Limits to the Adoption of Technology-Mediated Learning: A Comparative Empirical Analysis of Digital and Non-Digital Supplemental Learning Products
Publication Date
6-20-2024
Abstract
Technology-Mediated Learning (TML), an educational approach that utilizes technology to facilitate the learning process, is widely used at school to aid classroom learning and at home as digital Supplemental Learning Products (SLPs) to promote extra-curricular enrichment education. Recently, many states have passed legislation to increase the adoption of TML at schools. However, the growing integration of TML in the student learning environment has fueled a policy debate on screen time, prompting many schools to limit screen time at school. Little is known about the impact of TML usage at school on the adoption of digital and non-digital SLPs. We partner with a large U.S. educational platform to examine the adoption of its digital and non-digital SLPs from 2019 through 2020. We analyze the exogenous shocks to TML adoption at schools induced by state-level mandates during COVID-19. Using the diffusion of innovations theory as the theoretical lens, we find that as TML increases in public schools, demand for non-digital SLPs increases. In contrast, demand for digital SLPs remains flat. Supporting analyses suggest that increased adoption of non-digital SLPs did not negatively impact educational outcomes. The results indicate that non-digital SLPs allow students to cope with the adverse effects of screen time associated with increased use of digital products. We find that demographic variables moderate these effects and provide preliminary insights related to educational equity. Our findings offer substantive implications for both firms in the educational space and policymakers: as public schools increasingly move lessons online, there will likely be an increased demand for non-digital SLPs (e.g., books) that can be consumed offline.
Document Type
Article
Keywords
economics of digitization, online learning, EdTech, difference-in-differences, school closures, learning loss, COVID-19
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
DOI
10.2139/ssrn.4173547
Source
SMU Cox: IT & Operations Management (Topic)
Language
English
