Report: Ed Tech Aids Learning and Eases Student and Staffing Issues
- By Kate Lucariello
- 04/04/23
The adoption of technology could facilitate student learning and social interaction. It could also ease the burdens on educators from staff shortages, according to a new report, "The U.S. State of Technology in Education," from Promethean.
Based on responses from over 1,742 educators and 50 students across the country, the report focuses on four key areas: social-emotional learning (SEL), staffing shortages, the future of education, and the student experience. Far from a post-pandemic hoped-for recovery, shortages due to retirement and other factors have shifted more burden on remaining educators, many who are suffering burnout. Ed tech may effectively address problems in these four areas, responses indicate.
Key findings in SEL and staffing issues:
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67% of all respondents say SEL is a priority or top priority in their school, but 24% say achievement is prioritized instead.
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92% of students say technology helps them connect with their peers.
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70% of all respondents say technology is good for experiential and immersive learning and for connecting with the world. More than half agree it is also good for collaborative learning, engaging students, and helping with student behavior and SEL needs.
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57% of teachers and staff have had to take on a greater workload.
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70% say schools expect educators to work around these problems.
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59% say ed tech improves their teaching quality, 53% say it aids lesson planning, and 52% say it aids lesson delivery.
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80% say their confidence in using ed tech has increased significantly, increased somewhat, or stayed the same.
The overall conclusion in these two areas is that technology promotes and enhances both SEL and learning, and schools would do well to adopt ed tech and training that facilitates it and eases the burdens on educators.
As for the type of ed tech, online content and front-of-class technology are the most popular and helpful teaching and SEL tools, respondents say. The recent explosion of AI is being felt in education, as teachers and staff are getting more comfortable using it. More than half of respondents believe that In the next three years, the “digital fluency” of both educators and students will improve. Of the most pressing issues facing education today, 32% feel tech access and digital equity are most important, with infrastructure to provide internet connectivity being key.
Finally, 90% of students acknowledge their teachers work hard to keep up with technology and provide quality education, but 60% wish for more interesting lessons and see technology as a way to facilitate this — if only their schools could provide it.
To read the full report, visit Promethean’s download page.
About the Author
Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.