Classroom Technology: Turning Our Kids Into Nerds

A look at perceptions regarding the problems and possibilities of technology in the classroom.

How We See Technology

Parents:

• 83% of parents say that effective implentation of technology is important to their child's success.
• 50% label it as extremely important.
• 64% say that their child's school is doing a good job of using technology to enhance student achievement.

Teachers:

• 92% use the internet to access content, resources, and materials.
• 69% use the internet to share ideas with other teachers.
• 67% use the internet to interact with parents.
• 57% use the internet to interact with students.
• 62% feel their school does a good job supporting their efforts to bring digital tools into the learning process.
• 68% say their schools provide formal training in this area.

BYOT: Bring Your Own Technology

50% of school district administrators say their education budgets for technology have decreased in the past three years YET 52% say their district continues to enforce a "No Personal Electronic Device Allowed At School" policy for students.

Major concerns of principals polled regarding the BYOT policy:

• Device theft (50%)
• Network security (45%)
• Digital equity (43%)
• Teacher training (43%)
• Distraction (40%)
• Internet safety (39%)

The Conseqences of Device-Oriented Learning

According to parents:

• Improves teachers' skills with technology (23%)
• Increases teacher productivity (27%)
• Improves home to school communication (43%)
• Personalizes learning (45%)
• Extends the learning day (52%)
• Increases student engagement (55%)
• Provides access to online textbooks (58%)

According to teachers:

• Search engines have conditioned students to expect to be able to find information quickly and easily (76%)
• The amount of information available online is overwhelming to students (76%)
• Today's digital technologies discourage students from finding and using a wide range of sources for research (71%)
• Today's digital technologies make it harder for students to find and use credible sources of information (60%)

The Widening Digital Divide Among Students

54% of teachers say students have good access to digital technology at school AND 84% agree that digital technologies are leading to greater disparities betwee affluent and disadvantaged schools and districs.

Teachers of high income students:

• 70% say their school does a good job providing teachers with the resources and support they need to incorporate digital tools into the classroom.
• 73% receive formal training in device usage.
• 21% say that a lack of resources among students to access digital technologies is a "major challenge" to incorporating more digital tools into their classroom.

Teachers of low income students:

• 50% say their school does a good job providing teachers with the resources and support they need to incorporate digital tools into the classroom.
• 60% receive formal training in device usage.
• 56% say that a lack of resources among students to access digital technologies is a "major challenge" to incorporating more digital tools into their classroom.