborative project in the UK between schools, a university and local authorities to improve teaching and learning with digital technologies has pioneered a framework for professional learning and implementing digital technologies in secondary schools. The report is one of a kind because the literature on education technology reveals very few other implementation frameworks and none so thorough. The framework is also applicable for teacher education bodies.

A recently published meta-analysis examined a large number of studies to compare the differences in student performance between traditional teaching or ‘teaching by telling’ and active learning. Addressing the question of student performance by comparing how constructivist versus exposition-centred methods is essential if scientists are committed to evidence-informed teaching rather than tradition. The empirical research methods used in this meta-analysis have been very carefully detailed and documented for the reader, and the results are unequivocal.

A research study about secondary school students’ attitudes towards online assessment reveals some interesting findings. The exploratory study examined students’ confidence with online interactive multimedia assessment as well as factors such as gender, ability and performance in science. The study found that students were more positive about online assessments than pen and paper tests.

A recently launched summary of recent research is particularly useful for identifying some trends in education. The study covers a summary of research into mobile learning; the use of tablets in primary schools, secondary schools and universities; the use of tablets by students with special educational needs; the role of teachers; content and apps; and pedagogical vision. This summary of research into tablets in education is especially useful for educational leaders and teachers.

A recent report by UNESCO and partners about reading using mobile devices in Africa is enlightening. The report is engaging, interesting and informative. It also provides some real insights into some of the issues about the use of mobile digital devices in education; for example, levels of literacy, education reach, gender, accessibility to reading materials and improved literacy rates.