The role of technology in the classroom has grown significantly over the past few years, but it hasn’t always been clear where edtech sits within schools’ wider priorities.
In the recently-published State of Technology in Education Report 2021, it was revealed that 74% of respondents identified technology as a priority in their school – an increase of 8% from 2019. In this blog post, we’re going to explore the prioritisation of technology in more detail and consider how schools can account for education technology more specifically in their strategies.
How edtech fits into school strategy
The State of Technology in Education Report 2021 shows that 70% of teachers believe technology is a priority for their school, compared to that of 82% of Senior Management Team (SMT) members and 86% of IT managers.
Looking back at the results from the 2019 report, only 58% of teachers believed this to be the case, as did 77% of SMT members and 82% of IT managers. So, whilst technology in schools seems to be rising up the priority list, teachers still seem to see it as less of a priority than SMT members and IT managers.
To help understand how edtech fits into a school’s overall strategy, the impact can be categorised into three key areas:
- Lessons – often the first consideration for new edtech investments, teachers will benefit from understanding how technology is expected to make a difference in the classroom; whether it’s boosting attainment, enhancing engagement or even improving behaviour.
- Wider school life – edtech can streamline common processes throughout school life, such as cloud-based information management (think about student attendance records or attainment information) and resource sharing between teachers and departments.
- School infrastructure – prioritising infrastructural improvements such as high-quality internet and online safety measures can make a big difference in schools, even if these improvements aren’t as visible as others.
It’s undoubtedly positive that more schools are prioritising technology – and by thinking about these three areas, school leaders can make objectives even clearer to staff and help to align everybody with their strategic vision.
For more insights on schools’ strategic priorities, download your free copy of the State of Technology in Education Report 2021 by visiting: www.prometheanworld.com/au/stateoftechined/