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Study Finds Educators, Students Agree: Technology Has Value

时间:2019-09-29 23:59:32

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Technology is widely available to students in classrooms across the United States, a new study shows.

The study comes from the non-profit NewSchools Venture Fund and Gallup, a company best known for its public opinion surveys. It found that nearly nine in 10 U.S. public school students say they use digital learning tools at least a few days a week. And more than half of those questioned said they use digital technology to learn every day.

In the new survey, digital learning tools means technology. It includes websites, application software programs, and online classes, games, videos and programs.

The survey found that classroom technology gets high marks from educators. At least eight in 10 teachers and school administrators1 said they see great value in using classroom technology tools now and in the future.

A report on the survey and its findings was released earlier this month. It is called Education Technology Use in Schools.

Who took the survey?

Researchers questioned thousands of U.S. public school teachers and students, school principals and school district administrators. The educators work in schools with classes from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

The report found that across the country, digital learning “is everywhere and it’s very integral to learning,” Tonika Cheek Clayton told VOA. She is managing partner at NewSchools. The fund connects businesses with donors2 to finance new education technology programs.

Clayton says that most U.S. teachers – 65 percent -- use digital tools to teach every day. She adds that more than three fourths of teachers said the technology helps to improve their effectiveness in the classroom. Educators think it is especially effective in activities like research, information searches, reports and presentations.

Technology and future employment

When it comes to preparing students for future employment and careers, the study found that educators are likely to say technology is more effective than non-digital tools for connecting learning to students’ careers.

Derek Kelley of Virginia agrees. He coordinates3 technology for Fairfax County Public Schools, which serves nearly 200,000 students. He told VOA, “the important thing is to help prepare the students for real world experience” and knowledge about technology is something students need.

Kelley said technology is just one of many tools available to teachers. Because students learn differently, technology can help teachers support their students by offering different methods for providing information.

“Traditional teaching where the teachers (are) standing4 up, versus5 the role of technology in a classroom, I think both are important,” Kelley said. “And I think there needs to be balance.”

Special education

In the report, more than half of the special education teachers questioned said technology can help their students.

Tony Daniel, a special education teacher, agrees with that. He teaches children with learning difficulties at the Springfield Estates Elementary School in Springfield, Virginia.

Daniel says he uses technology tools “as a way to extend learning and really enhance how the kids are learning to give them a more hands-on experience.”

Daniel helps his students learn and do computer coding in class. At times, some of his students like using a pencil and paper, while others want to use technology. He said they have to be taught how to use technology.

“You really have to think about if that student’s needs are being met and not just you know, giving everyone a tablet,” he said.

Critics of technology in classrooms say that students are spending too much time looking at screens on their computers or electronic devices.

Concerns about technology overuse is something Derek Kelley’s office hears about from the community. “So we are making sure that there is a balance with student use of technology,” he says.

Tonika Cheeck Clayton said what is important is that nearly all of the teachers -- 90 percent -- limit technology use to less than half of the class time. That was true even for those who use technology every day.

What do the students think?

Nearly all elementary students say digital learning tools are fun. Most say the technology helps them learn things on their own and at their own speed.

Almost three-fourths of secondary students say the technology tools help them learn things on their own. Over half said they make school more interesting. Forty-two percent would like to use it more often at school, and only eight percent said they would like to use them less.

One thing everyone agrees on: technology is here to stay in American classrooms.

I’m Anne Ball.

And I'm Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

district – n. an area established by a government for official government business

kindergarten – n. a class for very young children

integral – adj. very important and necessary

versus – preposition. used to indicate two different things, choices, etc., that are being compared or considered

enhance – v. to increase or improve something

coding – v. to change (information) into a set of letters, numbers, or symbols that can be read by a computer

screen – n. the usually flat part of a television or computer monitor that shows the images or text : the part of a television or computer that you look at when you are using it


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1 administrators d04952b3df94d47c04fc2dc28396a62d     
n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 );有管理(或行政)才能的人;(由遗嘱检验法庭指定的)遗产管理人;奉派暂管主教教区的牧师
参考例句:
  • He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员,但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
  • Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城
2 donors 89b49c2bd44d6d6906d17dca7315044b     
n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 );献血者;捐血者;器官捐献者
参考例句:
  • Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去,请给我们发电子邮件。
  • About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 coordinates 8387d77faaaa65484f5631d9f9d20bfc     
n.相配之衣物;坐标( coordinate的名词复数 );(颜色协调的)配套服装;[复数]女套服;同等重要的人(或物)v.使协调,使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 );协调;协同;成为同等
参考例句:
  • The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下,负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
5 versus wi7wU     
prep.以…为对手,对;与…相比之下
参考例句:
  • The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
  • The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

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