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28 Feb
How is technology in your K-12 school? STS EDUCATION wants to learn from California school districts
School technology two years after COVID-19 changes
This month marks two years since the global pandemic suddenly rewrote education norms across the United States and the world. The COVID-19 pandemic changed life quickly for everyone. One week students and teachers gathered in classrooms, learning together in person. The following week, students were at home with their families, school doors were locked, and almost all learning moved to online platforms.
The shift was shocking and swift. School administrators and information technology directors had to act immediately to get devices into the hands of students. Districts bought and distributed Chromebooks, iPads, and laptops rapidly to families, in some cases, more than quadrupling their supply of devices within weeks. Often government support helped with this rapid influx of new technology for schools.
The stress on teachers and students has been documented in the media frequently in the past two years. But, there was also immense work and pressure placed upon technology directors and support staff responsible for meeting the growing and changing technology needs of every student, teacher, and family.
It was exhausting. Somehow we made it through the spring semester. But, the 2020-21 academic year brought with it the continuation of virtual learning and device management. Although school administrators and IT leaders perfected some processes, challenges remained in almost every district and school.
So, where are we in 2022? STS EDUCATION wants to know.
What are the technology challenges in school districts in 2022?
We’re curious about the state of technology in schools in 2022. What does technology look like in your school in 2022? Are there new or continuing challenges that have developed in the past couple of years? As educational technology thought leaders and thought partners, we have been with education IT leaders throughout the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic― co-developing solutions and best practices for technology in schools.
Now, as we continue to support educators in using technology to achieve positive student learning outcomes, we want to take a closer look at the state of technology in schools. We are surveying K-12 school leaders to learn more about technology in California schools and districts, and we want to learn from educators like YOU!
Many schools have developed best practices for maintaining and using technology throughout the learning process, while others may still need help developing solutions that work. Staffing shortages and broken devices have also presented new challenges for some.
Broken devices, inventory management, and cybersecurity
A survey conducted by Education Week reported that, by March 2021, the vast majority of schools had at least one device for every student. Is this still the case in California? Are all of those devices still in working condition?
As longtime partners of California educators and technology experts, we know that schools and school technology directors are leaders in finding solutions for effective learning. We also know that many challenges remain unresolved. So, we’ve launched a survey to help California school leaders share edtech challenges, information, ideas, and best practices.
We value our school partners’ time, expertise, and experiences. So, upon survey completion, participants will receive a complimentary digital copy of A Teacher’s Guide to Online Learning: Practical Strategies to Improve K-12 Student Engagement in Virtual Learning by educator and instructional technologist Linda Hockenberry. We hope this text will continue to inspire and assist schools and districts in navigating the educational technology challenges of 2022.
Thank you for joining us in this collaborative conversation and for helping us learn how to provide even better edtech solutions to our California K-12 school partners!