Research Priorities in Educational Technology

1
Research Priorities in Educational Technology

• Constance Pollard, Ph.D.
• Rich Johnson, Ph.D.
• Richard Pollard, Ph.D.

2
National Education Technology Plan

• National Goal
• Research and evaluation activities that will
  improve the next generation of technology
  applications for teaching and learning.

3
National Delphi Study

• Purpose
• identify, categorize and prioritize
• research needs that should be
• addressed in educational technology
• over the next five years

4
Delphi Expert Panel

• PT3 (Preparing Tomorrows Teachers to Use
  Technology) grant director from each state
  invited
• 30 educational technology experts completed the
  study
• Eastern states 11
• Central states 9
• Western states - 10

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Delphi Expert Panel

• 19 males (63) 11 females (37)
• 16 professors (53),
• 9 administrators (30)
• 6 professor/admin. (17)
• Years of technology experience 87 had 10 more
  years
• University 90
• State Department 7,
• Business 3

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Delphi Process

• E-Research conducted completely over the
  internet
• Three round consensus building process
• Round 1 respondents generate research areas in
  answer to
• What should be the research priorities
• for educational technology
• over the next five years?

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Delphi Process

• Round 2 - Delphi panel members rate 84 research
  statements generated in Round 1 and rank 8
  research categories.
• Use a Likert-type scale
• 1 no need
• 2 low need
• 3 medium need
• 4 high need
• 5 very high need

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Delphi Process

• Round 3 Delphi panel members reviewed ratings
  assigned by the group in Round 2 and then re-rate
  the research statements based on that review.
• They also re-rank the research categories.

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Findings

• Learning
• Teachers
• Models/Strategies
• Assessment

• Current Issues
• Schools
• Web-Based Environ.
• External Influences

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Learning

• Investigate the impact on student achievement
• Develop and use learning principles to design
  technology-enhanced environ.
• Determine the efficacy of learning content using
  technology versus more traditional methods.

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Teachers

• Develop models for preparing inservice and
  preservice teachers to be more effective users of
  technology
• Examine approaches to individualize teacher
  professional development
• Determine ways to assist teachers to deal with
  technology barriers

12
Models/Strategies

• Examine and develop models for integrating
  technology into K-12
• Examine the use of technology to support
  distributed learning, project based learning,
  etc.
• Determine best practices scenarios for teaching
  with technology

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Assessment

• Determine methods and criteria for evaluating the
  effectiveness of technology enhanced instruction
• Employ assessment that is multifaceted
• Determine effectiveness of using electronic
  teaching portfolios to assess standards
  performance

14
Current Issues

• Investigate changes in classroom, teacher roles,
  and schools due to technology integration
• Examine the digital divide and develop strategies
  to eliminate or lessen its effects
• Examine the effect of technology on social
  interaction and collaboration

15
Schools

• Investigate new models of schooling
• Examine the role of technology in school
  improvement planning
• Examine the role of technology in facilitating
  educational transformation

16
Web-Based Environments

• Investigate the online collaborative learning
  process
• Examine challenges faced in moving to the
  Web-based learning-centered environment
• Develop models for online instruction

17
External Influences

• Examine the impact of Federal and state policy on
  the use of technology for teaching and learning
• Identify uses of the Internet to improve
  educational reform
• Determine the impact of top-down approaches that
  lead to appropriate use of technology

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Summary

• Rigorous documentation of the link between
  technology use and learning
• Complex and blended approach to research
• Longitudinal and mixed methods research