Using Technology¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 5 claims (3 for, 1 mixed, 1 against) · 19 studies (7 causal, 5 quant-synthesis, 5 review, 2 theoretical), q1–q4 · 5 of 19 report an effect size

Description¶

Using technology as a strategy means deliberately selecting and integrating digital tools — multimedia, simulations, learning platforms, collaboration tools, adaptive systems — to serve specific instructional purposes. The strategy treats technology as a delivery and interaction medium whose effectiveness depends entirely on the pedagogy it carries, not on the presence of the technology itself.

Design Implications¶

Meta-analyses consistently find that technology-mediated instruction produces learning gains comparable to or modestly better than traditional instruction, but the effect is driven by pedagogy and content, not the medium Technology's effect on learning is small and depends on pedagogy, not the medium. [~M]. Multimedia design matters: presenting words with relevant images, managing extraneous load, and segmenting content improves learning relative to poorly designed presentations Multimedia learning is improved by coherence, signaling, redundancy, and segmentation principles. [+S]. Technology is most valuable when it enables something otherwise difficult — visualization of dynamic processes, immediate feedback at scale, adaptive pacing, or collaboration across distance.

Context¶

Requirements¶

• A clear instructional goal the technology serves better than a non-technological alternative
• Alignment of media design with multimedia learning principles (coherence, signaling, segmenting)
• Reliable access and basic digital fluency among learners and instructors
• A mechanism for learners to act on content — Practice, Assessment, or production tasks — rather than passive consumption

Constraints¶

• Technology used as a content-delivery channel alone (e.g., lecture capture without interaction) yields minimal gains Technology's effect on learning is small and depends on pedagogy, not the medium. [~M]
• Decorative media, gratuitous animation, and seductive details depress learning by adding extraneous load Decorative illustrations do not improve learning. [-S]
• Redundant on-screen text read aloud verbatim impairs learning compared with narration alone Multimedia learning is improved by coherence, signaling, redundancy, and segmentation principles. [-S]
• High learner autonomy in open-ended digital environments can overload novices; guidance matters more as prior knowledge decreases Guidance benefits reverse as learner expertise grows. [~M]
• Digital distraction — off-task multitasking on devices — reduces performance for users and nearby peers [~M]

Implementation Variability¶

• Blended designs combine online and face-to-face components; blended learning with structured online interaction outperforms either mode alone [~M] — see Blended Learning
• Flipped designs move exposition online to free class time for active work — see Flipped Classroom
• Adaptive systems adjust task difficulty and pacing to individual performance — see Adaptive Learning
• Simulation and visualization tools (PhET, Labster) make dynamic or invisible processes observable

Target Learners¶

• Novices benefit from well-segmented, signalled multimedia that manages working memory load Chunking reduces working memory load. [+M]
• Advanced learners benefit from learner-controlled pacing and richer environments, but can be harmed by redundant guidance Guidance benefits reverse as learner expertise grows. [~M]
• Learners with limited access or digital fluency need scaffolding for the tool itself before it can support content learning

Target Learning Goals¶

• Conceptual understanding through dynamic visualization and simulation
• Procedural fluency through adaptive practice with immediate feedback Feedback is most effective at task and process levels. [+S]
• Collaborative and communicative skills through structured online interaction

Instructions¶

1. Define the learning goal and identify where technology adds capability beyond non-digital alternatives.
2. Select or design media following multimedia principles: coherent, signalled, segmented, narration-plus-graphics rather than narration-plus-redundant-text Multimedia learning is improved by coherence, signaling, redundancy, and segmentation principles. [+S].
3. Embed interaction — questions, Practice, simulations, or discussion — rather than passive viewing Active learning improves exam performance. [+S].
4. Use platform analytics or Assessment data to monitor progress and adjust pacing or difficulty.
5. Teach the tool explicitly; ensure the interface itself does not consume working memory needed for learning Managing cognitive load is essential when novel interfaces add extraneous demand. [+M].

Related Strategies¶

• Blended Learning — the structural pattern most technology use in formal education serves
• Flipped Classroom — reassigns exposition to technology to free contact time for application
• Adaptive Learning — technology's distinctive capability of individualizing pacing and difficulty

Examples¶

• PhET Interactive Simulations — research-validated science simulations; studies show guided inquiry use outperforms unstructured exploration.
• Khan Academy — segmented video exposition paired with adaptive practice and immediate feedback.
• Labster — virtual laboratory simulations used to prepare for or substitute for physical labs.
• Perusall — social annotation platform that converts assigned reading into interactive, assessable engagement.

Key Sources¶

• Tamim, R. M., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Abrami, P. C., & Schmid, R. F. (2011). What forty years of research says about the impact of technology on learning: A second-order meta-analysis and validation study. Review of Educational Research, 81(1), 4–28. doi:10.3102/0034654310393361
• Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511811678
• Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2016). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction (4th ed.). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781119239086
• Schmid, R. F., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Tamim, R., Abrami, P. C., Surkes, M. A., Wade, C. A., & Woods, J. (2014). The effects of technology use in postsecondary education: A meta-analysis of classroom applications. Computers & Education, 72, 271–291. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2013.11.002