Learning Mechanisms Explaining Learning With Digital Tools in Educational Settings: a Cognitive Process Framework

• Published in: Educational psychology review Vol. 36; no. 1; p. 14
• Main Authors: Reinhold, Frank, Leuders, Timo, Loibl, Katharina, Nückles, Matthias, Beege, Maik, Boelmann, Jan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.03.2024; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Child and School Psychology; Classroom Research; Cognition; Cognitive Processes; Cognitive psychology; College Science; Education; Educational Environment; Educational Opportunities; Educational Psychology; Educational Research; Educational technology; Influence of Technology; Instructional Design; Learner Engagement; Learning Activities; Learning and Instruction; Learning Processes; Long Term Memory; Mathematics Education; Meta Analysis; Outcomes of Education; Prior Learning; Review; Short Term Memory; Student Evaluation; Germany; Instructional features; Learning activities; Cognitive processes; Digital tool
• ISSN: 1040-726X; 1573-336X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10648-024-09845-6

To explain successful subject matter learning with digital tools, the specification of mediating cognitive processes is crucial for any empirical investigation. We introduce a cognitive process framework for the mechanisms of learning with digital tools (CoDiL) that combines core ideas from the psychology of instruction (utilization-of-learning-opportunity framework), cognitive psychology (knowledge-learning-instruction framework), and domain-specific research on learning and instruction. This synthesizing framework can be used to theoretically ground, firstly, the design of digital tools for learning, and secondly, the empirical analysis of students’ learning activities in digitally enriched educational settings via the analysis of specific student-tool interactions.