K-12
students, especially those in middle and high school, may be embracing
educational technologies at a faster pace than their institutions. Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up 2016 report found that more schools are adopting and using
digital learning tools, but even more students say they are utilizing these
technologies outside of school.
For
example, 48% of high-schoolers go online daily (79% at least weekly) as part of
doing their homework, even though only 29% of teachers assign work that
specifically requires accessing resources on the Internet.
Many
schools are earmarking more funds to improve availability and use of digital
technologies. Speak Up determined, for instance, that twice as many students
now have access to Chromebooks at school compared to two years ago.
However,
students complained on the Speak Up survey about limitations at school that
they often don’t face at home or other places, such as the library. According
to a report in eSchool News, 53% of students were unhappy with the slow speed
of Internet service at their schools. A majority of students wish their schools
offered more educational digital games and more instruction in coding.
