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Is that Angry Birds?

How are teachers really using technology with children?

After reading the first technology tidbits from our *survey you know what types of tech teachers and children are using and you know how often, but what about what they’re doing with that tech?

We asked teachers to consider a typical week in their class and describe how a child uses technology:

• 35% indicated a balance of ½ teacher-directed and ½ child-initiated learning activities.
• 28% reported mostly child-initiated, with some time for teacher-directed learning activities
• 23% said mostly teacher-directed activities with some time for child-initiated learning activities
• Less than 10% said they used technology only for teacher-controlled activities, and less than 10% said they use it only for child-initiated activities.

But you haven’t heard the worrisome part yet. Of the 230+ teachers who have interactive technology in their classrooms, less than half of them usually include that tech in their lesson plans!

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“The children enjoy it.” Real reasons why are teachers using technology with children …

We wanted to find out why teachers and administrators choose to use technology in their programs, so we asked.

A majority of teachers (80%) and administrators (69%) chose the reason “The children enjoy it.” After that, about half (54% teachers; 48% of administrators) reported, “Technology helps children meet the goals of the program” as their main reason for using technology.

When asked about specific purposes for using technology in early education, teachers revealed that technology helps them address particular needs in their program related to diversity and assessment.

• More than ¾ of teachers and administrators told us that technology is being used in their programs for progress monitoring.

• 60% of teachers report they are using technology to support dual language learners, and 54% of directors agree.

• 65% are using technology with children who have special needs and 69% of directors believe that technology is being used for children with special needs in their program.

What are your reasons for using technology? Are we missing how and why you use technology?

 

Tell us more! Complete the second questionnaire in our series, and sign up to receive more of these tantalizing Technology Tidbits by email! The survey is brief and signing up for Technology Tidbits from the Early Childhood Today Survey Series is optional!

* You can read more about the data collected in this survey here.