Measuring the 'value-added' contribution of embedding ICT in learning

Abstract

There is an increasing expectation that ICT will be embedded in learning and hence there is a need to consider the various benefits, or gains, that can be identified. While government is advocating the development of ICT and pedagogy and researchers are reporting a wide range of benefits/gains as end-point observations, there is a lack of information about how to actually measure such gains. Teachers, lecturers and pre-service teachers, in a learning team arrangement, implemented ICT-related in-school projects. They developed and implemented criteria and related measures for determining the 'value-added' to students' learning. The planning process is reported, in addition to the various criteria and related measures finally used in the projects. The variety of criteria included skills and behaviours. Most importantly, discussion considers the measures used to report on the criteria, a field of exploration generally avoided by researchers and educators previously.