The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and the Sutton Trust/EEF Toolkit

1. The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and the Sutton Trust/EEF Toolkit Prof Steve Higgins, School of Education, Durham University, s.e.higgins@durham.ac.uk Transforming Teaching National Seminar 17th October, 2013 Priory Rooms, Birmingham

2. Overview • What’s ‘worked’ in the past • What hasn’t worked • The importance of pedagogy • A look towards the future

3. The UK context • Huge investments in ICT in schools • World leader on IWB uptake • Learning platforms/ VLEs common in schools • Gaming approaches promoted with (past) government support • New computing curriculum

4. Evidence from correlational studies • “Studies linking provision and use of technology in schools ...find small positive associations with educational outcomes but it is not clear that this is always a causal link” (e.g. Harrison et al. 2004) • Good schools may invest more in technology (Moseley et al. 1999) • When socio-economic factors are controlled for - no effect (Fuchs and Woessmann 2004) • The link is not a simple linear one – optimal use may be a better concept (e.g. OECD 2006)

5. Experimental studies • “Evidence from experimental and quasi- experimental designs indicates consistent moderatebenefit” (e.g. Sipe and Curlette 1997; Pearson, 2005) • Comparison with other researched interventions suggests technology-based interventions tend to produce averagegains (e.g. Hattie, 2009; Higgins et al. 2012)

6. Digital technologies in the Sutton Trust/EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit/

7. Six myths about digital technology • The ‘Future Facing’ Fallacy “New technologies are being developed all the time, the past history of the impact of technology is irrelevant to what we have now or will be available tomorrow.” • The ‘Different Learners’ Myth “Today’s children are digital natives and the ‘net generation – they learn differently from older people”. • The Information and Knowledge Confusion “Learning has changed now we have access to knowledge through the internet, today’s children don’t need to know stuff, they just need to know where to find it.”

8. Six myths about digital technology • The Motivation Myth “Students are motivated by technology so they must learn better when they use it.” • The Everest Fallacy “We must use technology because it is there!” • The “More is Better” Mistake “If some technology is a good thing, then more must be better.”

9. Evidence from ICT meta-analyses • Collaborative use (pairs/ small groups) more effective than individual use • Effective as short but focussed interventions • Remedial / tutorial use can be particularly effective as catch-up • Greater gains when it supplements rather than replaces normal teaching. • Training and professional development are essential http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-funding/digital-technology-round/impact-of-digital-technology-on-learning-report

10. What hasn’t ‘worked’… • LOGO • Integrated learning systems • One-to-one laptops • Talking books • Interactive whiteboards • No ‘magic bullets’

11. It ain’t what you use it’s the way that you use it!

12. Getting the most from technology • Innovators & early adopters choose digital technology to do something differently – as a solution to a problem • When adopted by the majority, focus is on the technology, but not as a solution • The laggards use the technology to replicate what they were already doing without ICT Rogers, E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations. Simon and Schuster.

13. Issues • How well you use it is more important than whether you use it or not • Pedagogy trumps technology • Consider cost effectiveness? So…beware of geeks bearing gifts?

14. Quality matters… • Good teaching and learning activities • At the right level of challenge • Provide opportunities for feedback • Provide opportunities for self-regulation • Help learners to plan, monitor and evaluate their own learning (meta-cognition) • Move the learner on • From the task (skills, knowledge, understanding) • In their learning (attitudes, dispositions, meta-cognition)

15. Why will these be any different? kinect iPads e-learning Wii Raspberry Pi

16. Improving learning – what improves? • What changes? For teachers Better explanations? More feedback? More accurate assessment? Quicker feedback? Greater level of challenge/focus? More efficient use of time? For pupils Work harder? For longer? More efficiently? Greater understanding? More depth? Faster? Better self-regulation? More meta-cognition? Effective collaboration? With tasks Better matched? Better support/feedback? Better progression? Greater self-regulation?

17. A counting picture... • Child chooses a stamp • Creates collections to count • Teacher helps with colouring of sets and assesses number skills • Picture used for whole class discussions, goes home for further practice

18. Learning about decimals with a portable computer in 1998... • used Apple e-Mate with pressure mats • used as sophisticated timing device

19. Challenge 1: how fast can you run? • start on mat - run to wall - return to mat • record time in secs to 2 decimal places • smallest is best

20. Challenge 2: how long can you stay in the air? • stand on mat - jump - how long in the air (to 2 decimal places)? • children see need for multiple trials • change of focus - biggest is best - jumping