Rockville, Md. – Despite increasing college enrollment, completion rates are low, particularly for first-generation, low-income and racial/ethnic minority students. Colleges are using technology to make active and engaging learning available throughout institutional offerings; help students become more successful learners; and improve student retention. A new guide from Abt Global and the U.S. Department of Education recommends several evidence-based approaches to help higher education instructors, instructional designers and administrators use technology to improve student learning outcomes.
Released by the Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), the Practice Guide on Using Technology to Support Postsecondary Student Learning provides both the detailed, research-based rationale for the selected technology strategies as well as tips for implementing them. These include:
- Communication and collaboration tools to increase interaction among students and between students and instructors.
- Varied, personalized and readily available digital resources to design and deliver instructional content.
- Technology that models and fosters self-regulated learning strategies.
- Technology to provide timely and targeted feedback on student performance.
- Simulation technologies that help students engage in complex problem-solving.
“The use of technology in our day-to-day lives is ubiquitous, and the technology landscape is always evolving,” says Abt Global’s Project Director Michael Frye, Ph.D. “The purpose of our Practice Guide is to give postsecondary educators evidence-based strategies for using technologies to support teaching and learning.”
The guide is available for free from the What Works Clearinghouse website. Additional resources to help with implementation will be available in the coming months.
About Abt Global
Abt Global is an engine for social impact, dedicated to moving people from vulnerability to security. Harnessing the power of data and our experts’ insights, we provide research, consulting and technical services globally in the areas of health, environmental and social policy, technology and international development. http://www.abtglobal.com
Contact:
Amy Dunaway
amy_dunaway@abtassoc.com
(301) 347-5056