Educational technology research trends from 2002 to 2014

This study examined subject and research method trends in educational technology field from 2002 to 2014. Content analysis was applied in order to analyze 1255 articles published in BJET and ETR&D journals using the Educational Technology Papers Classification Form. According to the results, learning approaches/theories and learning environments were the subject most preferred by researchers. The most commonly used research methods were quantitative, qualitative, other (review or meta-analysis), and mixed method, in that order. Researchers tended to use questionnaires, documents, and interviews as data collection tools. The most commonly preferred sample type was the purposive sample, and undergraduate students were the most commonly chosen sample group, with the most common sample size being groups of 31–100. Frequencies, percentages, and tables were the most common presentation format for data in quantitative studies, while qualitative studies most often employed content analysis.