In an experiment investigating how technology use in the classroom affects student learning, researchers examine the relationship between variables by asking: What is the effect of being taught a lesson through a computer program versus through an in-person instructor? Here, the independent variable is the type of teaching method (computer program versus in-person instructor), and the dependent variable is the level of learning (such as exam scores). The dependent variable is expected to change as a function of the independent variable, allowing researchers to determine what effect the teaching method has on learning.