In the 2019 State of Technology in Education Report, we discovered that just 7% of teachers believed that they receive full training and support when it comes to using education technology. Now, after a challenging year in which technology became even more central to lesson delivery, we believe it’s important to consider whether opinions on staff training have changed.
When asked whether staff receive full training and support for edtech, the State of Technology in Education Report 2021 shows that:
- 2% of teachers agreed, down 5% from 2019
- 24% of Senior Management Team (SMT) members agreed, up 9% from 2019
- 14% of IT managers agreed, up 9% from 2019
While teachers are less confident in the training that staff are receiving, SMT members and IT managers believe that the situation has improved, pointing to a growing divide in recognition regarding staff training. That said, it is worth noting that only significant minorities across each group think that staff receive full training and support, so there is a general recognition of the problem.
How schools can address the teacher training deficit
Giving staff the training and support they need isn’t always easy, but schools can take a big step forward by keeping these three factors in mind:
- Communication
The easiest way to get a better idea of the support that staff need is by asking. It might be training for specific classroom solutions such as a new front-of-class display, or it could be more general support in improving digital literacy, but the best way to find out is simply to ask the question. Once school leaders know what teachers need, it’s much easier to arrange relevant and effective training.
- Respect teachers’ time
Of those that have access to technology but choose not to use it in their lesson delivery, 35% said that they don’t have the time to learn how to get the most from it. When making training available, school leaders should try to ensure it doesn’t add to teachers’ schedules or workloads wherever possible, as this reduces the viability of the sessions.
- Take advantage of free resources
Some edtech companies make free training and support resources available to help teachers develop the skills and confidence to use their solutions. One example is Promethean’s LearnPromethean platform, which gives teachers free access to online training videos, tech-specific advice and best practice guides.
Addressing the teacher training deficit doesn’t come without a challenge, but it is absolutely vital for maximising effective edtech adoption. By reducing the impact of this barrier to edtech usage, schools will gain more value from their edtech investments and improve outcomes for students and teachers alike.
For more staff training insights, download your free copy of the State of Technology in Education Report 2021 by visiting: www.prometheanworld.com/au/stateoftechined