Technology and Effective Teaching Report

This just out: a tidy, four-page report titled, "Technology and Effective Teaching," from the Gates Foundation. (PDF) Based on a survey of 400 teachers from across the U.S., the report found that 67% of teachers use technology in every class and 85% use it every day. Their goals are clear--to help their students learn--but they remain skeptical "because there is little, widely accepted proof that technology tools provide real value for student learning." Sixty-nine percent say the biggest barrier to using technology is access to computers, followed closely by those who say they aren't yet comfortable with the technology and that they lack time for planning. Most of those who are not using technology are making a strong statement: while only 20% of the teachers interviewed said they felt technology should not be used in the classroom, 15% "strongly agreed" with the statement. Loud message to edtech developers: teachers feel that developers should do a better job of "understanding and respecting the reality that teachers face."