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Mid-Atlantic Regional Technology in Education Consortium
1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave.
Ritter Annex 9th Floor
Temple University - CRHDE
Philadelphia, PA 19122
800-892-5550
215-204-5130 (fax)
General Inquires:
Laurence Peters
Judith Stull
Technical Assistance:
Barry Mansfield
Professional Development:
Joan Pasternak
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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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Which Works: Media or Methods?
149
by
Robert Zheng, Susan Miller, Glenn Snelbecker
Temple University
Researchers have long debated whether media or methodology is a more important influence on learning. More than 20 years ago, Clark (1983) challenged the educational community to reexamine its research design and results, claiming that most media research was confounded, and there were no significant differences among various media. Clark argued that the research should focus on method, aptitude, and task variables of instruction rather than media themselves. Kozma (1994) countered that research should be grounded in a theory that defines media in ways that are compatible and complementary with the cognitive and social processes by which knowledge is constructed. He urged researchers and practitioners to understand the dynamic relationships between media and learning, the reciprocal interaction between the learner’s cognitive processes, and the unique characteristics of media.
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In recent years there has been a rekindling of interest in creating a revised theory of media. Surry and Ensminger (2001) suggested that the media studies focus on the interaction between individual aptitude and media—an approach based on Snow’s Aptitude Treatment Interaction (ATI) theory. In their 15-year study on media, Mayer and his team provided empirical evidence that media can influence learners’ achievements (Mayer, 1997). Some teachers make their instructional decisions based on the selection of media—that is, placing considerable emphasis on identifying a “better” or “best” medium for instruction. Others try to align media attributes with students’ cognitive aptitudes, while still others go beyond the media to search for instructional methods (Zheng & Smarkola, 2003). This Techno-Brief discusses the role of media in the context of media theories and proposes a systemic approach that focuses on the learner, media, and instructional methods.
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