Contentious Issues: The Media/Methods Debate and No Significant Difference Phenomenon

Does technology/media effect learning? For studies that find significant difference between various media, is it the media or the method which caused the variations?

Clark/Kozma -- Media/Methods Debate

The Media/Methods debate boils down to Clark's argument that media has no effect on learning and serves as only a delivery method for the instruction, and Kozma's counter-argument that media can effect learning by allowing for new types of interactions.

Readings on the Media/Methods Debate:
Note: This is a brief non-comprehensive list of articles.

Clark, Richard E. (1983). Reconsidering Research on Learning from Media. Review of Educational Research 53(4), 445-459.

Kozma, Robert B. (1991). Learning with media. Review of Educational Research, 61(2), 179-211.
A major updating and reanalysis of media research from a cognitive perspective; written as a rebuttal to Clark (1983)

Kozma, Robert B. (1994). Will Media Influence Learning? Reframing the Debate. Educational Technology Research & Development 42(2), 7-19.

Clark, Richard E. (1994). Media will Never Influence Learning. Educational Technology Research & Development 42(2), 21-29.

Clark, Richard E. (1994). Media and Method. Educational Technology Research & Development 42(3), 7-10.

The latter two issues of ETR&D--42(2) and 42(3)--are primarily devoted to the Media/Methods Debate.

No Significant Difference Phenomenon

On a related note, the No Significant Difference (NSD) Phenomenon indicates that many research studies comparing various modes of education delivery find no difference in learning outcomes. Thomas Russel created a bibliography of studies examining education delivery modes which includes a foreward by Richard Clark.

Here's a link to the NSD website:
http://www.nosignificantdifference.org/

I hope you find this debate as fascinating as I do. I haven't read all of the Clark/Kozma debate articles, but I've read a few from each author.

If you're familiar with the debate issues, what is your opinion? Can the research "prove" that learning is effected by media and or technology? Any comments or thoughts are appreciated.