Yarnall, Means, and Wetzel (2016) analyzed the results of trials
of adaptive courseware, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation. Adaptive courseware uses data on student progress and provides
feedback to the students and instructors to improve learning. However, this report found that
the majority of trials of adaptive courseware had no
discernible impact
on grades and
did not improve student completions. Curiously the report
suggests pressing on with adaptive courseware, even though it does not
seem to have much positive effect.
The most interesting point for me was that switching from lectures to
adaptive blended instruction improved student learning. But the authors
did not draw the obvious conclusion: it was likely the
switch from lectures
which made the difference, not the adaptive courseware. There is no mention of "flipped classroom" in the report. The evaluators
were out to see if adaptive courseware worked (impact evaluation) but
perhaps forgot the overall goal, which is to improve student learning.
References
Yarnall, L., Means, B., Wetzel, T. (2016)
Lessons Learned From Early Implementations of Adaptive Courseware. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. Retrieved from
https://www.sri.com/sites/default/files/brochures/almap_final_report.pdf
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