Infotech Lead Asia: China is ahead of the U.S. and Germany in use of technology in learning, according to Dell.
Chinese students in major cities say they spend more time using technology in school than American and German students.
According to a global poll, commissioned by Dell, respondents believe that technology gives students a more personalized experience that they value, but technology needs are not being met in schools.
Teachers feel less comfortable using new technologies and social media than their students and want more professional development.
In China cities, respondents say technology is integrated into more curriculum areas than in the U.S. or Germany where respondents say technology is most often used for research. Without this integration, technology in the classroom can be a distraction.
Many teachers in the U.S. and Germany said they don’t receive enough professional development opportunities focused on technology. Their students agree. Only 40 percent of students in the U.S. and 26 percent in Germany say their teachers know how to use technology better than they do.
One in four students say they access social media in the classroom on a daily basis. However, most teachers in the U.S. and Germany say they never access social media in the classroom. Approximately six in 10 U.S. respondents say they disapprove of students using social media in the classroom to share what they are learning, while most respondents in China say they would approve of social media for this purpose. This demonstrates a growing need to find a role for social media in learning.
Most students in Germany indicate they do not interact with their school online, while a majority of Chinese students say they do. However, students report that they use technology at home for school work more than any other activity, indicating an opportunity for more collaboration between home and school.
Most respondents said parents should receive stipends to ensure their children have up to date technology for educational purposes. Additionally, parents across Germany, China and the U.S. said they would be willing to pay for the technology their children use in the classroom.
“We heard from secondary school and university students, parents and teachers that they are familiar and comfortable with technology, but don’t think it’s playing as large a role in the classroom as it should,” said Steve Felice, Dell’s president and chief commercial officer.
