The Learning Counsel Releases the Results of its 2018 National Digital Curriculum Strategy Survey
Schools and districts spent $2.5 billion more on digital resources than paper in 2018
SACRAMENTO, Dec. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Learning Counsel today released the results of its fifth annual survey of school and district digital curriculum strategy and transformation. A total of 406 K–12 U.S. schools and districts responded to the national survey, which showed the largest barriers for transitioning are 1) inadequate budget; 2) digital curriculum training; and 3) no teacher transition professional development (for adapting teaching.)
Top take-aways include:
- There are many tech pain points that schools are now aware of showing up in the survey because most schools are past the stage of handing out computers or tablets and fully into the details of what software applications to use and what professional development needs to be done with teachers.
- The leading innovator schools and districts are already into the serious task of organizational change, which has deep meaning for what comes next in tech for schools.
- Indications from the survey are that schools and districts are maturing rapidly to leverage digital curriculum and aiming at true personalization through technology.
Spending on all hardware, networks, and major system software totaled an estimated $16.6 billion in 2018. Overall, the sector was less aggressive buying mobile devices for students. 60% of schools have issued computing devices, either tablets or laptops, most commonly in grades 2–12. Many schools cite that they have issued devices only in some of their high schools, some only in some of their middle schools, and some only with pilots within one grade. Many expect to build out full coverage over the next several years: 62% of respondents expect their purchase of digital curriculum to increase.
Digital curriculum spending stood at $10.5 billion in 2018, versus $7.7 billion for paper resources, totaling $18.2 billion for all instructional resources.
The most common digital issue that respondents cited they see expressed by teachers is "too much testing." Meanwhile, 36% of teachers now use digital content 80–100% of the time for classwork. This does not necessarily mean all screen learning—it includes the use of lesson plans and digital learning objects that are accessed at will by students during live teaching, along with text and email communications between teachers and students. 75% of respondents cited that only 20% of the day is individual screen learning.
20% of teachers are spending upwards of 4–10 hours a week searching for digital lesson resources now, significantly down from 75% just two years ago. This is a sign that schools are purchasing more content libraries and courseware directly, thus reducing random search needs of teachers and their workload. 26% of teachers still spend 4–10 hours a week building digital lessons.
Of those districts currently foregoing using a learning management system (LMS), 45% cite that their "Office Suites provide enough function." Another 10% cite their using a single sign-on solution is enough function for them.
When it comes to paying for resources, 48% of schools have as little as 25% of their digital resources that were free to obtain (either found on the internet or created), with as much as 75% being paid. No respondents are using all free digital content.
Schools have yet to transition to different teaching and learning models. At elementary, middle, and high schools the most common model of instruction is still whole-group, and the second is small-group. Upwards of 67% of schools at all grade levels offer moveable furniture so that spaces are highly adaptable to learning staging of different types, among other new innovations.
About the Learning Counsel
The Learning Counsel is a mission-based organization focused on helping education professionals in the K-12 sector gain research and context on the shift to digital curriculum. For more information, please visit TheLearningCounsel.com.
Press contact:
Doug Cauthen, Editor-in-Chief
doug(at)learningcounsel.com
(916)396-4486
SOURCE The Learning Counsel
Share this article