How K12 Teachers Use Technology and Assign Homework Infographic

How K12 Teachers Use Technology and Assign Homework in the Classroom

To better understand how K12 teachers use technology and assign homework in the classroom, University of Phoenix commissioned a 2017 survey on teachers’ classroom habits, surveying 1,001 U.S. full-time K12 teachers.

Although students may disagree, the findings show that American K12 teachers don’t rely too heavily on out-of-classroom work. In fact, the majority (62 percent) of teachers are assigning less than three hours of homework a week, and 27 percent are assigning less than one hour, or no homework at all, per week.

The survey also found that a majority of teachers use technology, such as laptops, Smart Boards and tablets, in the classroom.

Sixty-two percent of American K-12 teachers assign less than three hours of homework per week, and the majority (53 percent) of high school teachers report assigning less than three hours of work as well. However, the majority of teachers (77 percent) still believe homework benefits students.

Teachers are also increasingly incorporating technology into their classrooms. Sixty-three percent of K-12 teachers use technology in the classroom daily, with laptops and computers being the most commonly used resource.

In the classroom, many teachers (71 percent) say they allowed students to research subjects using the internet. Over three in five teachers use educational technology every day, and two in five are using - or would like to use - social media as a learning tool as well.

Although two in three K-12 teachers say that using technology in the classroom helps students stay more engaged and makes the classroom more interactive, the majority of teachers (71 percent) feel personal devices make it more difficult for students to pay attention in group settings.

Many educators, however, remain wary of technology’s impact on learning. Although 63 percent of teachers say edtech helps create a more interactive learning experience, a quarter still feel intimidated by students’ knowledge and use of technology

Additional Findings

• 47% of K-12 teachers report that participation in social media with their teachers can enhance student’s educational experience
• However only 23% encourage their students to connect with them on social media
• About one in three K-12 teachers use social media both personally and professionally
• 83% of teachers worry about conflicts resulting from social media interaction with students and parents
• 76% of teachers worry that parents sometimes use social media to monitor their work and/or personal lives
• 35% of teachers have experienced issues with students and/or parents connecting with them via social media
• 16% of teachers grade themselves an “A” when it comes to educational technology skills;
• 40% would grade themselves a “C” or failing
• Funding is the most cited (35%) reason for not using technology more in the classroom
• Concern that technology will distract students is the second most cited reason (23%) for not using technology more in the classroom