Educational Technologies (EdTech) and Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) are established fields of academic research with the potential to transform educational practices and outcomes. Yet, they are currently facing several problems that undermine their efficacy and relevance. In this discussion paper, we examine recurrent complaints of…

Jacques Ellul, a 20th century French academic, is best known for his writing on "technique," understood as both individual means to ends and an all-encompassing system that prioritizes efficient solutions to problems. While Ellul's terminology is not necessarily familiar in contemporary educational technology research, it represents…

Despite the enormous investment in educational technology research, there are sincere questions about whether it is having a meaningful effect on issues that really matter. Put simply, is education better because of us? In this paper we argue that our field is not having the impact it could, due largely to our instrumentalist approach to ed tech…

In this paper, the authors examine the complex relationship between education research and policymaking, analyzing key barriers and potential solutions for increasing research impact on policy. Four main challenges are identified: differing cultures and incentives between researchers and policymakers, communication barriers, competing values in…

Mindfulness practices have proven to be effective for improving the mental health of many populations, including university students. However, these practices can be challenging for naive meditators. Virtual reality (VR) can create virtual scenarios that facilitate the practice of mindfulness. This study presents secondary data from a randomized…

Amid rapid technological advancements, it is increasingly crucial for educational technology research to move beyond a narrow focus on tools and gadgets, addressing instead the broader social and ethical challenges these technologies bring to education and human performance. Translational research, with roots in the biomedical sciences, is…

The study explored Engineering students' and their instructors' knowledge and use of tools, applications, and websites; their interests, abilities, and attitudes to using technology; and their views about the advantages and challenges of using technology in the academic listening classes. The participants were 184 undergraduate students of…

Indigenous community research partnerships face challenges when integrating technology into their infrastructure, and risk compromising the community's cultural, technological, and rhetorical sovereignty. In this paper, we explore the practices that help mitigate this challenge, including making visible the technology itself and technology…

This paper examines the value of embedding a systems-thinking lens in higher education research. A systems approach enables institutions to move beyond isolated interventions to explore the broader relationships and structures influencing learning and development by addressing the interconnected dimensions of people, processes, and technology. The…

The educational technology field is at a critical juncture, facing the dual pressures of rapid technological advancement and a pressing need for research that genuinely addresses educational challenges. Despite increasing awareness of these issues, a significant amount of educational technology research remains entrenched in superficial or…

One way to help frame a focus on problems instead of things is the Grand Challenges concept, which has been used in many other fields to date. Grand Challenges are an articulation of large-scale, complex problems that may be addressed through coordinated and sustained efforts but require long-term effort. Often, the articulation of Grand…

In recent years, gamification has seen a rise in usage for cyber-security training, with some of the most used elements being story and narrative. Yet there seems to be a lack of research on story-based gamification as well as how this type of gamification affects a training's effectiveness. The goal of this study was to test the effectiveness of…

Learning management systems (LMS) have emerged as a standard component of higher education institutions for the web-based delivery and management of courses. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the value of LMS in facilitating online teaching and learning. However, the significance of examining the factors that impact LMS use success during the…

The study of pedagogical design and development for virtual laboratory in science education in higher education is limited. Few tailored pedagogical approaches have been adopted for developing students higher order thinking (i.e. reflective thinking skills) in virtual laboratory enabled learning in the university level. For addressing these, this…

The focus of this study was on identifying patterns of student behavior to support data-informed decision-making which would then improve the learning experience and learning outcomes of online English language courses. Learning analytics approach (or more specifically cluster analysis) was used to identify engagement patterns in online learning.…