Page 34 - THE Journal, June/July 2017

EDTECHInsider By David Nagel & Project Tomorrow
First-Year Teachers More Confident in Tech but Use It Less Than Experienced Teachers
New data from a survey of more than 37,000 educators revealed that first-year teachers aren’t using tech in the classroom as much as their more experienced colleagues even though they have a higher opinion of their own technological abilities.
The data, released by Project Tomorrow as part of its annual Speak Up survey, showed that compared with teachers who have been working 11 or more years in the field, first-year educators are less likely to:
Use gaming in the classroom (56 percent of first years versus 60 percent of more experienced teachers);
“Review data reports on student achievement and perfor- mance” (51 percent versus 59 percent);
“Facilitate student collaborative projects using online tools” (35 percent versus 45 percent);
“Use an online curriculum with my students” (26 percent versus 33 percent);
“Create investigations for my students using digital tools or scientific instrumentation” (24 percent versus 31 percent); “Create videos of my lectures or lessons for students to watch” (16 percent versus 18 percent); and
“Engage in online professional communities” (14 percent
versus 24 percent).
The one category where first years outdid more experienced
teachers was “Customize digital content I find online to meet my class needs” (50 percent versus 47 percent).
Thirty-four percent of first-year teachers rate their tech skills as “advanced” versus 27 percent of educators who have been working in the field for 11 or more years.
The new data, along with an infographic, can be accessed on Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up site: tomorrow.org/speakup/.
David Nagel is editor-in-chief of THE Journal.
Teachers in both groups shared similar interests in their
top choices for professional development topics.
Which of these topics are on your wish list for professional development this year? (Top five choices of first-year teachers)
Classroom Models
78%
16%
6%
78% were in traditional classroom settings 16% were in a blended class environment 6% were in other classroom models
Source: Speak Up Research Project for Digital Learning, 2016 Findings - the results of the au- thentic, unfiltered views of 514,351 K–12 students, parents, and educators from around the world
1ST YEAR
11+ YEARS
Using education games within instruction
58%
47%
Using technology to differentiate instruction
56%
52%
Using technology tools for formative assessment
Using mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks) within instruction
40%
33%
39%
37%
Understanding how to use student data to improve teaching practices and student learning experiences
33%
24%
Compared to their more experienced peers, first- year teachers reported greater confidence in their own technology skills.
How would you rate your technology skills?
Advanced - My skills are more advanced than most adults I know
1ST YEAR
11+ YEARS
34%
27%
Average - My skills are similar to those of the adults I know
63%
69%
Beginner - I’m just learning to use technology tools
3%
5%
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| JUNE/JULY 2017