Researching Information Technology in Education: Meeting the Challenges of an Ever-Changing Environment

Abstract

This chapter considers the challenges which need to be addressed by those researching IT in education. Evidence from the first Edition of the handbook and many meta and individual studies published since 2008 reveal changing methodological approaches to address the increasing diversity of IT in continuously changing educational contexts. These include research methods to take account of the new knowledge and knowledge representations which are accessible through dynamic, mobile, and diverse computing technologies. The discourse uses Entwistle's evaluation framework to help researchers identify the range of factors which have an impact on the quality of learning consequent to the use of educational innovations in formal and informal settings. Evidence from this review shows a shift from research involving using IT resources in formal classroom settings to research across contexts between school and home, computer-based learning devices to learning with personalized mobile devices. Based on the roles and interactions among researchers, policy makers, and practitioners, the chapter concludes with considering the scalability and sustainability of research methods and outcomes through recommending strategies which will consolidate research outcomes and underpin future policy and research decisions.