Theoretical and Research Perspective
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Theory and Guiding Models
Research
Those who feel a need to offer a body of research in favor of any specific use of technology in education are simply going to struggle. The quality of research in this area is strongly criticized by some. (See concerns associated with the availability of scientifically based research).
So, the comments appearing here are prefaced by a caveat recognizing that little educational research meets the strict standards of the experimental method. Perhaps new research will emerge as a result of federal pressure and it will be added here at a later date. It is important to carefully evalaute any claims or claims made here.
One more caveat - the use of the word research here implies studies that demonstrate that those students who engage in multimedia authoring learn skills or knowledge related to the content area addressed by multimedia authoring. The focus is on the content area and not technology skill.
Researchers have been evaluating “writing to learn” and “writing across the curriculum” for many years. The theoretical bases for writing to learn and multimedia authoring to learn seem very similar. Perhaps what has been learned from studies of writing to learn might be used to encourage educators to substitute some multimedia authoring projects for some existing writing projects and may suggest what productive projects might look like.
It would seem reasonable to treat authoring to learn as an extended case of writing to learn. A body of research exists and has been evaluated related to writing learn. A recent meta-analysis authored by (Bangert-Drowns, Hurley & Wilkinson, 2004) provides the basis for the following comments. It is important to note that the Bangert-Drowns, et al. analysis concerned studies dealing with "knowledge gains" and nothing should be assumed regarding other possible outcome variables.
Among the various conclusions offered, the review concluded that students appeared to learn the most when:
• writing tasks were short,
• writing tasks were continued over an extended period of time, and
• writing tasks included reflection on the process of learning as well as a summarization of what was being learned.
These data would seem to support engaging students in blogging, but would be less likely to support the development of extensive web sites.
Bangert-Drowns, R.L., Hurley, M.M., & Wilkinson, B. (2004). The effects of school-based writing-to-learn interventions on academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 74, 29-58.
