Teachers’ Readiness to Change Instructional Practices is Top Challenge to Implementing Educational Technology

Motivating teachers to change their traditional instructional practices remains the top challenge cited by school technology leaders to implementing digital learning or expanding technology use in schools, according to a new report released today by Blackboard and tomorrow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Project Tomorrow.

More than 38,000 teachers, 29,000 parents of school-aged children, and 4,500 administrators from K-12 districts across the nation shared their views on these issues as part of the Speak Up 2016 Research Project for Digital Learning. The new report from Blackboard on the findings, Trends in Digital Learning:  Building teachers’ capacity and competency to create new learning experiences for students, was released at ISTE 2017.

Key findings from this year’s digital learning trends report:    

• Two-thirds of parents in all types of communities (urban, rural and suburban) say that the effective use of technology within the classroom provides a significant way for their child to develop college and career ready skills.  
• Technology leaders (67%) say that the greatest challenge they face in implementing digital learning or expanding technology use is motivating teachers to change their traditional instructional practices to use technology more meaningfully with students. 
• Teachers in blended learning classrooms are setting a new bar for transforming learning using technology. For example, 68% report that with the use of technology in their classroom they are better able to differentiate instruction for their students.
• Teachers who have experienced online and blended classes for their own professional learning demonstrate advanced uses of technology with their own students, have stronger valuations on the role of technology within learning, and higher aspirations for leveraging technology to support transformed learning environments.
• Teachers identified five essential elements that they need to effectively and efficiently integrate digital content, tools and resources into daily instruction in their classroom:  planning time, access to technology in the classroom, technology support, professional development and consistent, high quality Internet connectivity.