Research Report

Budget, Devices — Not Buy-in — Tops Educators Challenges in Using Digital Tools

A GAMES & LEARNING/FIRST BOOK RESEARCH REPORT

High School classroom

Introduction

A new survey of educators serving low-income communities finds that while the vast majority see the value of digital resources to advance learning, a lack of budget, adequate devices and relevant content continue to pose barriers for underserved kids.

The results are part of research conducted by Games and Learning and First Book, the non-profit that provides free and low-cost books and educational resources to schools and programs serving children in need. First Book’s growing network currently includes over 375,000 educators. The results build on earlier survey work with First Book’s Network, which highlighted spotty infrastructure and training challenges for educators trying to implement digital learning resources.

This new survey collected feedback from 611 respondents, with 54% in primarily teacher/practitioner roles and 46% serving as administrators or media specialists. More than 75% of respondents serve elementary school children, while 40% serve early childhood programs and/or preschool children. As members of First Book’s Network, all respondents serve children in need.

When was the last time you purchase digital tools

What the Classroom Looks Like

Your Experience Using Games

In a previous survey with a similar audience in 2016, a quarter of teachers reported that they never used digital games as a teaching tool. Similarly in 2018, 20% of educators are not directly using or administering digital resources as learning tools. One educator referred to “the lack of technological savviness” among some teachers as a barrier to widespread school adoption.

More broadly, the most recent survey finds that three quarters of these educators are currently using educational apps/computer-based learning programs, 64% are buying e-Books and 44% are actively buying digital games. Nearly half of all educators have purchased one of these digital resources in the last 6 months, and an additional 31% purchased within the last year.

The biggest indicator of future market growth may reside in how these educators perceive digital resources. The three quarters of those surveyed who are actively buying and administering these tools also say that they are convinced of the educational value they hold. As one educator noted, “Funds are limited but the resource need is great.”

We also heard from educators who feel responsible for providing their low-income students with digital learning opportunities in the classroom, since they often do not benefit from the latest apps and learning games at home.

Is there Budget?

The Marketplace

Market reports indicate that school budgets are increasingly shifting from print resources to digital, but money is still a significant barrier to adoption for these educators. More than half cite insufficient funds as a major problem and more than one third are challenged by the approval process involved in purchasing digital resources. In our survey, 36% of educators use their own money to purchase games, apps and e-books.

But for 45% of educators, there is a school budget available to support purchasing digital learning resources and only 13% say that they have no influence over those buying decisions. Educators are most likely to buy new digital resources whenever funding is available (50%), followed by 43% who are most likely buy as part of their back to school plans.
This personal experience may help inform one of the other striking findings from this latest survey – the degree to which use of digital tools remains a bottom-up affair.

Frequency of Use

The wide array of industry pricing models also presents a challenge, with no “one size fits all” approach. Educators rely on free resources but they also recognize that most high quality tools require a subscription or a license.

Licenses may work better for educators like this school librarian: “I sometimes find using digital resources difficult because as a librarian I work with the whole school. A subscription might only include 30 accounts. I like to introduce kids to things in the library and then pass that on as a resource to teachers. Limited accounts makes this hard to do.”

However, educators also cite drawbacks with subscription models: “Our school is small and rural. We cannot afford flat licensing fees because we have a small student population with most living in poverty.” Some also see subscription costs as money they cannot afford to spend: “Price is very important to us especially subscription costs. As a high minority (90% Hispanic) school and a school with 92% or our students in poverty we have a very limited budget that is shrinking and we need to stretch our dollars as much as we can.”

The one thing everyone can agree on is that affordable options are critical for reaching children in need.

The Barriers

Finding the Sweet Spot

After money and purchasing power, educators view a lack of functional devices as the greatest barrier to digital learning adoption. More than half of all respondents have access to Chromebooks, tablets, and/or desktop computers for the students in their school or program. Unfortunately, these devices are often several generations old or there are simply too few of them to be effective.

One educator shared, “In general, [we need] funding for additional devices to make using digital resources a RELIABLE method of teaching.” Another teacher noted the practical challenges associated with anything less than a 1 to 1 ratio: “My district has a 4 students to 1 device ratio which is not enough to use digital resources effectively. One student can reduce the ratio to 3 students with no access.”

Educators are also concerned about how a given tool operates across devices both at home and at school. “[We need] availability for use across multiple platforms for parents and families to access at home (iPad, iPhone, Android, Kindle, etc). The access at home is much more diverse than at school and anything offered to schools should function across these operating systems.” For many families in the communities these educators serve, there is a complete lack of adequate devices or wireless internet at home.

And despite the overwhelming belief that digital resources hold great potential for learning, educators still struggle to find the content that is relevant for their students. In particular, they note the need for content that is age appropriate, available in multiple languages such as Spanish, and both accessible and effective for students with disabilities. “I serve students with severe disabilities, and with reading disabilities. Finding content that is engaging and on their academic level is challenging,” one educator said.

As we reported in several of our past surveys, the lack of a central source for evaluating and purchasing digital learning tools continues to frustrate educators. One teacher described it this way: “Just because it is on a device does not always mean it is engaging. A second obstacle is how aligned is the product to the standards. Is it worth my time and investment? Or is it just a cheap app?”

Programs such as E-Rate are delivering internet access to every U.S. school (only 8% of educators ranked it as a serious barrier), but this survey shows that providing meaningful digital learning opportunities to all children requires more than bandwidth.

Methodology

 

This survey was designed by First Book and Games and Learning and was fielded during a 3-week period in June 2018. The survey was sent out to 109,685 members of the First Book Network, which currently numbers more than 375,000 members. The research was made possible by a grant from the A. L. Mailman Family Foundation. Some 611 First Book Network members responded.