Assessing the impact of using EdTech on children’s learning: A scoping review of meta-analyses

Despite considerable investment in EdTech in schools, what it actually delivers for children’s learning remains unclear. This scoping review, part of our joint EdTech Futures for children project, warns of a lack of evidence about the wider impact of EdTech on children.

Looking at 56 meta-analyses covering 2,111 individual studies, this scoping review looked at what kinds of research have been conducted on the learning outcomes of EdTech and at the available evidence and its implications.

While it found that EdTech can improve learning when used well, experts say research has focused overwhelmingly on academic attainment, while often neglecting to examine the consequences on crucial skills such as problem-solving, computational thinking and creativity. Similarly, studies often overlook the impact on children’s motivation, attitudes and confidence toward learning.

The scoping review also cautions that current research often treats children as one homogenous group of learners, disregarding how EdTech can affect children with different genders, special educational needs and backgrounds in distinct ways.