The Metiri Group's report disputes the widely debated Cone of Experience theory, which says each of us learns 10 percent of what we read, 20 percent of what we hear, 30 percent of what we see, 50 percent of what we hear and see, 70 percent of what we say or write, and 90 percent of what we say as we do a thing. (The rampant misrepresentation of researcher Edgar Dale's valid model of classifying learning styles is discussed in this entry in the blog of educational consultant Will Thalheimer.) After an extensive search, the report's authors were unable to find any empirical evidence supporting this breakdown. Contrary to popular opinion, research shows that lessons in which students interact with material, rather than passively absorb it, are not always better.
Jeff Johnson on 01 Dec 10Research offers a way to start conversations that can affect educational reform. Considerations on Technology and Teachers is a collection of some of the best research articles from the Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE) over the past five years. JRTE editor Lynne Schrum and the editorial review board chose these articles because they provide context about where we have been and how we should be moving forward, both in research and in practice. Topics include the impact of project-based learning on teachers' technology use, e-portfolios in teacher education, and the outcomes of a campus 1-to-1 laptop program. At the conclusion of each article, the original authors reflect on their study, examine the landscape since their research was published, and provide suggestions for further study.
