Publication - Research and analysis
Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching
This literature review was commissioned by the Scottish Government to explore how the use of digital technology for learning and teaching can support teachers, parents, children and young people in improving outcomes and achieving our ambitions for education in Scotland
Annex 1: Research protocol
The inclusion criteria
The table below sets out the criteria by which literature was selected.
Table A1.1: The criteria for study inclusion
| Characteristics of the literature | Inclusions |
|---|---|
| Time period | Post 2005 |
| Language and geography | No exclusions |
| Type of publication | Peer reviewed journal articles Un-peer reviewed academic research outputs (reports; working papers; discussion papers; conference papers) Government/EC and government/EC commissioned research outputs Publications of other research organisations/think tanks/advocacy bodies Evidence provided by practitioners in conference/workshop settings |
| Population groups | 5-18 years olds |
| Settings | ISCED 1, 2 and 3 Formal teaching in school setting (compulsory and non-compulsory) Out of school and non-formal learning directed by teachers Lesson preparation, delivery and assessment |
| Type of policies/ interventions in scope | Use of digital teaching and learning tools and materials (i.e. digital media and online environments) Out-of-school learning Pedagogical developments using ICT Teacher training and support for ICT Digital capacity and resources |
| Types of outcome within scope (see also section 2.1.3 below) | Raising attainment (especially in literacy, numeracy, science learning and ICT skills) Tackling inequalities/promoting inclusion for 'protected' groups and low-socio-economic status families/areas (e.g. impacts on attainment (as above), progression, health and wellbeing) Improving transversal employability skills (e.g. 'skills for learning, life and work' as outlined in the Curriculum for Excellence Senior Phase) Improving efficiency for teachers (especially reducing their time spent on developing teaching resources and improving the quality of assessment) Enhancing parental engagement (especially greater satisfaction with school communications and the ability to engage more parents in their children's education) |
| Study designs | No exclusions on design |
Search strategy
The search included the sources below.
Table A1.2: Sources of material
| Type of source | Sources to be consulted |
|---|---|
| Journal databases | EBSCO databases (includes the Education Resources Information Centre); Scopus |
| Specific journals | Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis Educational Review European Journal of Education British Journal of Educational Technology International Journal of Learning International Review of Education Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education The International Journal of E-Learning and Educational Technologies in the Digital Media Journal of Interactive Media in Education International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments Research in Learning Technology International Journal of E-Assessment |
| Research institutions and agencies | Professional Education and Leadership research cluster, University of Stirling Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh Learning Sciences Research Institute, University of Nottingham; Institute of Educational Technology, Open University The London Knowledge Lab, University College London Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning, Lancaster University Faculty of Education University of Hull Technology Enhanced Learning Group, Durham University Digital Learning Research Cluster, University of Wolverhampton Technology, Innovation and Play for Learning Research Group, Manchester Metropolitan University Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit NESTA Eurydice Open Education Europa Portal OECD |
| Government and government agencies | Scottish Government Library Services Education Scotland Scottish Qualifications Authority UK Department for Education Education Ministries and educational/curriculum agencies in other countries European Commission including Eurydice |
| Website searches | Google Scholar |
The draft terms in Table A1.3 below were used to search for journal articles held on databases hosted on Ebsco (http://www.ebscohost.com/). Terms were also translated so that searches could be undertaken in French and German to widen the material collected. Selected search results were exported to reference management software (Zotero) to compile a bibliography.
Table A1.3: Initial database search terms
| Primary | AND | AND |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Teach* | Impact |
| ICT | Educat* | Effect |
| Web | Learn* | Outcome |
| Internet | Instruct* | Achieve* |
| Digital | Class* | Progress* |
| Computer | Pedagog* | Academic |
| CAL | Support | Participat* |
| 'Open educational resources' | Assess* | Skill* |
| 'Digital resources' |
Instruct* |
Confidence |
| Media | Tuition | Attain* |
| Tech* | School | Competenc* |
| Virtual | Student | Disadvantage* |
| VLE | Pupil | 'Low-socioeconomic' |
| 'Learning platforms' | Inclu* | |
| Equal* | ||
| Qual* | ||
| Higher* |
||
| Perform* | ||
| Motivat* | ||
| Efficien* | ||
| 'Basic skills' | ||
| 'Skills for Life' | ||
| Literacy | ||
| Numeracy | ||
| Science | ||
| 'ICT skills' | ||
| Employability | ||
| Transversal | ||
| 'Parent engagement' | ||
| Communicat* |
Scope of the literature review: definitions
- Learners are those in education in primary and secondary schools between the ages of five and 18; school staff include classroom teachers, school senior managers, school administrators, and newly qualified teachers.
- Attainment can be measured by progress against tested standards and the achievement of qualifications. The focus is on four key areas of the curriculum: literacy, numeracy, science learning, and ICT skills.
- Inclusion and equalities can be measured by positive impacts for the protected groups defined in the Equalities (Scotland) legislation and for those from low socio-economic status families/areas or who may not be able to attend school (due to exclusion or illness). Positive impacts could include attainment, progression, health and wellbeing, and in the short term increased access to and/or engagement with learning.
- Improved transitions can be measured by the attainment of employability skills, such as collaboration and team working, following instructions/planning tasks, knowledge and understanding of pathways to employment, and the use of digital tools to demonstrate skills and competences reflecting the emphasis on 'skills for learning, life and work' in the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence.
- Efficiency can be measured by reducing the time teachers spend on developing resources for teaching from the collaboration and sharing/reuse of resources for teaching and assessment, and improving the quality of teaching and assessment.
- Parental engagement can be measured by parents' greater satisfaction with school communications and the ability to engage more parents.
Contact
Email: Catriona Rooke
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