Where´s the proof? A review of literature on effectiveness of information technology in education

Often heard at engineering educational conferences is the plea, "where\´s the proof that use of information technology really works?" No single study can produce convincing evidence because in learning-teaching experiments there exist many confounding factors even in the best-designed study. Only sifting through the great amount of information can one find the patterns. The authors\´ review summarizes the research findings on computer assisted instruction over the past fifteen years. Many of the studies are themselves reviews and meta-analyses, which cover hundreds of studies, over approximately 2180 studies either directly or indirectly. Their interest is to gather hard, statistical evidence about the use of information technology for better learning, time on tasks, costs and learner/teacher attitudes. Research strongly supports the use of technology as a catalyst for improving the learning environment. Educational technology has been shown to stimulate more interactive teaching, effective grouping of students, and cooperative learning. A few studies, which estimated the cost effectiveness, reported time saving of about 30%. At first, professors can be expected to struggle with the change brought about by technology. However, they will adopt adapt, and eventually learn to use technology effortlessly and creatively.