Blog #5: Statistics, Statistics, Statistics!
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| Photo courtesy of www.tomorrow.org 'Project Tomorrow' |
I dove in to a highly regarded Speak Up statistics firm. Digital learning is something that is relatively new to the front line of education. I have been trying to find out more information about implement digital learning into my classroom. I believe that digital learning can allow students to become more self sufficient and add different levels of differentiation to every single student. In my class of 25, I will always look for different ways to reach individual ability levels of as many students as possible! While I was reading the 2016 Digital Learning Reports from Blackboard and Speak Up, I came across some very interesting statistics that made be feel a little more assured that I wasn't alone in the fight to find ways to implement digital learning in my daily classroom operation.
According to this report, 55% of teachers say they use technology to encourage self monitoring. 50% of teachers say they use technology to differentiate instruction and examine performance trends. 51% percent of administrators see the path to reaching their goals as implementing technology in the classroom as a major tool.
I was a little concerned that only half of teachers feel the same way I do. I use STAR assessment to progress monitor my students in Reading and Math. This tool is one of the most beneficial ways to assess my students constantly to see their ability level. I couldn't imagine finding the time in the day/week to progress monitor my students, grade it, and then interpret the results. I also feel that it is 2017, and I become more concerned that more teachers aren't moving towards a digital learning classroom. I am equally surprised that more administrators do not see the importance of using technology as a primary tool in the classroom. Standards are only becoming more challenging, and it is important that teachers and administrators adapt accordingly. By implementing digital learning in classrooms, we will be able to utilize the classroom time more efficiently AND we will be able to reach more students on their specific level.
Technology not only allows for creativity but as you mention in your post can be used to boost our productivity. We are fortunate that we have tools available like the STAR assessment to help drive our instruction. Technology's place and use in education continues to grow. It will be interesting next year at this time to look again and see if the % of teachers using technology in the ways you've mentioned have increased.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the statistics are what they are currently due to the fact that there are still many "mature (meaning age and years teaching) teachers' still in the classroom. This can also include administrators. Our education system is in a state of transition from the old way of doing things to the ever changing world of technology. That change can be difficult to embrace if you lack the confidence in using technology, as well as, if you are part of a school system that does not provide the proper support and training that some educators main need.
ReplyDeleteI feel like maybe there are some ed tech innovations that are really beneficial to teachers that are comfortable using them, but to another teacher it would only complicate the process. (Google Classroom comes to mind, as something some teachers find very useful but other teachers wouldn't touch unless you forced them.) But I definitely see those statistical percentages changing as teacher demographics change and more of the workforce is made up of teachers that have spent their whole careers (and lives for that matter) incorporating technology on a daily basis.
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