Developing Research Models for ICT-Based Pedagogy

The need for evidence concerning ICT’s positive effects on learning has been recognised since the early instances of computer aided learning (Rushby 1979), yet over the past 25 years, the results of our quest for such evidence have been less than overwhelming. Yet it seems that increasing numbers of educators are convinced of ICT’s potential and, despite our inability to demonstrate clear gains from merely providing ever more technology for schools and colleges, governments have continued to fund a rapid expansion in ICT resources for education (for example, BECTA 1998). This investment has been maintained because of a political conviction that ICT is beneficial for all aspects of life in the 21 century, and that education should be able to exploit the features of ICT (TTA 1998) in the same way as business does. There are now indications, however, that this investment may not continue unless politicians can be reassured that learners are benefiting to an extent which is commensurate with the level of provision. A significant body of qualitative/interpretive research over recent years has yielded valuable insights into the underlying processes of learning with ICT, but such studies do not directly compare the impact of different factors. It is unlikely that isolated case studies of successful teaching, or detailed interpretive analyses of learning processes, will provide convincing evidence for the political audience.