Define the learning problem before choosing a tool

Choose educational technology to address a specific unmet need, not because it is new. A tool for repeated practice and timely feedback serves a different purpose from one that makes course materials easier to revisit. Explain how the planned activity and feedback connect to the learning goal instead of assuming the technology itself improves learning.

Check access, cost, and operating conditions first

Include devices, connectivity, accessibility adjustments, faculty training, and technical-support time alongside licensing costs. Provide an alternative path for students who cannot access the tool, and explain the purpose and retention of learning data. A small pilot can reveal connectivity barriers, usability issues, and instructor workload; it does not by itself show improved learning.

Imagine students confuse key terms on a short quiz. The instructor assigns a five-minute classification activity and provides feedback explaining each answer. The student artifact is a response classifying four new cases and giving a one-sentence reason for each. In the next class, the instructor checks a criterion set in advance: at least three of four classifications are accurate and the reasons distinguish the concepts. For a connectivity barrier, provide an offline download with the same cases and feedback. For keyboard or screen-reader barriers, provide an accessible text format designed for keyboard navigation and screen-reader compatibility. This is a hypothetical implementation example, not classroom-outcome evidence.

Evaluate learning separately from usage logs

Before adoption, specify which student work or explanations would indicate progress. Logins and time-on-platform measure use, not understanding. Compare outcomes with a baseline task or earlier work and review student products, explanations, participation, and revisions after feedback. If results do not improve, revisit the activity and support conditions before asking students to spend more time in the tool. Results in one course do not guarantee the same effect across disciplines or formats.

Questions before adoption

Which learning problem is this technology meant to address? What evidence will you use separately for student learning, access barriers, and instructor workload?

Sources: WWC: Using Technology to Support Postsecondary Student Learning · Blended Learning: The New Normal and Emerging Technologies