Four out of five educators and 86% of parents think classroom technology, such as laptops, video content, and STEM products, are a crucial part of education. These education technology insights come from a new Consumer Technology Association (CTA) study, which included responses from parents and educators of children in preschool through 12th grade.
“A growing number of parents and teachers agree that tech is a powerful tool for education, over a wide range of subjects,” says Lesley Rohrbaugh, director of research, CTA. “Tech is helping children learn at every stage of education – from early language training all the way to mastering STEM concepts.”
Education technology importance
Key findings from the study show nine in 10 parents (92%) and educators (88%) agree students enjoy interacting with technology.
Given tech’s growing trend of anytime/anywhere access, 91% percent of parents and 87% of educators agree tech allows students increased access to education. In addition, 89% of parents and 87% of educators agree tech helps students develop technological skills for the future.
Related: Classroom Technology Fails: What NOT to Do with Education Environments
The study also concluded only 34% of parents and 39% of educators say tech is a distraction for students – a contrast to the high percentage of parents and educators who agree tech is a crucial part of education.
Parents say the tech devices most important in encouraging their child’s learning are:
- Laptops (81%)
- Tablets (77%)
- Web-based software (74%)
- Desktop computers (70%)
- STEM products (67%)
Top education technology used for learning by parents/educators
The top five technologies parents say their children use most frequently (once a week or more) for learning are:
- Video content (82%)
- Mobile phones (76%)
- Tablets (73%)
- Laptops (62%)
- Email (49%)
Educators of preschool through 12th grade indicate the top five technologies they use most frequently in their classrooms are:
- Email (79%)
- Laptops (69%)
- Web-based software (67%)
- Video content (58%)
- Smart boards (56%)
CTA’s Technology in Education: Parent and Educator Use and Sentiment study presents the findings of one online survey of 1,005 parents of children in preschool through grade 12 (fielded July 9-14, 2019) and another online survey of 502 teachers of children in preschool through grade 12 (fielded July 10-17, 2019).
The complete study is available for free for CTA member companies or purchase at CTA.tech/research.
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