Dive Brief:

• According to a new survey from Project Tomorrow and Blackboard, nine out 10 surveyed administrators said using technology as part of instruction is important to students’ education.
• Around 78% of parents surveyed said that regular use of technology in classes was the best way to prepare students for the skills they’d need in college and career.
• A third of school principals said a lack of teacher training in using technology as part of instruction was impairing their ability to implement more groundbreaking practices.

Dive Insight:

In addition to teacher training, the survey uncovered an interesting set of challenges for school leaders hoping to put in place new tech-driven instructional practices. One key issue that districts are grappling with is how to tell if the digital tools and content they’re using are of high quality. Some organizations and districts have begun to develop lists of high-quality tools and provide teachers with informed guidance on best practices and finding what works.

Still the survey found that 47% of principals had delayed implementing new models due to concerns about the quality of their digital tools.

As for how to tell if the tools are fulfilling their intended purpose, nearly 75% of principals looked at how engaged students were when using them. Over half observed classrooms and lessons in order to assess teacher buy-in and use, and 45% assessed how well students were progressing toward being college and career ready. Leaders said teachers’ views on technology and their familiarity with it are key to implementing innovative models well.

Recommended Reading

eSchool News: 5 reasons schools aren’t using more innovative classroom models