Technology-supported student interaction in post-secondary education: A meta-analysis of designed versus contextual treatments

• Meta-analysis of designed and contextual interaction treatments.
• Covers studies published from 1990 up to 2010.
• Designed (k = 25) versus contextual interaction treatments (k = 20).
• Comparison was significant (g¯ = 0.52, vs. g¯ = 0.11, QBetween = 7.91, p < .02).
• Moderator variable analysis yielded positive outcomes for cognitive support tools.

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 aims to compare the impact of designed interaction treatments (i.e., collaborative activities intentionally built into course design) and contextual interaction treatments (i.e., course conditions that result in high levels of student–student interaction but are not intentionally designed to promote collaboration) on student learning outcomes. Results indicate that designed treatments outperform contextual treatments (g¯ = 0.52, k   = 25 vs. g¯ = 0.11, k = 20, QBetween = 7.91, p < .02) on measures of achievement, emphasizing the importance of planning and instructional design in technology integration in postsecondary education. The results are discussed in relation to the literature of student–student interaction and collaborative learning.