3.2. WHAT'S NEW ABOUT NEW MEDIA?

Is learning better in a face-to-face classroom or in a digital learning environment? Countless research comparisons of learning from different media lead to the same conclusion: When the key instructional methods such as examples and practice are the same, learning is equivalent whether you study in a face-to-face classroom, a virtual classroom, or through asynchronous e-learning (Bernard, Abrami, Lou, Borokhovski, Wade, Wozney, Wallet, Fishet, & Huang, 2004; Tallent-Runnels, Thomas, Lan, Cooper, Ahren, Shaw, & Liu, 2006). Still, there are some unique media features of modern digital technology, including capabilities to (1) display highly realistic animated visuals with sound, (2) provide access flexibility ...

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