November 2003 — Special Feature

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Technology's Value in Education

By Chris Rother, VP of Education, CDW-G

www.ceoforum.org), an influential group of chief executives concerned with educational computing. Their latest report clearly links technology usage to quantifiable improvements in a wide range of skills, including math and writing, collaborative problem solving, organization and planning, visual and information literacy, creativity, risk taking, project-based learning, and interpersonal skills.

If teachers surveyed by CDW·G had a common desire, it was for more technology, both in and outside of the classroom. This was apparent when four out of five teachers said their classrooms have computer-to-student ratios higher than 1-to-2; though, most of the teachers reported 1-5 ratios. It should be noted that a growing number of states are currently working toward achieving a 1-1 ratio.

Parent-Teacher Communication

Although attention usually focuses on in-class benefits, teachers reported significant advantages in using the Internet to electronically extend their classrooms and schools to parents and the community. Middle schools are especially likely to use technology to communicate with parents. The report found that more than three-fourths (77%) of schools have Web sites to share information about classes, homework, grades, etc. In addition, nearly half of the middle and high school teachers reported sharing grades with parents online or via e-mail. Overall, 64% of the teachers reported that they communicate electronically with parents, while virtually all (96%) of the teachers have e-mail access at school.

Tech-savvy teachers reported benefits for parents and students alike. They said e-mail improves parent-teacher communication, which leads to greater parental involvement. Among teachers who post homework assignments online or send them via e-mail, 58% said it increases homework completion rates. And if there was any doubt about the importance of computers outside of the classroom, 72% of the teachers who were polled believe students with computers at home have a major advantage over those who do not.

Gains in Teacher Performance

Thankfully, teacher access to technology is no longer a problem in most cases, with 94% of the respondents reporting that they have in-class access to computers. And of the teachers polled, 72% said that computer technology has made their job easier. One important and emerging reason for this is that computers have begun to ease teachers' administrative work, with 25% of respondents citing improved efficiency in attendance tracking, lesson planning and other routine tasks as the most important functions of school computer technology. A full 85% said using computers more frequently for administrative purposes would be "extremely" or "very" useful. A likely reason for this is because reduced head counts for aides and other administrative helpers make cyberassistance to teachers even more crucial.

In addition, technology has altered how educators run their classrooms, with 88% of teachers reporting that computers have changed how they teach. Higher income communities reported the most dramatic results, followed by mid-sized and larger schools, with small schools reporting the least amount of impact.