What is the state of Ed 2.0?
Lightspeed Systems and netTrekker recently sponsored a survey to determine which Ed 2.0 tools schools are using and why. You can download the full report (Safe Schools in Web 2.0 World), but I’d like to share a few key findings here.
The most often cited reasons for adopting Web 2.0 technologies were:
- learning needs,
- engaging student interest, and
- increasing students’ options for access to teaching and learning.
Districts are at different stages of use and adoption of different Web 2.0 technologies. Several examples follow.
Online communication with parents and students and multimedia resources are used by many teachers, and most districts have plans/policies that promote their use. Use of video and incorporation of media are frequent occurrences in large districts.
Teacher-generated online content is used by a significant number of teachers. Almost half of the districts have plans/policies that promote the use of this technology, and more districts are considering their plans/policies related to it. Based on this, it seems likely that teacher-generated online content will be an important area of growth. District technology leaders value sharing of teacher-generated online content as a way of sharing expertise and not having to constantly “reinvent the wheel.”
Student use of virtual learning environments (including online courses) was uncommon on the part of teachers in most districts. Almost half of the districts reported that very few or no teachers use this technology, while only one-fourth of the districts indicated that about half or more of their teachers currently use it. However, more than one-third of the districts have plans/policies that promote the use of this technology, and more districts are considering their plans/policies related to it. Based on this, it seems likely that student use of virtual learning environments will be an area of growth.
Online social networking as part of instruction is used by very few teachers, and many districts’ policies don’t allow use of this technology. Key barriers to adoption appear to be:
- lack of teacher knowledge/professional development,
- concerns about student safety and security,
- lack of time, and
- insufficient access to technology.
You can access the full report here.
Hope this information helps frame the issue for you. Anything too surprising?
Joel
This entry was posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 5:00 am and is filed under 21st Century Learning, Ed 2.0, Policy Research. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
