New Millennium Research for Educational Technology:

by M. D. Roblyer
University of Maryland University College
Graduate School of Management and Technology
and
Gerald Knezek

University of North Texas College of Education

Research to indicate unique pedagogical benefits of technology in education flourished until the mid-1980’s, when criticism of the premises and methodologies of studies made educators question the usefulness of so-called “media research.”
Currently, increasing costs of maintaining technology infrastructure and evidence of low use of technology by teachers has generated new urgency for research to help provide a rationale for specific uses of technology to support teaching and learning. The new National Educational Technology Plan currently under development by the U. S. Department of Education provides an ideal opportunity for articulating a plan for meaningful research. This article describes topics and issues on which new research should focus and offers guidelines for research methods to address previous criticisms and provide results to guide future use of
technology in education.

Three assumptions educators often make about research on technology-based (i.e., computerbased and online distance learning) methods are that: (a) it has a commonly-held, theory-based agenda, (b) findings provide convincing evidence about the unique ways modern technologies enhance achievement and motivation; and (c) these findings shape practice in the field. The last thirty years of educational technology research notwithstanding, none of these assumptions is
currently true. The authors propose that current conditions in education and ociety offer the combination of urgent need and unique opportunity to make all of these assumptions realities. A review and analysis of the history of recent research on electronic technologies in education reveals key issues and problems that must be addressed as we contemplate a research agenda for the next era in technology use in education.

More detailed article can be downloaded here: New Millennium Research for Educational Technology