Educational Technology in Public School Districts: Fall 2008. First Look

摘要

This report provides national data on the availability and use of educational technology in public school districts during fall 2008. The data are the results of a national district-level survey that is one of a set that includes district, school, and teacher surveys on educational technology. Every year between 1994 and 2005 (with the exception of 2004), the Office of Educational Technology (OET) in the U.S. Department of Education asked the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to conduct a survey of public schools to track access to information technology in schools and classrooms. NCES used its Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) to conduct these surveys. For fall 2008, this OET-sponsored technology study was redesigned and expanded to incorporate surveys at the district, school, and teacher levels. These three surveys provide complementary information and together cover a broader range of topics than would be possible with one survey alone. Prior to 2008, the surveys focused on computer and Internet access and use, as well as procedures to prevent student access to inappropriate material on the Internet and teacher professional development on technology use. The set of 2008 surveys collected data on availability and use for a range of educational technology resources, such as district and school networks, computers, devices that enhance the capabilities of computers for instruction, and computer software.