Using digital tools to solve pedagogical problems

Defining objectives is the first and most important step in the process of evaluating the impact of digital technologies. If objectives are not clearly articulated, subsequent efforts may result in unclear findings or misinterpretations. In the context of higher education, objectives are often linked to pedagogical outcomes, teaching quality, student engagement, or the development of specific competencies. For example, an instructor who introduces Moodle as the primary learning management system may aim to increase active student participation in discussions and therefore set the following objective: “Increase the number of student posts in forums by 30% compared to the previous academic year.”

In addition to pedagogical objectives, institutions may also define organizational objectives. A higher education institution (HEI), for instance, may implement a new videoconferencing platform such as BigBlueButton with the goal of reducing licensing costs associated with commercial tools and increasing control over institutional data. In this case, the evaluation would measure not only student engagement but also economic efficiency, technical reliability, and instructor satisfaction.

It is essential to apply the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Rather than setting a broad objective such as “improve students’ digital skills,” an instructor might define a more precise goal: “By the end of the semester, 80% of students enrolled in the Digital Competencies course will successfully use collaborative tools (e.g., Google Docs or Microsoft Teams) to write a joint term paper.”

Additional examples of objectives include increasing the frequency of participation in online discussions, reducing course dropout rates, improving success rates on online quizzes, or decreasing the time instructors spend on administrative tasks. Clearly defined objectives guide the selection of appropriate methodologies and tools, as well as the interpretation of collected data. Without such objectives, the evaluation process loses its purpose and fails to provide meaningful value to educational practice.