4 key digital learning developments

The 2014 survey focuses on key areas that drive digital learning and innovation in classrooms.

Mobile learning and digital equity

“The issue of digital equity and access, particularly in terms of out of school access to the internet, is top of mind for many education leaders today,” according to the report.

Forty-seven percent of surveyed school and district technology leaders said digital equity and students’ out-of-school internet access are among their most challenging issues this year.

Regular access to technology continues to be a main focus, too. Thirteen percent of surveyed high school students and 21 percent of surveyed middle school students said they have no regular access to technology in schools.

“Today, as many as 7 in 10 teachers assign homework that requires access to the internet and broadband,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC Commissioner, at the Congressional briefing. As many as 1 in 3 households in this country do not subscribe to broadband. Where they overlap is what I call the ‘homework gap.’ Nearly half of all educational technology leaders are concerned about student access to the internet outside of school. Their concern is spot-on.”

According to Pew Research Center statistics released in April 2015, Rosenworcel said, “the homework gap is real. There are 5 million households of the 29 million households in this country with school-aged children, that are falling into this gap and do not have access to broadband at home.”

Though many reports cite data indicating that low-income students report access to smartphones, more must be done, she said, especially because of the growing number of jobs that require digital skill.

“A phone is just now how you want to further your education. We can do better than this. After all, we need to,” she said. “School-aged kids without broadband at home are not only unable to complete their homework–they enter the workforce with a serious skills gap.”

Blended learning

Forty-five percent of surveyed district administrators said district blended learning programs are showing positive results.

While only 25 percent of surveyed students said they are currently involved in a blended learning environment (25 percent of surveyed students in grades 6-8 and 23 percent of surveyed students in grades 9-12), those students indicated that blended learning: