Instructional Technology and Digital Learning

Federal and state policies encourage greater use of instructional technology, increasingly referred to as "digital learning" or "digital education." The Alliance for Excellent Education defines digital learning as "any instructional practice that is effectively using technology to strengthen the student learning experience" (Alliance for Excellent Education 2012). Digital learning encompasses a broad array of tools and practices, including online courses, applications of technology in the classroom, computer-based assessment, and adaptive software for students with special needs. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education released a National Education Technology Plan (NETP) calling for the use of advanced technologies throughout the education system to improve student learning, accelerate implementation of effective practices, and enable schools to use data and information for continuous improvement (U.S. Department of Education 2010). Since publication of the NETP, reports about and initiatives involving digital education have proliferated (Alliance for Excellent Education 2011, 2012; Staker and Horn 2012; Watson et al. 2012; Wicks 2010).

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, for example, strongly endorsed the use of educational technology in mathematics education, saying that it is "essential" and "enhances student learning" (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2011). Findings from a number of studies have shown that the strategic use of technology tools in mathematics and science education, in particular, can support the learning of mathematical and scientific procedures and skills as well as the development of advanced proficiencies such as problem solving and reasoning (Hegedus and Roschelle 2013; Pierce et al. 2011; Rutten, van Joolingen, and van der Veen 2012). Proponents suggest that computer applications and technological tools, either alone or in concert with traditional instruction, may improve student achievement in mathematics and science by tailoring lessons and skill practice to individual students' needs or by offering students additional opportunities to interact with information through computer simulations or other methods. In addition, computerized assessment may provide more precise and efficient feedback on student learning, allowing teachers to adapt instruction to student needs more effectively (Tucker 2009). Instruction through technology may also motivate students' interest in mathematics and science.

This section focuses specifically on instructional technology, defined as technology products and tools designed to assist teaching and learning, in elementary and secondary schools. It distinguishes between the use of technology as an instructional tool and online learning, a special form of distance education. The section begins by discussing recent research on the effectiveness of technology as an instructional tool. It then updates national estimates of access to computers and the Internet and examines the current state of distance education, specifically online learning. This section ends with an overview of the research on the effectiveness of online learning.