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16 SES 06 A
Paper Session
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16. ICT in Education and Training
Paper Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Digital Learning Programme in Conflict-Affected Ukraine 1: War Child Alliance; 2: War Child Alliance; Ukrainian Educational Research Association; 3: War Child Alliance; 4: War Child Alliance; University of Amsterdam; 5: War Child Alliance; University of Amsterdam; 6: University of Notre Dame - Global Centre for the Development of the Whole Child Presenting Author:Context and Purpose: The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has precipitated the largest displacement crisis in Europe since World War II, fundamentally challenging the resilience of national education systems. As the European Education Area strives to build inclusive and crisis-proof learning pathways, the case of Ukraine offers critical evidence on the role of technology in sustaining foundational learning during active conflict. This submission addresses the urgent theme of "Pedagogies of Resilience," interrogating how digital innovation can transition from a stop-gap emergency measure to a systemic buffer against learning loss. Research Question: Our central inquiry is twofold: To what extent does the integration of a gamified, curriculum-aligned digital tool ("Can’t Wait to Learn") into the New Ukrainian School (NUS) curriculum mitigate learning loss in foundational literacy and numeracy? Secondly, does this digital integration offer protective psychosocial benefits (wellbeing and hope) for children living in conflict zones compared to standard instruction? Theoretical Framework: This study is grounded in Education in Emergencies (EiE) theory and the Systemic Resilience Framework. We posit that educational resilience is not merely a trait of the individual student but a capacity of the system to maintain continuity through adaptation. By integrating the Can’t Wait to Learn (CWTL) app directly into the state curriculum rather than as a parallel intervention, we examine the "nexus" approach—linking humanitarian aid (emergency technology) with development (national curriculum strengthening). Methodological Approach: We present findings from a rigorous mixed-methods quasi-experimental design conducted from January to June 2025 across 36 purposively sampled schools in the Cherkasy region (N=540). To ensure robust causal inference in a volatile setting, we employed:
European and International Dimension: This discussion is vital for the broader European educational community. With millions of Ukrainian children integrating into EU school systems, understanding which digital pedagogies effectively support the Ukrainian curriculum allows host countries to better support refugee learners. Furthermore, this study provides a case-study for cross-border digital curriculum portability, offering lessons for European policymakers on designing education systems that remain functional despite geopolitical instability. The findings move beyond the Ukrainian context to inform global strategies on digital sovereignty and educational continuity in an era of poly-crisis. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used We conducted a mixed-methods quasi-experimental study (January–June 2025) across 36 purposively sampled public schools in Ukraine. Schools were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (integrating CWTL into Grade 3 lessons) or a comparison group (standard instruction). Data from 540 students were analyzed using multilevel mixed-effects models, accounting for school-level clustering. Quantitative results were triangulated with qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews to assess implementation mechanisms. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Key Findings: The intervention yielded robust academic gains. Students in the CWTL group demonstrated significantly higher proficiency than the comparison group in foundational numeracy (B=3.53, p=.001, d=0.30) and reading skills (B=2.93, p=.006, d=0.25). Conversely, analysis of secondary outcomes revealed no statistically significant differences in psychosocial wellbeing (p=.95) or sense of hope (p=.30) between groups. Qualitative data attributed the academic success to high student engagement and the self-paced nature of the app, which bolstered learning continuity despite infrastructure disruptions. Conclusion: These findings provide further evidence that digital personalized learning can effectively accelerate academic outcomes in active conflict zones when integrated into teaching practice. While CWTL successfully bolstered foundational skills, the neutral psychosocial findings suggest that future iterations may benefit from explicit social-emotional learning components. This study validates the integration of digital tools into national curricula and teacher practice as a vital strategy for education in emergencies. References Not Applicable 16. ICT in Education and Training
Paper Unveiling a Three-Level Model of ICT Integration, Digital Feedback, and Student Achievement in Lithuanian Schools Klaipėda University, Lithuania Presenting Author:Across Europe, substantial investments in digital infrastructure have reshaped school learning environments in recent years. However, empirical evidence on how information and communication technologies (ICT) translate into improved learning outcomes is inconsistent. International research increasingly shows that technology alone does not enhance the learning process. Rather, its educational value depends on how ICT is integrated pedagogically and how it reshapes assessment and feedback practices. Against this background, this study addresses a key gap in ICT research by moving beyond access-centered explanations and focusing on the systemic conditions under which digital feedback emerges and functions within a national education system. Empirically, this study is situated in the Lithuanian educational context, which represents a particularly informative European case. Despite the rapid expansion of ICT provision and intensified digitalization during and after the pandemic, challenges remain in ensuring the coherent pedagogical integration of digital tools in the classroom. Using large-scale international data from PISA 2022, this study proposes and empirically validates a three-level model of ICT use–access, use, and impact–in which digital feedback is conceptualized not as an isolated instructional feature but as an emergent outcome of broader digital learning ecosystems. Research Questions and Objectives This study was guided by two interrelated research questions: How do students' access to ICT, their use of technology for learning, and their perceived digital skills create conditions for the effective use of digital resources for academic feedback, while considering leisure-related technology use as a contextual factor that might indirectly influence their engagement in digital learning environments? To what extent does digital feedback independently influence student achievement in mathematics, reading, and science, apart from ICT access, usage practices, and students' digital competencies? Additionally, does its effect manifest directly, or does it only arise through interaction with other aspects of the digital learning environment? The main objective is to develop a data-supported and theoretically grounded model that explains how ICT infrastructure, pedagogical use, and digital feedback interact within the Lithuanian school system and how these interactions relate to student achievement. By doing so, this study seeks to move beyond simplified “technology effects” narratives and contribute to a system-level understanding of digital learning that is empirically grounded in PISA 2022 data and conceptually relevant for comparative European ICT research. Conceptual and Theoretical Framework The proposed model integrates insights from research on digital learning ecosystems, formative assessment, and inquiry-based learning and conceptualizes ICT use as a structured, multi-level system rather than a single explanatory factor. It distinguishes three analytically connected levels: • Level I – ICT Access: students’ access to digital technologies at school and at home, with particular emphasis on the perceived quality and functional suitability of ICT resources • Level II – ICT Use: pedagogical uses of ICT in subject lessons, inquiry- and problem-based learning activities, learning activities outside the classroom, as well as students’ digital leisure practices • Level III – Impact: digital feedback practices and their relationship with student achievement in mathematics, reading, and science. The framework builds on international research demonstrating that the quality of ICT and its pedagogical integration matter more than mere access, and that technology becomes educationally meaningful only when embedded in active and cognitively demanding learning practices. Furthermore, research on formative assessment suggests that feedback often functions as a regulatory or compensatory mechanism, supporting learners who experience difficulties rather than directly driving achievement gains. Research “Formative Assessment in Schools Using Artificial Intelligence” No. P-EDU-23-25 is co-funded by the EU (the project „ Breakthrough in Educational Research“ No 10-044-P-0001) under the 1st April 2025 Agreement with the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the 2025.04.17 Joint Activity Agreement with Klaipeda University. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study employs a quantitative secondary data analysis (SDA) design based on data from the OECD PISA 2022 study, focusing on the Lithuanian national sample. The analysis draws on the PISA ICT Familiarity Questionnaire, together with student achievement data in mathematics, reading, and science. PISA 2022 provides a robust and internationally standardized dataset that captures students’ access to digital technologies, patterns of ICT use for learning and leisure, perceived quality of digital resources, digital feedback experiences, and academic performance. The empirical analysis is based on a nationally representative sample of 7,257 Lithuanian fifteen-year-old students from 291 schools, selected using PISA’s two-stage stratified probability sampling design. All analyses strictly followed OECD methodological standards, incorporating student sampling weights, plausible values for achievement outcomes, and Balanced Repeated Replication (BRR) weights, ensuring population-level estimates and valid standard errors. The analytical framework operationalizes a three-level information and communications technology (ICT) model. At Level I (ICT Access), infrastructural conditions are measured using PISA indices capturing access to ICT at home and school, as well as students’ perceived quality of digital resources. Level II (ICT Use) includes indices measuring the pedagogical uses of ICT in subject lessons, inquiry- and problem-based learning activities, and school-related learning outside the classroom, alongside indicators of digital leisure use. Level III (Impact) focuses on digital feedback practices, operationalized through the PISA ICTFEED index, which captures teacher-provided, peer-mediated, and automated digital feedback. To examine the relationships between ICT access, ICT use, digital feedback, and student achievement, this study applies complex-sample linear regression models, informed by the conceptual logic of structural equation modelling but implemented through sequential regression analyses using OECD-validated indices. This approach enables a systematic examination of the associations between infrastructural conditions, pedagogical practices, and learning outcomes while respecting the complex survey design of PISA. Achievement in mathematics, reading, and science was included as an outcome variable, allowing for a cross-domain comparison of patterns. Additional controls accounted for students’ digital leisure practices and perceived digital self-efficacy. Both individual and aggregated school-level indicators were included to assess whether digital feedback functions primarily as a school-wide practice or as an individual learning experience. Overall, the methodology enables a data-supported, system-level examination of the digital learning ecosystem in Lithuanian general education schools while maintaining international comparability and relevance for European ICT-in-education research. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings This study provides evidence for a three-level model of ICT use that clarifies how digital learning conditions evolve from access to pedagogical use and, ultimately, to their association with student achievement. Applied to the Lithuanian PISA 2022 context, the findings highlight patterns of contradictory results in international ICT research. First, the results confirm that ICT access alone does not predict students’ digital feedback experiences. Neither the availability of digital technologies at home nor at school was significantly associated with the frequency of digital feedback. The only infrastructural factor that matters is the perceived quality of school ICT resources, indicating that pedagogically suitable technologies are a necessary, although not sufficient, condition for digital feedback practices. Second, the pedagogical use of ICT constitutes the mediating layer in the model. Digital feedback was mostly associated with ICT use in inquiry- and problem-based learning activities and with ICT-supported schoolwork conducted outside the classroom. In contrast, the routine use of ICT during subject lessons had only a marginal effect. This suggests that digital feedback arises in the context of active learning rather than from generic or episodic technology use. Third, across mathematics, reading, and science, digital feedback shows a negative association with student achievement. Rather than indicating a detrimental effect of feedback, this pattern is best interpreted as a compensatory mechanism: digital feedback is more frequently provided to students who experience learning difficulties and therefore reflects support needs. Overall, the findings demonstrate that digital learning operates as a multidimensional ecosystem in which the impact of ICT depends on the interaction between infrastructure quality, pedagogical integration, and assessment practices. The proposed three-level model offers a transferable framework for interpreting ICT effects in education and supports a shift in European EdTech discourse from expanding access to strengthening pedagogically meaningful, inquiry-based uses of technology and formative feedback practices. References Andrade, H. L. (2019). A critical review of research on student self-assessment. Frontiers in Education, 4, 87. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00087 Brookhart, S. M. (2017). How to give effective feedback to your students (2nd ed.). ASCD. Conrads, J., et al. (2017). Digital education policies in Europe and beyond. European Commission. Elkington, S., & Chesterton, P. (2023). Digital feedback and assessment practices in technology-enhanced learning. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 48(3), 417–431. Gubbels, J., Swart, N. M., & Groen, M. A. (2020). Everything in moderation: ICT and reading performance in PISA 2018. Large-scale Assessments in Education, 8(1), 1–17. Hinostroza, J. E., et al. (2024). Digital technologies and inquiry-based learning: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 196, 104723. Jin, Y., Reichert, F., Cagasan, L. P., de la Torre, J., & Law, N. (2020). Measuring digital competence across cultures. Computers & Education, 145, 103693. Kaya-Capocci, S., et al. (2022). Digital formative assessment and student self-regulation. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70, 1201–1223. Lomos, C., et al. (2023). Beyond access: Explaining teachers’ ICT use in high-resource systems. Teaching and Teacher Education, 119, 103865. OECD. (2023). PISA 2022 assessment and analytical framework. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/dfe0bf9c-en OECD. (2024). PISA 2022 technical report. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/01820d6d-en Panadero, E., Andrade, H., & Brookhart, S. (2018). Fusing self-regulated learning and formative assessment. Assessment in Education, 25(2), 137–158. Petko, D., Cantieni, A., & Prasse, D. (2017). Quality of ICT use in classrooms. Computers & Education, 114, 13–26. Redecker, C., & Punie, Y. (2017). European framework for the digital competence of educators (DigCompEdu). Publications Office of the European Union. Ryan, T., Henderson, M., & Phillips, M. (2020). The value of digital feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(5), 680–695. 16. ICT in Education and Training
Ignite Talk Navigating the Digital Shift in Mozambique: Teacher Agency and Digital Learning in Schools University of Plymouth, United Kingdom Presenting Author:Driven by the broader digitalisation of society, the educational technology industry often promotes the narrative of a profound paradigm shift, suggesting that technology might dismantle traditional (e.g., tell and practise’ approaches) and transmission-based pedagogies. This vision positions digital tools as catalysts for systemic educational reform and change, replacing rote learning with dynamic models (Voogt et al., 2013; Wang et al., 2024). In theory, rote memorisation and passive learning are replaced by dynamic, ICT-integrated models that foster interactivity through constructivist and cooperative strategies (e.g., scaffolding, synchronous collaboration, peer-review, and active/constructive learning activities), personalisation within learner-centred environments (e.g., adaptive scaffolding, individualised pacing, and global/distance collaboration (e.g., communicative environments and distance-learning tools) (Weimer et al., 2017; Tondeur et al., 2017; Sailer,et al, 2024; Major, et al., 2021). This study examines the digital shift within Mozambique’s K-12 education system, focusing specifically on teachers’ stances toward the adoption of digital learning tools (DLTs) and the resulting implications for pedagogical resilience. It takes as its point of departure the prevailing educational technology industry discourse, which positions these tools as direct and inherent enhancers of educational outcomes. It interrogates an 'unseen’ transition', a profound shift in which technology actively shapes pedagogical practice, teacher identity, and professional agency, thereby redefining the very conceptualisation of what constitutes a ‘learning space’ and, indeed, ‘learning’ itself. Research Questions: RQ1. How do teachers position themselves towards the adoption of digital learning artefacts for teaching and learning? RQ2. What are the implications of teachers’ positionality for teaching and learning? RQ3. How can teacher be better supported to harness and integrate digital learning tools across multifaceted learning settings? The study adopts Engeström’s (1987) third-generation Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as its primary heuristic framework. CHAT offers a way of examining activity systems and the learning that occurs through participation in specific social contexts (Engeström, 2008). The third-generation model is particularly useful for exploring the interaction between different networks of activity, providing a lens through which to view the current transition within the Mozambican context. Specifically, it allows for an analysis of the tension between the historically dominant ‘pen-and-paper’ activity system, which remains deeply embedded in local pedagogical traditions, and the emerging digitally-mediated system mandated by current national reforms. Rather than viewing these as isolated events, CHAT allows for an investigation into how human activity, mediated by both legacy and digital artefacts, evolves over time as individuals and organisations attempt to do something new (Daniels et al., 2010). In this framework, the basic unit of analysis is the activity itself, the interaction of human consciousness and shared practice (Nardi, 1996). As Jonassen & Rohrer-Murphy (1999, p. 62) note, ‘the primary focus of activity system analysis is the production of the object.’ In the context of this study, this production involves the dynamic interplay between the subject (the teacher), the object (pedagogical goals), and the mediating artefacts (ranging from traditional stationery to digital platforms), all of which are governed by the rules, community, and division of labour within the Mozambican school system. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used In alignment with the principles suggested by Matthews & Ross (2010), the choice of research design for this study was directly influenced by the nature of the research questions and the specific data sought. The study employed a qualitative, interpretive design, as the research questions necessitated descriptive, nuanced accounts that explored the subjective meanings teachers attached to their practice. This interpretive stance allowed for an investigation into the causal processes and the mechanisms through which various factors influenced the transition to digital tools (Maxwell, 2005, as cited in Cohen et al., 2018). Data were generated through a multi-staged qualitative approach. In the first stage, a questionnaire was administered to gain a broad understanding of teachers’ experiences with digital tools. As Matthews & Ross (2010) suggest, questionnaires are effective for capturing participants’ opinions, attitudes, and knowledge. To maintain a strictly qualitative focus, the questionnaire consisted of open-ended questions, utilising text boxes to elicit rich, written responses without the inclusion of numerical or Likert-scale data. The second stage involved semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Interviews facilitate essential verbal communication, allowing for a deeper exploration of the participants perspectives (Robson & McCartan, 2016). Finally, the generated data were examined using thematic analysis. Following Braun & Clarke’s (2006) six-phased process, ranging from data familiarisation to the production of the final report. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The findings reveal that teacher positionality exists on a spectrum from enthusiastic adoption to active resistance, reflecting not a matter of individual capability, but of mediated agency. These stances emerged as rational responses to systemic contradictions, including infrastructural limitations, uneven digital access, and insufficient training, which collectively hindered equitable implementation. In response to these constraints, the study documents innovative, localised practices that teachers developed as contextual solutions. By examining whether these tools challenge traditional norms or merely amplify existing pedagogical trends, this work demonstrates that meaningful digital transformation is not a technical byproduct, but a result of resolving deep-seated systemic contradictions. References Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-10 Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2018) Research Methods in Education, London, Routledge. Engeström, Y. (1987) Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical approach to developmental. Engeström, Y. (2008). Enriching activity theory without shortcuts. Interacting with computers, 20(2), 256-259. Jonassen, D. H., & Rohrer-Murphy, L. (1999). Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments. Educational technology research and development, 47(1), 61-79. Kaptelinin, V., & Nardi, B. (2016). Activity theory as a framework for human-technology interaction research. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 25(1), 3-5. Major, L., Francis, G. A., & Tsapali, M. (2021). The effectiveness of technology‐supported personalised learning in low‐and middle‐income countries: A meta‐analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(5), 1935-1964. Matthews, R., & Ross, E. (2010). Research methods: A practical guide for the social sciences. Pearson Education Ltd. Maxwell, J. A. (2004). Causal explanation, qualitative research, and scientific inquiry in education. Educational researcher, 33(2), 3-11. Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2016). Real world research: A resource for users of social research methods in applied settings Sailer, M., Maier, R., Berger, S., Kastorff, T., & Stegmann, K. (2024). Learning activities in technology-enhanced learning: A systematic review of meta-analyses and second-order meta-analysis in higher education. Learning and Individual Differences, 112, 102446. Wang, C., Chen, X., Yu, T., Liu, Y., & Jing, Y. (2024). Education reform and change driven by digital technology: A bibliometric study from a global perspective. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1-17. Weimer, A. A., Dowds, S. J. P., Fabricius, W. V., Schwanenflugel, P. J., & Suh, G. W. (2017). Development of constructivist theory of mind from middle childhood to early adulthood and its relation to social cognition and behavior. Journal of experimental child psychology, 154, 28-45. | ||