More middle- and secondary-school teachers are using digital tools in their classrooms and professional lives, a new report says. A study by Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project released Thursday delves into teachers' increasing technology use, but also expresses educators' concerns about the digital divide.
The study surveyed Advance Placement and National Writing Project teachers across the United States, and 92% say the Internet has a "major impact" on their ability to access content, resources and materials for teaching. Teachers are becoming advanced tech users, according to Kristen Purcell, Pew's associate director for research.
"The findings bode well for people who really want to see these tools become a part of the educational sphere," Purcell tells Mashable.
Use of mobile technology dominates the learning process, the study finds. Seventy-three percent of teachers say that they or their students use cellphones in the classroom or to complete assignments. Nearly half of respondents use e-readers and tablets for teaching.
Not only are educators using devices in the classroom, but they outpace typical online adults when it comes to personal tech use. Fifty-eight percent of teachers surveyed have a smartphone, compared to 48% of all American adults, and they're more likely to use social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. There are differences, however, across subjects. English teachers will use these networks more than their math-teaching colleagues.
Teachers as professionals are always in the position of sharing, which accounts for their higher use of new technology, according to Linda Burch, co-founder at Common Sense Media.
"Teachers are really active sharers and connectors from time immemorial," Burch says.
"They're people who like to gain knowledge from others and in digital literacy, teachers are the best evangelists. They want to understand how to improve their practice."
They're also in a position to keep up with their students, and work to bring familiar tools into their classroom in creative and engaging ways. Sixty-four percent of teachers under 35 describe themselves as "very confident" with new technologies, compared to 44% who are 55 and older. Still, 42% say their students know more than they do when it comes to digital tools.
Schools embracing tech changes the learning landscape for students of all ages. While it allows teachers to personalize lessons to individual students, letting them to learn at their own pace, it poses challenges to teachers and parents. How can both group gauge what apps, sites and devices are beneficial for children?
Blending teacher-student face-time with media-rich components is important, Burch says. Digital skills are necessary for students in the 21st century, but they need to know how to use them responsibly, she adds. This creates room for more "digital citizen" curricula that stress ethical use of technologies.
Pew's study highlights a notable find within teachers' Internet use. A majority of educators use the same tools they discourage students from using, such as Wikipedia. Ninety-nine percent of teachers use search engines, and 87% look to Wikipedia for information online.
While the report highlights educators' increasing comfort and familiarity with these tools, 84% of teachers agree that technology is leading to greater disparities between affluent and disadvantaged schools. Those with low-income students are much less likely to use digital tools. To further emphasize the divide, 15% of teachers whose students come from upper-income households say their school is "behind the curve" in digital learning, compared to 39% with low-income students.
Policymakers and educators have rehashed the conversation around digital access time and again. One superintendent in Mooresville, N.C. used technology initiatives to dramatically increase his schools' performance levels. After a five-year period of incorporating digital resources, Mark Edwards witnessed a large jump in graduation rates, with an increase from 52% to 95% among African-American students.
Although his district ranked 108 out of 115 in funding, they claimed the number-two spot in the state for overall graduation rates. The district repurposed their funding to provide a laptop for each student in fourth through twelfth grade. A thick, paper textbook is hard to come by in Edwards' schools, and most classrooms moved from print to e-books in the last four years.
The key, Edwards says, is clear communication and collaboration between students, teachers and parents.
Teachers go through technology training eight times a year, as well as sessions during the summer. Similarly, the majority of respondents in the Pew study indicated they were satisfied with guidance provided by their schools. However, access and funding still come into play; 50% of educators from low-income schools are least positive about their training, compared to 70% from high-income schools who feel their institutions do a "good job."
While the report finds that most Advance Placement and National Writing Project teachers are digitally savvy, the statistics aren't reflected across the board. Rebecca Levey, a mother with children attending a New York City school, says the majority of teachers hardly implement tech in the classroom. When digital tools are used, they're primarily for research purposes, and don't stray too far from use of a Smart Board.
"All these things people talking about, how you can individualize lessons with the kids — that's not happening," Levey says. "They're just supplements to add bells and whistles and a little bit of in-depth research. It’s hard because at our school, I wish they were teaching real computer skills. Certainly by fifth grade, kids could be learning basic HTML and CSS instead of playing games and using a word processor. The real access isn't to the tools themselves but the learning associated with it. It's a huge problem."
At her daughters' school, some teachers use Twitter, emails and blogs to keep parents connected, but most aren't bringing technology to the table. The school has two laptop carts with 30 laptops for students to use, and teachers received an iPad each. But the tablets aren't used in the classroom, Levey says, and the funding could have been allocated to more devices for students.
"There's lack of training, lack of money for professional development," she explains. "There’s a constant conversation trying to solve these issues."
What do you think of the study's findings? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Image via iStockphoto, Nasowas
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