Models of Evaluation and Research for Educational Technologies

智力优势：在这个为期三年的项目中，西北地区教育实验室（NWREL）旨在确定一套核心模型，用于评估技术整合在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教学和学习中的影响。这项研究的目的是确定一种新的方法来评估教育技术，根据一套完善的典型模型，教育技术是如何实际使用，可以产生更好的衡量技术应用的有效性。这项研究将通过研究技术整合项目设计的样本来确定可科学检验的模型。 将通过与技术整合专家和研究方法学家举行一次有条理的专题讨论会，对已确定的评价模式进行完善。 总的来说，这项研究将发展研究和评估界以及州和地方教育机构的能力，以规划和评估教育技术的实施。技术整合是国家学校系统的一个普遍优先事项，但很少有人系统地了解技术整合对教学和学习的影响。这项研究将确定的理论和假设的因果机制，目前的技术整合工作的基础，并澄清现有的假设技术整合对学生成绩的影响。将对这些模型进行分组和改进，以得出一小套共同或原型模型，这些模型可进行科学检验，并说明目前大量的技术整合工作。 以这种方式得出的模型将澄清技术应用于数学和科学教育的各种目的，并将作为更清晰构想的项目设计和严格评估的基础。更广泛的影响：技术整合项目越来越多地用于解决代表性不足的少数群体和难以接触的人口的需求。这项研究将侧重于确定服务于农村，孤立的人口，以及土著美洲原住民，阿拉斯加原住民和语言少数民族学生，以及在这些地区工作的教师和管理人员的项目的原型。该研究旨在通过改进联邦、州和地方资助项目的项目设计和评估，改善教育技术实施和研究的状况。研究结果可能会超出针对代表性不足的群体的项目，直接通过应用这里生成的特定评估模型，或间接地，作为如何将一组项目设计提炼成一组精致的原型，可测试模型的例子。

Intellectual Merit:In this three-year project, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) seeks to identify a core set of models for evaluating the effects of technology integration in the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The purpose of the study is to determine if a new approach to evaluating educational technology, based on a refined set of typical models for how educational technology is actually used, can yield better measurement of the effectiveness of technology applications. The study will identify scientifically testable models by studying samples of technology integration project designs. The identified evaluation models will be refined, in part through a structured symposium with experts on technology integration and research methodologists. Overall, the study will develop capacity in the research and evaluation community, and in state and local education agencies, to plan and evaluate educational technology implementations. Technology integration is a widespread priority in the nation's school systems, yet little is known systematically about the impact of technology integration on teaching and learning. The study will identify the theories and assumed causal mechanisms that underlie current technology integration efforts, and clarify existing hypotheses about the effects of technology integration on student achievement. These will be clustered and refined to derive a small set of common or prototypical models that are scientifically testable and that account for a large number of current technology integration efforts. The models derived in this way will clarify the various purposes for which technology is applied in math and science education, and will serve as a basis for more clearly conceived project designs and rigorous evaluations.Broader Impact:Technology integration projects are increasingly used to address the needs of underrepresented minority groups and difficult to reach populations. This research will focus on identifying prototypes for projects that serve rural, isolated populations, as well as indigenous Native American, Native Alaskan, and language minority students, and the faculty and administrators who work in these areas. The study aims to improve the state of educational technology implementation and research, by improving project design and evaluation for federal, state, and locally sponsored projects. Findings from the study may generalize beyond projects that are aimed at underrepresented groups, either directly through application of the specific evaluation models generated here, or indirectly, by serving as an example of how to distill a group of project designs into a refined set of prototypical, testable models.