[Grammar] they've used / been using a new educational method

[pedro8686]

Hello.
I have an exercise where I have to choose between the present perfect or present perfect continuous.
It's an excerpt from an article. I think it wouldn't be an error to use either of the tenses in these sentences.
What do you think?

"That may sound ridiculous, but for pupils of Wythenden High School in England, it's quite normal to have 15 breaks in a morning. That's because 1) they've used / been using a new educational method called 'spaced learning'. The children 2) have not followed / been following normal lessons of 50 minutes. Instead, 3) they've had / been having short bursts of learning that last only eight minutes. After every eight minutes, the children take a break for ten minutes. They play sport or word games and then start again on their next eight-minute lesson."

 

[BobK]

We don't do homework here, but you may find it useful to consider that the article is all sbout what has been happening at the shool. ;-)

b

 

[pedro8686]

It's not a homework, just my curiosity. I know that the present perfect continuous may fit better. Yet, I'd like to know if the present perfect may also be a correct option in this context, in your opinion.

 

[BobK]

It's impossible to give a blanket 'It's OK'; in some contexts it is.

For example, you take a toaster back to the shop where you bought it, to complain about some malfunction, and the assistant says 'What have been using it for?' You could equally say 'I have been toasting normal slices of bread, every morning since I bought it three weeks ago' or 'I have toasted my breakfast toast....' - the context makes it clear that you are talking about a repeated (daily) action.

b

 

[tzfujimino]

Hello.
May I ask a question here?
If the new method ('spaced learning') is experimental, and it's been being adopted for the "limited duration", would the present perfect continuous be appropriate? If so, all of them (from (1) to (3)) should be in the continuous.
Am I on the right track?

 

[BobK]

:up:

b

 

[pedro8686]

Would the use of the present perfect make any sense in the context from the article then?
Would it mean something different or would it be just uncomprehensible?