This content was previously published by Blackboard, now part of Anthology. Product and/or solution names may have changed.

We are pleased to announce the release of our literature review to explore the research that addresses teaching and learning engagement through EdTech in the 2000s. Clearly, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the increased use of technology platforms in the education sector, so the promise of more robust, standardized data over the resulting years will continue to provide more accurate takeaways in this arena. 

A detailed review of the literature provided interesting “best practice” possibilities for EdTech learning, such as Tomei’s (2004) analysis suggesting that successful distance education is contingent upon smaller (not larger) class sizes, proposing such courses should actually be nearly half the size of traditional face-to-face classroom setups. 

Tomei also found that online learners require continuous feedback, hypothesizing that online teaching demands a minimum of 20 percent more time than traditional instruction. Much of this increase was presumed to be related to the presentation of instructional content. 

Perhaps a factor that exists behind the need for smaller classes online is the need for personalized learning experiences. Berg and Shaw (2018) observed that students reported higher satisfaction ratings when their online learning reflected an emphasis on personalized interactions with assignments and quicker turnaround times for grades and feedback. 

According to Martin and Bolliger (2018), online learners appreciate instructors who support, listen to, and communicate with them. Students value engagement strategies that support interactions with instructors more than strategies aimed at interactions with other learners or learning materials. 

This assertion shows the dichotomous nature of teacher and learner desires, as Martin and Bollinger also recommend instructors should play as minimal of a role as possible in online discussions to encourage greater student-student interactions. 

A key element, as Chen, et al. (2019) found, is that delivery, where possible, should include the spontaneity of live discussion in order to strengthen the connections with peers and instructors. Students often seek a sense of community and instructor presence. EdTech platforms which can not only translate the educational experience to an online gateway but can also produce a community and culture are more likely to aid in the positive impact of student success. 

Enhanced engagement is often a difference-maker for online student success, with Basko and Hartman (2017) noting the need to promote rapport and collaboration between students and instructors, with instructive feedback, as a driving force behind success for students. 

Ultimately, as the richness of data evolves, and data mining is achieved with better visualization patterns (Yalcin, 2015; Hung and Zhang, 2008), more exploration is possible and “best practices” can be surfaced sooner, as well as for broader audiences. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the race to increased usage, as well as more readily available aggregated data, appears to be on its way. 

In fact, in 2020 alone, Blackboard reported a 400% increase in learning management system (LMS) usage, as well as a 48,000% increase in the use of virtual classrooms. These increases fall in-line with many other educational technologies, as well. This reinforces the vast adoption of EdTech during the past year, with aggregated data creating a potential abundance of intuitive learner and educator insights. 

To explore the full findings, as well as links to the publicly accessible reference studies, you can read the entire literature review white paper.