The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 altered the role of technology in teaching and learning. When educators were forced to abruptly switch to remote learning, leaders in some school districts rushed to find ways to increase their students’ access to computing devices while others had already established 1-to-1 computing in previous years. Across the nation, students followed lessons and completed school assignments at home using laptops and computing devices that their parents or their schools provided. This initial surge in the use of Chromebooks, iPads, or other digital tools created unprecedented challenges and opportunities. But its longer-term impact was an open question.
As schools returned to fully in-person learning in subsequent school years, questions remained about the ways in which the increased use of digital devices during the pandemic might have transformed —or only fleetingly shifted—classroom instruction. To learn more, the EdWeek Research Center surveyed educators regarding students’ current access to school-issued devices, professional development opportunities intended to help teachers integrate the use of devices into instruction, and the degree to which expanded use of devices changed teaching and learning.
Overall, 1,063 educators (384 teachers, 305 principals, and 374 district leaders) responded to the nationally representative survey which was conducted from March 30 through April 8, 2022. The results provide a window into the views of educators who have firsthand experience with current conditions in K-12 schools.
In a May 2022 special report featuring results from the survey, Education Week journalists explore the impact of 1-to-1 computing and the role of laptops in today’s school landscape. This spotlight report from the EdWeek Research Center highlights five key findings from the survey data.