Visual Learning and Social Impact Assessment: Experimentation and Analysis of Outcomes in the School Context

How can we assess the social impact of visual learning technologies in educational environments? This question guides the present study, which proposes a social impact assessment (SIA) framework designed to capture not only the cognitive efficacy of digital tools, but also their implications in terms of equity and participation. The research is founded on a quasi-experimental study conducted in two secondary schools. The methodological approach integrated quantitative measurements, employing a pre-test/post-test design with control groups, alongside qualitative methods through structured observations and focus groups. Data indicate significant improvements in content comprehension (+18%, d = 0.72, 95% CI [0.58; 0.86]) and motivation, while simultaneously revealing concerning disparities: students with personal devices at home achieve 15% higher results in visuo-spatial tasks, while nearly one-third of the sample demonstrates deficiencies in basic digital competencies that limit their benefits.