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Instructional techniques and tools reported as being used by teachers within empirical research focusing on in-class digital ability development: a literature review

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Abstract

Despite vast amounts of existing research regarding digital ability development, there is a dearth of studies that systematize and evaluate the instructional techniques and tools reported as being used to develop them. The aim of this study is to contribute to the state of knowledge regarding the instructional techniques and tools reported as being used by teachers to develop digital abilities. To such an end, a systematized literature review was conducted. For the extraction of articles, a specific search code was used within the Web of Science All Collections, including SciELO, databases. Without setting a year-limit, and concluding the search on the 24 of April 2021, 613 articles were found. Sixty cleared selection criterion and, ultimately, 17 contributed to the purpose of the review. Findings show that a majority of articles report on classroom interventions and not on classroom observations. Additionally, they also suggest that six instructional techniques were employed by all studies: analyzing multiple perspectives of a same learning assignment, using authentic problems, collaboration, providing feedback, giving progressive autonomy to students and asking them to share their work. Regarding methodology, a preferred approach is the use of pre-post test design with a small number of cases and where non-probabilistic sampling and self-reported questionaries are favored.

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This study is a systematized literature review of published documents found within Web of Science. The specific search code used by the authors is provide within the manuscript.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile’s Vice-Rectorship for Research who provides scholarships to doctoral students of the University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education. Pontificia, Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile

    Fernando Bolaños & Álvaro Salinas

  2. Faculty of Librarianship, Information, Education and IT, University of Borås, 501 90, Borås, Sweden

    Ola Pilerot

  3. The Swedish School of Library and Information Science, Borås, Sweden

    Ola Pilerot

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  1. Fernando Bolaños
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by FB, ÁS and OP. The first draft of the manuscript was written by FB, ÁS and OP; all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Fernando Bolaños.

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Bolaños, F., Salinas, Á. & Pilerot, O. Instructional techniques and tools reported as being used by teachers within empirical research focusing on in-class digital ability development: a literature review. J. Comput. Educ. 10, 57–81 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-022-00222-2

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