K12 education has witnessed transformational change in the past few years, and education technology is no exception. As a result, both newer and veteran educators alike require sufficient training in order to get comfortable with these tools—at least that’s what they tell us.
NetSupport, an educational and corporate software company, recently surveyed educators in the U.S. and the U.K. to better understand how well-equipped they feel when leveraging edtech in the classroom. Unsurprisingly, many say they require more time and training.
When asked to consider all of the technologies used in their schools and classrooms, nearly one-third (30%) believe there are too many to understand and use efficiently. Another 17% feel there aren’t enough tools to do the best possible job. Additionally:
- 16% say there are enough tools but not the right tools
- 38% believe the available mix of tools is good and are happy with the state of edtech
So what do educators really want for their schools or classrooms? Better funding to purchase more or to enhance edtech products and services, for starters (28%), as well as:
- More training and support on the products their schools are currently using (22%)
- More time to learn and improve on how they can use their school’s technologies (32%)
- Fewer tools and a more simplified approach to using them in the classroom (10%)
- More one-on-one instruction time without technology (8%)
”The responses are once again complex and nuanced, displaying a response to education technology that is not binary,” the survey reads. “Nonetheless, it is insightful that a plurality of educators want time over funding.”
”This may guide school leaders and purchasing and training managers to make more strategic, human-centered investments before prioritizing added solution purchases,” the survey continues.
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Above all, teachers believe they’re responsible for ensuring that edtech tools are effective (34%), followed by 27% who believe it’s up to IT staff or departments and school leaders (27%).
”The key takeaway here is that the purchase of technology needs to have clear evaluative measures,” the survey concludes. “When the qualifications for purchasing technology are specific such as ease of implementation, student data privacy compliance, interoperability, learning outcomes and alignment with standards, then the question is not who made the decision but how the technology will meet student needs. From that point, a watershed of improved utilization and outcomes ensues.”
