Commentary

Internet Pervasive in Schools, But Other Technologies Lacking

Internet Pervasive in Schools, But Other Technologies Lacking

According to The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in March of this year, supplemented by eMarketer, 93% of instructional rooms in public schools have Internet access, a serious rise from just 64% in 1999 and only 3% in 1994. And, the number of schools with broadband connectivity has risen to 95% in 2003.

 

US Public Schools with Broadband Access
(% of schools)

2000

80%

2001

85

2002

94

2003

95

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, US  February 2005

 

The report also determines that as Net connectivity rises in the public school system, the ratio of students to instructional computers has declined. In 1998, the ratio was 12-to-1, but by 2003 that ratio was 4-to-4.

 

Teachers Who Believe Selected Technologies Are Essential To Their Teaching

Technology

%  Feel Essential

Video camera

18%

Full page scanner

20

Multimedia authoring program

21

Presentation software

35

At least one computer for every

four students in classroom

49

Encyclopedia and other reference

works on CD-ROM51

51

Telephone in classroom

56

World Wide Web access in classroom

61

Teacher computer station with

access to electronic mail

68

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, (TFS)

 

As Internet access has become more pervasive in the public school system, so too have controls to keep students away from harmful online content. The study finds that nearly 100% of public schools have technologies or procedures in place on all of their computers with Internet access. In June of 2004 however, St. Bernard Software found that just 39% of technology decision-makers at schools rate their districts with an A+ for protecting their students against inappropriate content. 44% rated a B and 15%, a C.

 

Read More here at eMarketer.

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