Scalability at the Level of Learning Technology: Case Studies of Two Virtual Environment-Based Curricula

• In Event: 73.059 - Toward an Operationalizable Model of Scaling Information and Communications Technology–Enabled Learning Innovations

Abstract

Objectives or purposes

This presentation will describe a scalability analysis for two projects: River City (NSF-funded, 1999-2009) and EcoMUVE (IES-funded, 2008-2014). Both projects use innovative technology-based curricula to advance student motivation and learning of science concepts, and have attracted much interest from researchers, practitioners and policy makers across the world. However, in the case of the River City curriculum (http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/rivercityproject/), neither the technology nor the innovative pedagogical practices developed in the project schools were sustained in the absence of continuous support (Ketelhut et al., 2010). In the case of the EcoMUVE curriculum (http://ecomuve.gse.harvard.edu), while the pedagogical practices generated within the project schools were sometimes not sustained or scaled beyond the lifetime of the project, the technology actually became an “autonomous scalability agent” in being adopted independently by individual teachers and districts. This presentation details the key differences between these two projects, highlighting the design features that led to the success of both in achieving initial scale, the success of EcoMUVE in sustaining scale, and the limitations and challenges that similar projects face in terms of sustainability.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework

Both projects were designed using the five dimensions of the scalability framework described earlier in the proposal: depth, sustainability, spread, shift and evolution (Clarke & Dede, 2009). In adopting the multilevel comparative case study framework, the most pertinent levels for comparison in this paper are the project design and technology design levels, as the other levels are similar across the two projects.

Methods and data sources

The analysis will focus on how the differences in design features (project and technology) contribute to differences in cross levels as well as the within and across school site interactions in these two projects, and the strengths and limits to sustainability of the two projects. Data about the use of each curriculum, its adoption, and challenges to scalability were collected through student and teacher surveys and interviews, direct observations in classroom settings, logfiles, videos, and case studies.

Results

Research established that the design features responsible for River City’s scalability were related to the five-dimensional framework:
Depth: Design-based research and iterative design led to a robust curriculum that was flexible and scalable to a range of conditions.
Sustainability: Variants of the curriculum were developed to adapt to the needs of different settings and different types of learners
Spread: Automated tools for classroom management retained effectiveness while reducing the need for central resources and expertise.
Shift: Enabling teachers to serve as co-designers and co-evaluators encouraged a shift to distributed ownership and control.
Evolution: Through depth, spread, and shift, teachers were able to take ownership of the evolution of the curriculum.
In contrast, EcoMUVE achieved scale more passively, through a robust technological platform, free downloadable resources, and curricular alignment to national and state standards.

Significance of the study

Insights about scalability and sustainability can guide the development of other technology-based curricular projects.

Authors

• Christopher J. Dede, Harvard University

• Shari J. Metcalf, Harvard University