A Tightly Controlled Study into the Efficacy of Technology Enhanced Learning

An analysis is given of data accumulated from teaching a large natural science course over a period of some 11 years during which the mode of delivery of the course material gradually evolved from pure ¿chalk and talk¿ to extensive in-class use of technology and Web based modes of presentation. Relevant factors such as course enrolment, course content, type of exam etc remained constant over this period. The grade point average (GPA) remained essentially unchanged for the first 7 years of this study but has shown a marked decline over the last few years. This study offers compelling evidence that, on average, technological innovation does not enhance student performance as measured by grade point averages and their associated standard deviations. Factors contributing to the recent decline in GPA include significant changes to the high school curriculum introduced in the late 90¿s.