Fast Facts

Educational technology

Question:
What data do you have on the availability and use of educational technology in public schools?

Response:
In 2009, 97 percent of teachers had one or more computers located in the classroom every day, while 54 percent could bring computers into the classroom. Internet access was available for 93 percent of the computers located in the classroom every day and for 96 percent of the computers that could be brought into the classroom. The ratio of students to computers in the classroom every day was 5.3 to 1.

Teachers reported that they or their students used computers in the classroom during instructional time often (40 percent) or sometimes (29 percent). Teachers reported that they or their students used computers in other locations in the school during instructional time often (29 percent) or sometimes (43 percent).

Teachers reported having the following technology devices either available as needed or in the classroom every day: LCD (liquid crystal display) or DLP (digital light processing) projectors (36 and 48 percent, respectively), interactive whiteboards (28 and 23 percent, respectively), and digital cameras (64 and 14 percent, respectively). Of the teachers with the device available, the percentage that used it sometimes or often for instruction was 72 percent for LCD or DLP projectors, 57 percent for interactive whiteboards, and 49 percent for digital cameras.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2010). Teachers' Use of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: 2009 (NCES 2010-040).

Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 109. Number and internet access of instructional computers and rooms in public schools, by selected school characteristics: Selected years, 1995 through 2008
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 110. Percentage of public school districts with students enrolled in technology-based distance education courses and number of enrollments in such courses, by instructional level and district characteristics: 2002-03, 2004�, and 2009-10
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 15. Use of the Internet by persons 3 years old and over, by type of use and selected characteristics: 2003
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 18. Number and percentage of student home computer users, by type of application and selected characteristics: 2003
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 19. Student use of computers, by level of enrollment, age, and student and school characteristics: 1993, 1997, and 2003
  

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2012, Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2009�
  
• 2010, Educational Technology in Public School Districts: Fall 2008
  
• 2010, Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: Fall 2008
  
• 2010, Teachers' Use of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: 2009