Success, Failure or "No Significant Difference"? The Arguments For and Against Technology as a Learning Tool

Authors

  • Mary Burns EDC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v8i1.2376

Keywords:

Educational technology debate, ICT in education, benefits and weaknesses of ICT in education, technology integration, technology dissenters, technology enthusiasts

Abstract


The question of whether computers have positively or negatively impacted student learning is still hotly contested in educational technology circles, particularly in the area of international development, by proponents and critics of technology in education. Overall, research still provides conflicting answers to this question. Nonetheless, the abundant research on effective school change and innovation implementation points to practices which those who promote technology in schools should tap. This paper outlines the long-term structural conditions that can lead to the deep change technology initiatives seek to promote.

Author Biography

Mary Burns, EDC

Mary Burns (mburns@edc.org) is a senior technology specialist at Education Development Center (EDC). EDC is an international non-profit education and health organization located near Boston, MA Ms. Burns has been involved in technology use since the early 1990s as a teacher, instructional designer, program designer, teacher trainer, classroom coach and evaluator. She has written extensively, and spoken at international conferences about ICT in education. For the past several years her work has focused on using technology to promote instructional reform, primarily in the Middle East, United States, Asia and Africa.

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Published

2013-02-27

How to Cite

Burns, M. (2013). Success, Failure or "No Significant Difference"? The Arguments For and Against Technology as a Learning Tool. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 8(1), pp. 38–45. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v8i1.2376

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Section

Papers