Digital Learning Ecosystem
This Digital Learning Ecosystem infographic was created by CEO Molly Zielezinski as a framework for understanding the variables that influence outcomes for learners using technology as part of a literature review. This graphic emerged from an in-depth analysis of 23 highly relevant reports and reviews that synthesize the findings from over 2,000 empirical articles about technology for learning (1). From these, over 450 evidence-based claims were excerpted and organized thematically as a way to see beyond individual studies and holistically visualize the variables that influence digital learning and their relationship to one another.
The resulting framework reveals the complexity of the Digital Learning Ecosystem and illustrates that learning outcomes are the result of interactions among numerous variables within a complex system. No single variable can ensure a desired outcome, as all the components within the ecosystem are mutually interdependent. The research suggests that taken as a collection, each component must be evaluated in terms of its alignment to all other variables if sound decisions are to be made about the use of technology for learning. For more details and definitions related to the Digital Learning Ecosystem, download the complete report.
Citation: Zielezinski, M.B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2016). Promising practices: A literature review of technology use by underserved students. Stanford, CA: Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education.