Using Learning Environment Attributes to Evaluate the Impact of ICT on Learning in Schools

Research on Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) use in schools is increasingly finding that the impact on learning outcomes is not directly causal but depends on how the technologies are used within learning environments. This paper presents one key dimension, the ‘Learning Environment Attributes’ dimension, of a complete literature-based framework — the ‘New ICT Supporting Schooling’ (NISS) framework — designed to provide systematic rich guidance for teachers and school leaders in deciding how to facilitate ICT use. A substantial trial showed that this theory-building stage has produced an effective rubric-based tool to facilitate the measurement of this dimension. Indications are that it is particularly useful for whole-school analysis.