A Comprehensive Synthesis of Research into Information Technology in Education Niki Davis International Federation of Information Processing, leader of research group for education Iowa State University, Professor & Director, USA Center for Technology in Learning & Teaching; Professor of ICT in Institute of Education, University of London, UK

Comprehensive Synthesis of Research into ICT in Education Synthesis of reviews of research of institutionalized education ( school & university, worldwide, ) ICT as: 1.Necessity for economic competitiveness 2.Means to increase attainment 3.Increase access to education 4.Promotion of change – catalyst Research on policy, learning, organizational change

to extend the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to include Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Draft Plan of Action objectives for the connection of educational and community institutions with ICT and “to adapt all primary and secondary curricula to meet the challenges of the Information Society, taking into account national circumstances’ (p 2) Capacity Building, of ICT literacy and use of ICT to ‘eradicate illiteracies’ and ‘to empower local communities, especially those in rural and underserved areas’ (p 5)

3 rd World Context 4 th World, too?

ICT in Education Complexity now being acknowledged Reviews & projects often unbalanced Calls to improve research in ‘What Works’ Digital inequity growing (3 rd & 4 th world) Semiotic views of ICT in education reveal power relationships that are in flux in the Information Society Boundaries are blurring –Media and communications –Communication and production –Distribution and content –Formal education and leisure

1. Necessity for economic competitiveness UNESCO ICT teacher education planning guide Complexity requires holistic view Not atomized standards & assessment I-Curriculum for Europe (in prep.) specifics 3 dimensions that build on one another: 1.Operational replicating local IT applications 2.Cultural: embedding IT into processes 3.Critical: critically aware re-engineering with ICT Partnership for 21 st Century skills in US (2003, p9) –“More than core subjects … use knowledge and skills – by thinking critically” ICT skills better outside educational institutions? ‘playable tool’ at home; unsatisfying at school (Downes, 2004) concept mapping demonstrates children's mature understanding (Somekh, 2004) Not generally applied to university education

UNESCO ICT Teacher Education Planning Guide Framework

2. ICT to increase attainment – K12 Today’s ‘data is not compelling’ (Wood, in prep) –E.g. IMPACT-2, 2003 UK national study of current practice in schools showed significant (small) gains in science etc. Also identified important alignment of student experience at school, home and teacher expertise. –meta-analysis studies dubious Gains possible from specifically designed studies of IT in education: –CAI, ILS, simulations and other teaching higher order thinking with simulations calculators, collaborative networked IT … –Innovative practices difficult to spread (SITES, 2001) Teachers not using IT in ways recommended by researchers despite: –Significant investment in ICT, e.g. 77% of classrooms connected to Internet in US and 5:1 ratio of students: computers in 2001 Requires clear learning objectives & ICT with 7 dimensions –the learner, learning environment, professional competency, –system capacity, community connections, –technological capacity and accountability.

2. ICT to increase attainment – HE ICT Assisted Teaching & Learning study (Boucher et al, 1997) Noteworthy for range & diversity More impact shown where –Routine or mechanical skills play an important part (graphic calculators in engineering) –Knowledge can be precisely specified with user-base –Well defined professional base Economic measures impossible to isolate in HE became possible with new ‘virtual’ for profit HE

Key to Factors from Raymond Morel To ICT in our complex educational systems

2. ICT to increase access to education Special educational needs, increasingly wide solutions for individuals –Input: voice, switches, touch screen etc. –Output: magnified, Braille, speech etc. –Word processing & other communication tools –Attention management –teacher annotation & integration Access to remote learners, teachers, content –UK Open University started trend followed by many other universities (e.g. UNESCO IITE report, 2000) –Virtual High Schools in USA, net-courses to follow Australia & Scandinavia for those with study skills

3. Promotion of change - catalyst Constructivist approach favored by the US research community intended to support inquiry, collaboration or re- configure relationships continues to be used by only tiny % of teachers in USA (Becker, 2001) Scenarios informed by theory: 1. ICT augments centralized control (current, likely to remain) 2. Control relaxed to engender teachers’ R&D role due to uncertainty with ICT (likely future & major concern) 3. Radical future with schools as key nodes promoting learning in new communities (unlikely) 4.‘Melt down’ when ICT fails to deliver (unlikely) Hindsight, insight & foresight on ICT in schools used scenarios Europe- wide (Wood, in press):

3. Promotion of change K-12 – catalyst contd. Summative assessment poorly aligned with IT (also with new research on learning) Required pedagogic knowledge has been grossly underestimated All educational professionals implicated: teachers, administrators, inspectors, interagency collaboration etc. Public & society remain to be convinced on IT in education Changing actors in content and services with potential economies of scale Emerging ethical, legal & validity issues –Copyright –Right to see –Quality and health of networks Wood analysed educators’ major concerns as follows:

3. Promotion of change HE – ICT catalyst contd. Change is slow not radical ICT widespread as a blend Acceptance of lifelong learning led to biggest change Instructors doing more without reward F2FCMC Control Back to basics Global campus Individualize Stretching the mould New economy Models of IT & Change in Universities (Europe, Australia & USA by Collis & Wende, 2002)

3. Promotion of change – Commercial catalyst ICT content in ICT networked database Tutors localize content and assessment ICT potential for teachers’ community (not learners) Integrated into educational institutions at times Leadership development added value + (Selinger, 2004)

Caution: Research is Missing! 3 rd & 4 th world issues & transferability of research Future technologies: ubiquitous, networked, small, affordable, robust? Cornu’s intelligent communities – hype or future? Digital Equity – voices unheard Anishinabe clan system illustrates one indigenous people’s way of seeing the world where all actions are interconnected in a natural and spiritual ecology that is reflected in the tribal social structure under: Leadership, Learning, Sustenance, Medicine, Defence (Resta et al, 2004)

Towards WSIS Objectives 3 Proven Applications Teacher education & communities of practice Access for special educational needs Access to content, teachers & learners Dammed if you do; Dammed if you don’t Unsure ICT into primary and secondary education – more successful in informal/vocational education Digital equity requires change in power structures with more voices & values

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