Educational Technology

October 13, 2011

Is education software failing our schools?

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:40 am

 

By Trip Gabriel and Matt Richtel – New York Times News Service

Amid a classroom-based software boom estimated at $2.2 billion a year, debate continues to rage over the effectiveness of technology on learning, and how best to measure it. But it is hard to tell that from technology companies’ promotional materials. Many companies ignore well-regarded independent studies that test their products’ effectiveness — Carnegie’s website, for example, makes no mention of the 2010 review, by the Education Department’s What Works Clearinghouse, which analyzed 24 studies of Cognitive Tutor’s effectiveness, but found only four of those met high research standards. Some firms misrepresent research by cherry-picking results, and promote surveys or limited case studies that lack the scientific rigor required by the clearinghouse and other authorities. And school officials, confronted with complicated and sometimes conflicting research, often buy products based on personal impressions, marketing hype or faith in technology for its own sake.

http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/20111010/NEWS0107/110100354/

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