BESA (2013) Tablets and apps in schools 2013: Full report. London: BESA.
A survey of teachers in primary and secondary schools and some commercial providers, looking at attitudes to and uptake of tablets in schools in England.
The report summarises the current levels of uptake of tablets, and reports projections of future uptake by 2020. It looks at the key barriers to uptake (funding is the major one in both primary and secondary according to respondents), and preferred organisational and funding models.
These are selective notes - see the Report itself for full info. The report can be purchased from BESA.
Online survey conducted in April 2013. 632 responses from population of 1400 schools in England:
- Primary: Key Stage/ICT/Literacy/Numeracy coordinators
- Secondary: Heads of Department/ICT Manager
Questionnaire re “Prospects for tablet and app use in schools” targeted at ‘Educational Providers’. (p.2)
Key barrier is funding.
By end of 2015 estimated that 24% of all computers for pupils in schools will be Tablets.
Roughly 25% of secondary schools would prefer parents pay for and own tablets.
There has been a shift in expectation from a few per class to 1:1 overall since 2012. Though only 9% of primary respondents and 16% of secondary respondents expected to have implemented a 1:1 strategy by 2015.
“currently pupils are significantly more likely to obtain access to a tablet at home than at school” (p.17)
“There is clear evidence that many students, teachers and managers are recording positive attitudes towards the use of tablet adoption” (p.21)
The proportion of teachers thinking that it is very important to have evidence on the impact of mobile devices in the classroom has decreased in both primary and secondary since 2012:
- Primary from 72% to 70%
- Secondary from 71% to 67%
The responses show a strong shift in favour of BYOT. Though 19% of secondaryrespondents said that they would NOT consider this option. (p.26)