Week 11 Activity 3: Aspects of Quality and Elearning

 Activity 3a: ICT and test performance.

There seems to be little evidence to suggest that ICT has a positive effect in the classroom setting when viewing test performances. Executive Summary. This may be because the period reviewed was not long enough or the parameters set for data were 'old fashioned', making the change from ICT technologies hard to quantify.

The test case by Banerjee et al did find positive results looking at ICT in rural communities. But this test also found more cost effective results when they compated this data with a counter experiment of more traditional people centred methods (ie by using a local women to help children who had fallen behind catch up).

The Fuchs and Wössmann study was a meta-analysis which did not provide positive results either which showed the ICT effects were insignificant. The use of meta-analysis is also criticised:

Issues such as different groups of subjects, different experimental and analytic methodologies, different experimental contexts, and possible study selection biases are all sources of concern. As is the case with virtually all studies that are quasi-experimental in design, the results are potentially open to alternative interpretations that are not consistent with the researchers’ interpretation. (Caret, 2005)

But could reason behind the bad results be because ICT is being tested against standardised (old fashioned) test criteria.


A3b: Other benefits of ICT 

For me ICT has opened up a world of possibilities. The best is that I have access to a vast library of knowledge in my home, and I can colloborate with people from all around the world. Language exchanges via skype, citizen journalism, etc: are an excellent tool to learn. It is also useful for its informal learing benefits. If a barister does not know how to make a particular blend of coffee, he could simply look it up on Utube! The benefits of this hidden educational benefits are limitless.

Open and distance education is a beneficiary, but not the main one. Distance learning is best situatued in the formal education environment, but this pails in comparison to informal education.

Of course there are disbenefits when things get taken to the extreme  Online risks: from cancer to autism?. But would these not effect people who read all the time, or who were in some way addicted to some other unhealthy lifestyle?

A3c: 'Digital Natives'. 


A3d: Low learner take-up?

It has been noted by educators that there is a reluctantancy to use forum and the internet for education. I am certainly reluctant, mainly because a lot of my day to day job involves using a computer and studying using these medium adds further strain to my eyes.

In terms of joining in forums, before this course I would only join for 'short sharp hits'. Ie I would require specific information about a particular subject. I have never joined a forum for the purposes of discussion.

One thing I have noticed as I have joined in the discussions on the course thus far, is that my behaviour is practically no different than if I was in a face-to-face tutorial- namely reserved and quiet. In the face to face discussion I find that a lot of the times I cannot find my arguement in time and the discussion has moved on, or someone else has suggested the point I was going to make.