DOI: 10.4018/IJKSR.2017010105 Copyright © 2017, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. International Journal of Knowledge Society Research Volume 8 • Issue 1 • January-March 2017 An Overview on Efectiveness of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Linda Daniela, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia Daiga Kalniņa, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia Raimonds Strods, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia ABSTRACT It is necessary to introduce changes in teacher education in order to include the acquisition of competences necessary for the technology-enhanced learning process both organizing the learning process and developing new and innovative didactic means that promote learning as well as using digital technologies that nowadays has become an integral part of any teacher’s and university lecturer’s competence in the learning process to perform qualitatively their work. Despite the fact that teaching/ learning methods used in the education system in the world have been explored, different studies on advantages and shortcomings of these methods have been performed there still are no serious reviews on the effectiveness of applying technology-enhanced learning methods in the contexts and environments of different school subjects. In order to close this gap serious research has been carried out using the latest scientific literature found in Web of Science data basis to work out a scientific review on the effectiveness of applying TEL in the educational environment. KEywORdS Effectiveness, Evidence, Learning Outcomes, Technology-Enhanced Learning INTROdUCTION Every individual in the globalized world more and more frequently faces the challenge to improve the previously acquired professional skills. For the economy to advance, education sector should be the first that is able itself to adjust flexibly and apply innovations to the development of the individuals’ knowledge, skills and competences. The labour market more frequently expects such competences as the skill to solve non-standard problem situations using the opportunities offered by latest technologies as well as develop new innovative solutions. The education system lacks people who are able to seek, analyze and evaluate critically the diverse offer of technologies. At present an urgent need to change faster the ineffective approaches and teaching/learning methods to more effective is felt in the society and it is often assumed that problems will be solved if different new technologies are more used in education; however, often there is no serious evaluation about the benefits and academic achievement of applying technologies as well as the inpact of their application on the individuals’ cognitive development. It means that there should be purposefully educated teachers who help to introduce innovative solutions and who would both be aware of the individual’s abilities and needs in the learning process and the benefits of using technologies as well as the individual’s limitations, for example, the conditions of the sensory development, psychological risks in the aspect of cognitive development and emotional security. The university academic staff are the founders of education innovations in the education system, educating the future teachers who will be able to promote their 79