A Meta‐Analysis of Moderators of the Effects of Technology‐Enhanced Adaptive Learning on Primary and Secondary Students' Learning Outcomes.

Background: Technology‐enhanced adaptive learning, which includes Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs), represents a significant research stream targeted at individualised learning. Although systematic review and meta‐analysis studies have synthesised the evidence of technology‐enhanced adaptive lear...

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Publicado en:Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 1 - 53
Autores principales: Wang, Jingxian, Tigelaar, Dineke E. H., Ye, Tong, Admiraal, Wilfried
Formato: meta analysis research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Feb2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Feb2026
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
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        10.1002/jcal.70168
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        atl: A Meta‐Analysis of Moderators of the Effects of Technology‐Enhanced Adaptive Learning on Primary and Secondary Students' Learning Outcomes.
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        au:
          Wang, Jingxian
          Tigelaar, Dineke E. H.
          Ye, Tong
          Admiraal, Wilfried
        affil: Center for Studies of Education and Psychology of Minorities in Southwest China of Southwest University, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
      sug:
        subj:
          Learning Methods
          Students Psychosocial Factors
          Educational Technology Utilization
          Cognition Evaluation
          Affect Evaluation
          Behavior Evaluation
          Outcomes of Education Evaluation
          Human
          Systematic Review
          Meta Analysis
          ERIC Database
          Funding Source
          Computer-Assisted Instruction
          Curriculum
          Feedback
          Teaching Methods
          Computers and Computerization
      ab: Background: Technology‐enhanced adaptive learning, which includes Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs), represents a significant research stream targeted at individualised learning. Although systematic review and meta‐analysis studies have synthesised the evidence of technology‐enhanced adaptive learning, most did not differentiate how this effect may promote different learning outcomes to varying degrees and especially did not shed much light on potential moderating effects. Objectives: This comprehensive meta‐analysis (CMA) is focused on the effects of technology‐enhanced adaptive learning on cognitive, affective, and behavioural learning outcomes, considering a series of specific moderator variables. Methods: This meta‐analysis synthesised 69 studies from electronic databases and high‐impact journals in educational technology published between 2012 and 2021, with a total of 9095 students. Results and Conclusions: The findings indicate that technology‐enhanced adaptive learning has a medium‐positive effect on primary and secondary school students' learning in terms of cognitive, affective, and behavioural learning outcomes. Further moderator analyses revealed that factors in categories of research context, adaptive strategy, technology, and study quality significantly moderated the summary effect sizes for at least one learning outcome dimension. Twelve significant moderators for cognitive learning outcomes (e.g., subjects, adaptive targets, adaptive technology), two for affective learning outcomes (i.e., feedback type, data collection methods), and two for behavioural learning outcomes (i.e., learner characteristics, hardware used in experimental groups) were identified. The implications of the findings and directions for technology‐enhanced adaptive learning practices are discussed. Takeaway: Stakeholders need to be aware of what matters in technology‐enhanced adaptive learning; it is not just the effectiveness of these adaptive learning systems but knowing how to develop, design, implement, and evaluate the effects that matter. Practitioner Notes: What is already known about the subject matter? ○Technology‐enhanced adaptive learning has become a critical concept.○The benefits of technology‐enhanced adaptive learning were validated in meta‐analyses.○More research is needed on the effects, particularly outside of higher education.○Moderators should be examined to improve our understanding of the effects.What does this paper add? ○This study investigated the main effects on three types of learning outcomes.○Technology‐enhanced adaptive learning model including four categories of moderator variables was developed.○12 significant moderators for cognitive learning outcomes were identified.What are the implications of study findings for practitioners? ○This paper provides evidence for effective adaptive learning.○Developers should prioritise the development of adaptive learning systems that consider and adapt to various learner characteristics.○Developers should prioritise the inclusion of elaborated feedback within adaptive learning systems.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        meta analysis
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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