E-Learning, the most popular education purchase
When selecting the technology to implement in training, e-learning is the most frequent choice. Half of schools use e-learning software and online homework portals and 29% is planning to include or modernize the one that they are using.
Game-based learning and mobile apps for training have found their place in 4 out of 10 classrooms, 3 are planing to step up the use of apps in learning and 2 have the intention of fostering gaming in the classroom.
The recent report developed by the CompTIA, (the association that represents the technology and information industry) “The fast changing classroom: Students and educators perspectives about the role of technology” studies the previous and further results of a poll made last September to around 400 educators and learning centers administrators in USA.
Based on the results of the study, as large is the learning center, higher is the implementation of technology. For example, the report expose that from the schools with more than 1000 students 52% use some kind of social media; meanwhile just 1/3 of the schools with between 500-999 students use social platforms.
Despite most of the centers (57%) saying that they do not use social media, the ones who use it prefer Facebook, specially for school communities, communication with parents and student communities.
MOOC’s or flipped classrooms are also more common in the bigger size centers. In general, however, just 23% of those centers confirm they have flipped classrooms and 17% answered they were still testing MOOC’s.
The implementation of technology is not usually decided by educators but administrators (Directors and sub-directors), or the school committee and the IT organization. Based on the report, most of the primary and secondary school teachers say that they are moderated influencers in the process. While parents have very little influence.
The report offers advice to education technology companies to improve their selling approach to the center. Therefore, the technology influencers in the centers will be able to understand better the academic advantages of being able to follow up the students learning process through software s that gather data which can be analyzed afterwards.
This is an option that is in the shopping list of 60% of the teachers, based on the answers. Two more topics appear in those selling conversations: teachers have to be able to participate in documents with the others, the parents and other school systems.; e-learning has to be used to foster a closer contact with students. Both lines were named as attractive benefits for 56% and 52% of the respondents, respectively, specially for those who work in the centers with greater size.
“These tools make easier online homework’s, help to the absent students and make easier the communication between students and teachers”, said Carolyn April, CompTIA industry research manager.
“In many senses, the process of training is reflected in the way companies perform in America.: Remote access, mobility of teachers and students and 24h availability environment every day.