Successful instruction is digital - but not exclusively

Research news - Secondary school students perform better in natural sciences and mathematics and are more motivated when digital media are used in instruction. However, success also depends on the design of the media used. Success levels are higher when children and young adults do not study alone and when digital instruction is accompanied by traditional teaching materials, according to the conclusion reached by one of the largest investigations on the topic, evaluating approximately 80 individual studies. Digitalization of school instruction has been hotly debated for years. What programs should teachers use on the computer, when and how often? The debate is characterized by a challenging abundance of research projects. Working on behalf of the German Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Center for International Student Assessment (ZIB) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has evaluated a total of 79 studies published worldwide since the year 2000. The meta-study will be presented today in Berlin at a conference on educational research, policy and schools.