Robert M Bernard

• Ph.D.
• Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Group Leader (Systematic Review Team) at Concordia University

It is no longer a question whether technology should be integrated into the classroom. The focus has shifted to how to use it to enable and promote effective learning. For better or for worse, technology is pervasive in our lives, and educational settings are no exception. However, it is not sufficient to employ educational technology simply becaus...

This is a study of two populations of learners/teachers: Pre-service teacher students (i.e., formal education for teaching certification) and In-service teachers (i.e., engaged in professional development), and involves an examination of their use of internet-based instructional applications. In these studies, the technologies are: a) Online Learni...

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) on the mental health of elite athletes. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: Eight online databases (Embase, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses and Google Scholar), plus forward and backw...

As the empirical literature in educational technology continues to grow, meta-analyses are increasingly being used to synthesise research to inform practice. However, not all meta-analyses are equal. To examine their evolution over the past 30 years, this study systematically analysed the quality of 52 meta-analyses (1988–2017) on educational techn...

Executive summary/Abstract Adaptive teaching and individualization for k-12 students improves academic achievement: A meta-analysis of classroom studies Background The question of how to best deliver instruction to k-12 students has dominated the educational conversation, both in terms of theory and practice, since before 1960. Two predominant mod...

Introduction. This paper provides an overview of the information retrieval strategy employed for two meta-analyses, conducted by a systematic review team at Concordia University (Montreal, QC, Canada). Both papers draw on standards first articulated by H.M. Cooper and further developed by the Campbell Collaboration, which promote a comprehensive ap...

Introduction. This meta-analytical study of primary research on early literacy explores and summarizes patterns of correlation between performance on Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) task and measures of specific reading skills. This is the first large-scale meta-analysis intended to verify claims of the double-deficit hypothesis of relative independ...

This chapter examines quantitative research in the literature of technology integration in education from the perspective of the meta-analyses of primary studies conducted from 1982 to 2015. The intent is to identify and review the best of these meta-analyses. Fifty-two meta-analyses were originally identified and evaluated for methodological quali...

Although the overall research literature on the application of educational technologies to classroom instruction tends to favor their use over their non-use, these results vary considerably depending on what kind of technology is used, who it is used with and, more importantly, under what circumstances and for what instructional purposes it is used...

The present study extends the results of a larger meta-analysis that addressed the effects of technology use on student achievement and attitudes in postsecondary education. The focus of the current meta-analysis is the use of technology to enable instructional conditions that promote collaborative interactions among learners. More specifically, it...

This paper summarizes the results of a pan-Canadian online survey study that investigates the extent to which school practitioners (N = 1,153) use research to inform their practice. The self-reports indicate that the majority of the respondents used educational research, yet this engagement was infrequent. Although the respondents shared neutral at...

This paper summarizes the results of a pan-Canadian online survey study that investigates the extent to which school practitioners (N = 1,153) use research to inform their practice. The self-reports indicate that the majority of the respondents used educational research, yet this engagement was infrequent. Although the respondents shared neutral at...

Although the overall research literature on the application of educational technologies to classroom instruction tends to favor their use over their non-use these results vary considerably depending on what kind of technology is used, who it is used with and, more importantly, under what circumstances and for what instructional purposes it is used....

Critical thinking (CT) is purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanations of the considerations on which that judgment is based. This article summarizes the available empirical evidence on the impact of instruction on the development and enhancement of critical thinki...

Tablets and smart mobile devices are the most recent addition to the long list of technological innovations believed to support and enhance the teaching process and learning process. This review aimed at going beyond the general hype around tablets and smart mobile devices to investigate the evidence supporting their use in educational contexts. To...

A growing number of countries are embarking on large-scale, government-supported initiatives to distribute tablet devices to students in the K–12 schooling sector. Unfortunately, there is a misconception that by simply putting this technology in the hands of students, educational access issues will be resolved and educational transformation will oc...

This study investigates the predictors of school practitioners’ (N = 2,425) use of educational research. The suggested model explained significantly but modestly the infrequent use of educational research by practitioners. The latent factor opinions about research had the most explanatory power. The results are discussed in connection with existing...

This paper examines sources of potential bias in systematic reviews and meta-analyses which can distort their findings, leading to problems with interpretation and application by practitioners and policymakers. It follows from an article that was published in the Canadian Journal of Communication in 1990, “Integrating Research into Instructional Pr...

This article contains a second-order meta-analysis and an exploration of bias in the technology integration literature in higher education. Thirteen meta-analyses, dated from 2000 to 2014 were selected to be included based on the questions asked and the presence of adequate statistical information to conduct a quantitative synthesis. The weighted r...

This article has two interrelated purposes. The first is to explain how various forms of bias, if introduced during any stage of a meta-analysis, can provide the consumer with a misimpression of the state of a research literature. Five of the most important bias-producing aspects of a meta-analysis are presented and discussed. Second, armed with th...

This paper serves several purposes. First and foremost, it is devoted to developing a better understanding of the effectiveness of blended learning (BL) in higher education. This is achieved through a meta-analysis of a sub-collection of comparative studies of BL and classroom instruction (CI) from a larger systematic review of technology integrati...

There is longstanding interest in factors that promote the transfer of knowledge and skills beyond the classroom. While there is evidence that supports transfer (see Bransford & Schwartz, 2001), some (e.g., Detterman, 1993) maintain that the possibility for transfer is unlikely. In this study we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of th...

This systematic review draws from and builds upon the results of a meta-analysis of the achievement effects of three types of interaction treatments in distance education: student–student, student–teacher, and student–content (Bernard et al., Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289, 2009). This follow-up study considers two forms of studen...

The trend towards using research knowledge to improve policies and practices is on the rise. However, despite considerable effort and notable progress in recent years, it seems that school practitioners continue to make little use of research and it is not clear what conditions would facilitate or obstruct this use. This review focuses exclusively...

The trend towards using research knowledge to improve policies and practices is on the rise. However, despite considerable effort and notable progress in recent years, it seems that school practitioners continue to make little use of research and it is not clear what conditions would facilitate or obstruct this use. This review focuses exclusively...

A vexing problem for meta-analysts is how to account for the differential methodological quality of studies. We critically examine five approaches that deal with methodological quality. The first approach is to ignore the methodological quality of studies and aggregate all available research for which effect sizes (ES) can be calculated. The second...

In a recent meta-analysis of distance and online learning, Bernard et al. (2009) quantitatively verified the importance of three types of interaction: among students, between the instructor and students, and between students and course content. In this paper we explore these findings further, discuss methodological issues in research and suggest ho...

This systematic review builds upon the work of Authors (2006) and McGreal and Anderson (2007). It seeks to provide a synthesis and discussion of publicly available government policy documents with regard to e-learning in Canada. There is general consensus, both in public opinion and in the research literature, that the educational practices associa...

Although insufficient use of the results of educational research in educational practice is among the deterrents to school progress, literature suggests that some groups of practitioners can be more prone to use research findings and school data. The purpose of this pan-Canadian online survey study is twofold: to explore if schoolteachers, administ...

This study investigated the change in the relationship between pedagogy, computer-use and students’ perceptions about course-effectiveness over time. Students from a Canadian university completed a questionnaire in two different years (2003 = 1,834 participants and 2007 = 1,866 participants). Of greatest interest were characteristics of technology...

This research study employs a second-order meta-analysis procedure to summarize 40 years of research activity addressing the question, does computer technology use affect student achievement in formal face-to-face classrooms as compared to classrooms that do not use technology? A study-level meta-analytic validation was also conducted for purposes...

This paper describes a range of models and methods for synthesizing diverse forms of research evidence. Although this topic is applicable to many contexts (e.g. education, health care), the focus here is on the research traditions of distance education and online learning. Thirteen models and methods are described, and seven examples from distance...

A brief review of evidence is limited in time and/or scope compared to a comprehensive review. However, brief reviews are important not only in meeting the needs of policy makers and practitioners, but also in providing students and researchers with an overview of the evidence. In this paper we summarise and evaluate alternative methods for brief r...

Because of its traditional role as an enabler of knowledge dissemination, education is expected to contribute substantially to the development of the knowledge economy. This means applying the knowledge that it generates through research to its own practice. Yet the literature shows that school practitioners do not express much demand for research...

This meta-analysis of the experimental literature of distance education (DE) compares different types of interaction treatments (ITs) with other DE instructional treatments. ITs are the instructional and/or media conditions designed into DE courses, which are intended to facilitate student–student (SS), student–teacher (ST), or student–content (SC)...

This paper reports the findings of a Stage I meta-analysis exploring the achievement effects of computer-based technology use in higher education classrooms (non-distance education). An extensive literature search revealed more than 6,000 potentially relevant primary empirical studies. Analysis of a representative sample of 231 studies (k=310) yiel...

100-120 words): The paper presents the results of the study measuring determinants of research usage by various categories of school practitioners. The responses of 2425 practitioners to a self-reporting behavioral and attitudinal questionnaire have been analyzed. Practitioners reported low-criterion uses of research both general and locally produc...

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between computer technology's role and students' perceptions about course effectiveness. Students from two universities (one Canadian, n = 1465; one American, n = 831) completed a 71-item questionnaire addressing different aspects of their learning experience in a given course. Factor...

Critical thinking (CT), or the ability to engage in purposeful, self-regulatory judgment, is widely recognized as an important, even essential, skill. This article describes an ongoing meta-analysis that summarizes the available empirical evidence on the impact of instruction on the development and enhancement of critical thinking skills and dispos...

An attitude and self-reporting behavioural measure, the Questionnaire about the Use of Research-based Information (QURBI), was developed to survey school practitioners in the province of Quebec. The responses of 2425 school practitioners allowed exploring the principal dimensions about the use of research-based information: type of research used, t...

This study examines the achievement outcomes accompanying the implementation of a Grade 3 laptop or so-called ubiquitous computing program in a Quebec school district. CAT-3 reading, language, and mathematics batteries were administered at the end of Grade 2 and again at the end of Grade 3, after the first year of computer implementation. Overall g...

Critical thinking (CT) has been of longstanding interest among scholars, educators, and others who are concerned with thinking skills. The Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is the oldest and among the most widely used and studied CT measure. It was constructed around five subscales (or CT skills): inference, recognition of assumptio...

This review provides a rough sketch of the evidence, gaps and promising directions in e-learning from 2000 onwards, with a particular focus on Canada. We searched a wide range of sources and document types to ensure that we represented, comprehensively, the arguments surrounding e-learning. Overall, there were 2,042 entries in our database, of whic...

Analysis of the questionnaires of research utilization by school practitioners revealed a complex of flaws in these instruments. In their majority, being designed for descriptive purposes, these tools lack psychometric properties. Some reduce research utilization to instrumental use; others inquire only about practitioners’ attitudes towards resear...

English In this article we explore issues in developing an Argument Catalogue as a tool to compile evidence systematically on a topic of interest. A recent review is used to illustrate the steps in undertaking the development of an Argument Catalogue from multiple sources. An Argument Catalogue codebook, which provides categories and values that ca...

This article examines two strategies for improving the effectiveness of illustrations in text. Descriptive captions repeated the contents of illustrations verbally, whereas instructive captions focused learners’attention on salient features of illustrations without descriptive text. Contrary to much of the literature on pictures and prose, these il...

This study was designed to assess the instructional potential of two learning strategies—post-questioning and concept mapping—in the presence and absence of systematic instructional feedback. It is a first attempt to test combinations of these treatments experimentally in the context of a course in distance education. Five research questions, drawn...

This meta-analysis employs a theoretical framework in quantitatively synthesizing empirical studies that investigate the effects of distance education (DE) versus classroom instruction on undergraduate student achievement. Analyses of 218 findings from 103 studies were conducted according to how media were used to support DE pedagogy. The results i...

This article extends the issues and arguments raised in Bernard, Abrami, Lou, and Borokhovski (Distance Education, 25(2), 175–198, 2004) regarding the design of quantitative, particularly experimental research in distance education. A single experimental, study from the distance education literature is examined from six different perspectives to sh...

The effect size is a standardized, scale-free measure of the relative size of the effect of an interven- tion, and it has important and practical implications for clinicians in the speech and hearing field who are interested in estimating the effects of interventions. This article develops a conceptual interpretation of the effect size, makes expli...

This article is about the quantitative research practices and methodologies that are used in distance education (DE). It begins with an analysis and assessment of a segment of the DE research literature, DE/classroom comparison studies, based on a recently completed meta-analysis of that literature from 1985 to 2002. Overall, the 232 studies review...

A meta-analysis of the comparative distance education (DE) literature between 1985 and 2002 was conducted. In total, 232 studies containing 599 independent achievement, attitude, and retention outcomes were analyzed. Overall results indicated effect sizes of essentially zero on all three measures and wide variability. This suggests that many applic...

The study reported here concerns the development and predictive validation of an instrument to assess the achievement outcomes of DE/online learning success. A 38‐item questionnaire was developed and administered to 167 students who were about to embark on an online course. Factor analysis indicated a four‐factor solution, interpreted as “general b...

In this experimental study two independent variables were manipulated. Each was associated with online collaborative learning in a distance education context. One of these (group formation strategy) addresses one of the early decisions that must be made in forming groups for collaborative project work. The second (levels of tutor intervention) rela...

This article provides an overview of issues of practice and research relating to the use of collaborative online learning in distance education (DE). It begins with an examination of the traditional problems of DE. Following that is a discussion of what collaborative online learning encompasses and a review of the primary instructional design issue...

A quantitative research synthesis (meta-analysis) was conducted on the literature concerning the effects of feedback on learning from computer-based instruction (CBI). Despite the widespread acceptance of feedback in computerized instruction, empirical support for particular types of feedback information has been inconsistent and contradictory. Eff...

Describes three learner assessment strategies and their possible effects on text design strategies for distance education materials. Prior knowledge, reading ability and text readability, and learning styles are examined; learner characteristics and potential instructional strategies are discussed; and the relationship of learning styles to learnin...

This research was designed to investigate the relative strength of two instructional strategies — inserted questions and concept mapping — for enhancing the academic performance of distance learners. The sample for this field experiment comprised one hundred and forty‐one nursing students enrolled in a 20‐week distance education course. A significa...

Examines the major changes that have occurred in the field of educational technology (ET) during the years 1968-89 from three perspectives: (1) the professional literature, (2) the curriculum of Concordia University's (Quebec) graduate program in ET, and (3) the views of 408 Concordia graduate students. Results are analyzed and resulting trends are...

Interpersonal communication is a much needed, but seldom considered aspect of educational experience. However, because of the separation of the teaching and learning acts in distance education, special arrangements are necessary for it to occur. A new technology called ‘voice‐mail’ has potential as a supplement to other standard forms of institutio...

This study assessed two adjuncts to instructional text, structural cueing and graphic organizer processing instructions. Previous research has shown that cueing is a useful indicator of textual structure and that graphic organizers can be enhanced by providing learners with an indication of how they can be used. Results indicated the presence of a...

Examines meta analysis as a technique for reviewing literature, with a particular focus on the literature of instructional development. An example using meta analyses to study mastery learning is presented, and a summary of meta analytic studies of instructional variable effects on student achievement is included. (38 references) (LRW)

Two areas of memory research thought to influence textual retention in older adults were investigated: mathemagenic activity and metamemory. Adjunct conceptual post questions, as an instructional strategy, were hypothesized to encourage greater depth of processing of a verbal text. A statement stressing the effects of attitude on the ability to rem...