Survey: More Teacher Training Needed for Ed Tech Tools

  • By Sara Friedman
  • 10/14/19

While the majority of teachers and administrators recognize that educational technology can accelerate student learning opportunities, a recent survey finds that 39 percent of school staff do not have training or "adequate learning opportunities" to adopt ed tech solutions in the classroom.  The survey from educational hardware provider Promethean provides insights from 1,000 K-12 educators in the United States on their ed tech priorities and challenges.

Sixty-seven percent of administrators believe that boosting engagement in classrooms and their schools is the top priority when it comes to adopting technology. However, budgetary issues and other school priorities are the main reasons that administrators do not invest in teacher training resources.

Chart showing barriers to success in ed tech for administrators

Administrators identify connectivity and hardware issues as other major reasons for why more technology is not getting adopted in schools and districts, and communications with teachers is also barrier. When it comes to educators in the classroom, 77 percent of teachers who use different ed tech tools are not involved in the budgetary decision-making process.

Looking into the future, teachers want to use more technology in the classroom and over 70 percent of teachers see benefits when it comes to student collaborations, personalized learning and project-based learning. Eighty-six percent of teachers are already using interactive technology, such interactive flat panels and white boards, and 53 percent use laptops.

Over the next five years, teachers expect to see adoption grow significantly in five areas:

  • Cloud-based lesson delivery
  • Virtual learning environments
  • Virtual reality devices
  • Handheld mobile devices
  • 3D printers

"Just as the classroom is a collaborative environment for students, teachers and administrators must come together to determine technology's role for their respective schools," said Cheryl Miller, chief marketing officer at Promethean. "Our 2019 State of Technology report is designed to help school systems see the collective challenges districts face when making technology decisions and help them better prioritize their ed tech investments."

The full report is available for download with registration here.

About the Author

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe covering education policy and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


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