K–12 Teachers Want More Input in Ed Tech Tool Selection
There is a discrepancy in the types of educational technology tools that school administrators and teachers select, and teachers want more say, according to the results of a survey that ed tech company Clever conducted with 1,500 administrators and educators at the end of 2021.
Clever discovered:
K–12 Teachers Feel Left Out of Ed Tech Selection
Survey results found that teachers and administrators do not agree on how much involvement teachers have in the ed tech selection process. Despite 85 percent of administrators stating that their teachers are frequently or sometimes involved in choosing ed tech, 60 percent of teachers say they are rarely or never involved in the process.
The impact can be seen in how teachers and administrators view the quality of their ed tech; 85 percent of administrators believe their district has high-quality tools, while only 68 percent of teachers share this view.
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Teachers Trust Their Peers' Opinions on Digital Tools
The report found another deviation between the two groups. More than half of administrators believe teachers spend less than an hour each week researching digital tools. However, one-fourth of high school teachers report spending three or more hours each week.
And even though 74 percent of teachers express satisfaction with the tools their districts offer, 46 percent say they often supplement with their own tools. Others do not rely on the district to identify new ed tech tools; instead, 44 percent of teachers surveyed say they see other teachers as their most trusted source for finding new digital tools.
Consensus Reached on Ed Tech Use
Despite disagreeing on some key issues about ed tech selection, teachers and administrators shared a similar view on the best use of ed tech in the classroom. The two groups agree there is value in using ed tech that supports student engagement and allows students to work at their own pace.
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