More than 90% of school district leaders across the country say their top priority for education technology is to personalize learning for students, according to a survey from the Center for Digital Education (CDE). About 75% of districts offer blended-learning options, and more educators are expressing concern about student data and privacy issues, according to a study summary article by Senior Contributing Editor Dian Schaffhauser in THE Journal.
In the pursuit of encouraging personalized learning in their districts, the overwhelming majority of respondents reported that they:
- provide software or digital curriculum to classrooms (96%)
- provide computing devices to classrooms (94%)
- provide professional development in personalized learning practices (92%)
Two-thirds of districts (65%) also assess teachers on their implementation of personalized learning practices.
CDE conducts this study every year, inviting public school districts nationwide to participate. This year's survey drew responses from 120 school districts in 24 states, and results were fielded between November 2017 and January 2018.
The top priorities haven’t shifted from the previous year, according to Schaffhauser. While personalized learning topped the list, that was followed in rank order by:
- digital content and curriculum
- professional development and skills training
- mobility
Concern over student data and privacy is inching up, moving from eighth place in the previous survey to sixth place this year. What has dropped is upgrading of the network (moving from fifth place to seventh); online testing (from sixth place to ninth); and Common Core and state standards (from seventh place to eighth).
Training and professional development on technology tackles multiple goals, Schauffhauser writes. The most prevalent are the integration of technology into curriculum and instructional practices (mentioned by 98% of respondents); how to use hardware and software (96%); how to perform administrative functions, such as measuring attendance (93%); and how to get online and on-demand access (90%).
Also, more than 77% districts reported they allow students to take fully online classes for credit. A similar number (76%) offer blended classes in core content areas, and half of respondents said their districts have plans to deliver content online. Click here to read the rest of the study summary article, which contains a link to the full study.