A recent study has found that the use of iPads, and other technologies to accompany learning, in the classroom does little to improve education.
The study, to be published in the next edition of the Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, looked at two classrooms of eight year old students, one which used digital devices such as iPads and one that was free of technology. It was found that each class’s literacy comprehension improved at a similar rate.
The study did however discover that older children, those in year five to six, benefited from the use of technology, making three to four times the gains.
The research comes at an important time, with more classrooms asking students to bring their own devices to school.
Dr Poskitt said that while her study shows technology can benefit some students in how they learn, it does not replace the need for conscientious teachers.
“It does not substitute for effective teaching… essentially it’s about teachers who understand how technology might be used, who link it into what they’re learning. The ones that were really effective were targeted in what they used and why they used it.”