What Do Low-Income Parents Think of Education Tech? [#Infographic]
When it comes to providing access to technology, many experts are concerned about the digital divide between high-income and low-income students, particularly in the home.
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center, an independent research lab (and part of the Sesame Workshop) that focuses on the challenges of education in the changing world, researched how the parents of these low-income students feel about technology.
Overwhelmingly, 80 percent of the parents surveyed indicate that they believe tech in the classroom could improve their children’s education. Most of these parents also say that their kids are using technology at school frequently, with 30 percent saying every day and 37 percent saying a few times a week.
Though these parents understand the benefits of classroom technology, the survey indicates that they worry their kids will be exposed to inappropriate online content, be bullied or spend time using devices instead of receiving instruction.
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center suggests that educators:
- Show parents how tech use enhances teachers’ capabilities instead of limiting their purpose.
- Demonstrate to parents the opportunities that classroom tech provides students, and give them ideas for supporting that learning at home.
- Be partners with parents to ensure that students are protected from harm online.
For more from the survey, take a look at the infographic below.
