Teachers' Use of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: 2009

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This First Look report presents data from a spring 2009 teacher Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) survey on the availability and use of educational technology. This includes information on the use of computers and Internet access in the classroom; availability and use of computing devices, software, and school or district networks (including remote access) by teachers; students' use of educational technology; teachers’ preparation to use educational technology for instruction; and technology-related professional development activities. Findings include:

* Ninety-seven percent of teachers had one or more computers located in the classroom every day, while 54 percent could bring computers into the classroom. Internet access was available for 93 percent of the computers located in the classroom every day and for 96 percent of the computers that could be brought into the classroom. The ratio of students to computers in the classroom every day was 5.3 to 1.

* Teachers indicated that a system on their school or district network was available for entering or viewing the following: grades (94 percent), attendance records (93 percent), and results of student assessments (90 percent). Of the teachers with one of these systems available, the percent using it sometimes or often was 92 percent (grades), 90 percent (attendance records), and 75 percent (student assessments).

* Some differences were found between low and high poverty schools for the percent of teachers who sometimes or often did the following (low and high poverty schools are based on the percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch of less than 35 percent and 75 percent or more, respectively). For instance, a higher percentage of teachers in low poverty schools than in high poverty schools used email or list-serve to send out group updates or information to parents (69 percent compared to 39 percent) or to students (30 percent compared to 17 percent), used email to address individual concerns with parents (92 percent compared to 48 percent) or with students (38 percent compared to 19 percent), and used a course or teacher web page to communicate with parents (47 percent compared to 30 percent) or with students (36 percent compared to 18 percent).