SETDA: More States Supporting Digital Shift in Ed

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 06/05/19
digital textbooks

For the last five years SETDA, the State Education Technology Directors Association, has monitored how well schools and districts have weathered the transition to digital learning. Today, the organization released its latest snapshot of those efforts, finding that the number of states with definitions, guidance and policies supporting the use of digital instructional materials and resources "continues to increase annually."

"Navigating the Digital Shift 2019: Equitable Opportunities for All Learners" explores the optimal conditions for effective teaching and learning in a digital environment while profiling the work of exemplar schools that have taken various routes to implementation.

For example, in a survey of state activities, SETDA found that in the area of professional development, 25 states provide technical assistance to schools to support the implementation of accessible educational materials; 22 give educators professional learning on how to select "high quality" digital curriculum; 20 help teachers learn how to implement digital content; 16 work with teachers to support development of open education resources; and 14 help them share their OER.

The new report, said Elizabeth James, Idaho's curricular materials coordinator, "provides insight on key aspects of quality digital instructional materials that should be at the forefront of all evaluative processes." Equitable access to digital resources, she added, "can make an enormous difference in what and how students learn."

The report is openly available on the SETDA website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • open book with glowing AI-generated text, images, and diagrams

    AI Can Help Educators Avoid the Mistakes of the Past or Repeat Them

    Generative AI is already shaping the future of education, but its true potential is only beginning to unfold.

  • three main icons—a cloud, a user profile, and a padlock—connected by circuit lines on a blue abstract background

    Identity Has Become a Critical Security Perimeter for Cloud Services

    A new threat landscape report from Fortinet points to new cloud vulnerabilities. According to the company's 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report, while misconfigured cloud storage buckets were once a prime vector for cybersecurity exploits, other cloud missteps are gaining focus.

  • pattern of icons for math and reading, including a pi symbol, calculator, and open book

    HMH Launches Personalized Path Solution

    Adaptive learning company HMH has introduced HMH Personalized Path, a K-8 ELA and math product that combines intervention curriculum, adaptive practice, and assessment for students of all achievement levels.

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Leveraging AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are utilizing some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.