Roblyer, M. (2005). Educational Technology Research That Makes a Difference: Series Introduction. Contemporary Issues in Educational Technology and Teacher Education, 5(2), 192-201.
This series highlights the ongoing problems with evidence-based research that is fragmented and uncoordinated, lacking rigor, ill matched to the research questions, and poorly written. The challenge is to design and conduct research that will address past and future concerns regarding using technology for learning, (Roblyer, 2005). It also provides exemplars of several types of technology research studies with discussions, challenges, and criteria used to select the examples.
The pillars of good educational research are outlined as (1) the significance criterion (2) the rationale criterion (3) the design criterion (4) comprehensive reporting criterion, and (5) the cumulativity criterion, (Roblyer, 2005). Types of impact research to support the relative advantages of technology include: establishing relative advantage, improving implementation strategies, monitoring impact on societal groups, and reporting on common practices in order to measure sociological impact and shape directions, (Roblyer, 2005).
Posed are questions and guidelines still relevant to educational professionals and researchers dealing with the ever-changing technologies being incorporated for learning.
Focusing on using technology to enhance learning rather than focusing on the technology itself is a key point made and one often overlooked when we are, “wowed,” by what technology can do. Using technology for the sake of technology has been the mistake of many instructors and instructional designers. We must have research to help inform decisions regarding what works to truly enhance learning, and what we can do without.
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