Improving quality and validity in research and evaluation studies of learning technologies

A. Kirkwood; L. Price

Improving quality and validity in research and evaluation studies of learning technologies

A. Kirkwood
, L. Price

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

Abstract

A critical reading of research literature relating to teaching and learning with technology in higher education reveals a number of shortcomings in how investigations are conceptualised, conducted and reported. Projects often lack clarity about the nature of the enhancement that technology is intended to bring about. Frequently there is no explicit discussion of assumptions and beliefs that underpin research studies and the approaches used to investigate the educational impact of technologies. This presentation summarises a number of the weaknesses identified in published studies and considers the implications. Some ways in which these limitations could be avoided through a more rigorous approach to undertaking research and evaluation studies are then outlined and discussed.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - Jul 2014
Externally published	Yes
Event	EDULEARN14: 6th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies - Barcelona, Spain Duration: 7 Jul 2014 → 9 Jul 2014

Conference

Conference	EDULEARN14: 6th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Period	7/07/14 → 9/07/14

Bibliographical note

Note: This paper was published in EDULEARN14 Proceedings, 2014, pp.5397-5404. ISSN: 2340-1117.

Organising Body: International Academy of Technology, Education and Development

Keywords

learning
research methods
teaching
evidence
innovations
technology
Education

Access to Document

http://library.iated.org/view/KIRKWOOD2014IMP

Cite this

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title = "Improving quality and validity in research and evaluation studies of learning technologies",

abstract = "A critical reading of research literature relating to teaching and learning with technology in higher education reveals a number of shortcomings in how investigations are conceptualised, conducted and reported. Projects often lack clarity about the nature of the enhancement that technology is intended to bring about. Frequently there is no explicit discussion of assumptions and beliefs that underpin research studies and the approaches used to investigate the educational impact of technologies. This presentation summarises a number of the weaknesses identified in published studies and considers the implications. Some ways in which these limitations could be avoided through a more rigorous approach to undertaking research and evaluation studies are then outlined and discussed.",

keywords = "learning, research methods, teaching, evidence, innovations, technology, Education",

author = "A. Kirkwood and L. Price",

note = "Note: This paper was published in EDULEARN14 Proceedings, 2014, pp.5397-5404. ISSN: 2340-1117. Organising Body: International Academy of Technology, Education and Development; EDULEARN14: 6th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies ; Conference date: 07-07-2014 Through 09-07-2014",

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AU - Kirkwood, A.

AU - Price, L.

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PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - A critical reading of research literature relating to teaching and learning with technology in higher education reveals a number of shortcomings in how investigations are conceptualised, conducted and reported. Projects often lack clarity about the nature of the enhancement that technology is intended to bring about. Frequently there is no explicit discussion of assumptions and beliefs that underpin research studies and the approaches used to investigate the educational impact of technologies. This presentation summarises a number of the weaknesses identified in published studies and considers the implications. Some ways in which these limitations could be avoided through a more rigorous approach to undertaking research and evaluation studies are then outlined and discussed.

AB - A critical reading of research literature relating to teaching and learning with technology in higher education reveals a number of shortcomings in how investigations are conceptualised, conducted and reported. Projects often lack clarity about the nature of the enhancement that technology is intended to bring about. Frequently there is no explicit discussion of assumptions and beliefs that underpin research studies and the approaches used to investigate the educational impact of technologies. This presentation summarises a number of the weaknesses identified in published studies and considers the implications. Some ways in which these limitations could be avoided through a more rigorous approach to undertaking research and evaluation studies are then outlined and discussed.

KW - learning

KW - research methods

KW - teaching

KW - evidence

KW - innovations

KW - technology

KW - Education

UR - http://iated.org/edulearn14/

M3 - Paper

T2 - EDULEARN14: 6th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies

Y2 - 7 July 2014 through 9 July 2014

ER -

Improving quality and validity in research and evaluation studies of learning technologies

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Research output

Improving quality and validity in research and evaluation studies of learning technologies

Cite this