While challenges like teacher burnout and student social-emotional needs abound, schools are looking to high-tech tools to ease the burden
Promethean released its annual State of Technology in Education report, a survey of 1,700 U.S. educators offering a snapshot of current trends, as well as a glimpse at what the future holds. This year’s report, which includes student insights for the first time, highlights a host of new challenges for K-12 schools, but found that respondents believe technology holds the key to solving even the most entrenched problems.
According to survey findings, educators put social-emotional learning (SEL) as one of their school’s top priorities, likely due to students still dealing with the fallout from pandemic disruptions. Two-thirds of respondents said their school is implementing SEL measures to tackle these issues, and 70% said technology is a good tool for providing the experiential learning and connections that students need to thrive.
The report also sheds light on the growing problem of staff shortages, which have plagued many schools as teachers quit, retire, or decide to change careers. More than half of educators said they’ve had to take on a heavier workload because of inadequate staffing levels. But despite the hardships, two-thirds say their school’s leadership is providing effective support, and 99% see technology as an essential tool that can help make their jobs easier.
The addition of students in this year’s survey added another layer to the report, offering insights into how effective teachers and schools have been at handling students’ academic and social needs. Educators will be pleased to learn that 78% of students say their teachers make them happy, and 84% say their teachers work hard. Students overwhelmingly believe technology makes their lessons more interesting and enjoyable (96%), and the vast majority of students also feel that it helps them understand their lessons better, focus on their work, and connect with their peers.
“This year’s report shines a light on some of the biggest challenges facing teachers, IT administrators, and school leaders as they try to help students recover from the learning loss and social-emotional stresses of the past couple years,” said Jennifer Foreman, chief marketing officer at Promethean. “While there are still challenges to overcome, there’s so much hope for the future of education and dedication from administrators and teachers to get their schools back on track. As a leader in edtech, Promethean is working alongside these educators to build the tools they need to succeed.”
Click here to read the full State of Technology in Education Report 2022/23.