Research

SETDA: More States Supporting Digital Shift in Ed

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 06/05/19

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.