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Research and guidelines on schools' use of the Internet |
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Technology decisions stay at the top
Despite the rapid advances in technology and the expected increase in online learning in the coming years, decisions on technology policies and budget allocations remain in the hands of a few. School leaders say the superintendent (42 percent), the school board (38 percent), and the technology director or department (18 percent) make final decisions on technology purchases and Internet use.
Parents may have more influence on technology policy and budget allocations in some districts in the future. Already, parents in large districts are more likely to influence decisionmaking than those in small districts. Thirty-two percent of school leaders in large school districts say parents influence allocation of technology funds, compared to 13 percent in small districts.
Building-level staff, principals and teachers have substantially less influence, especially in smaller districts.
Finally, school leaders want technology to support their academic priorities. They are looking for standards-based resources (64 percent), online assessment and test preparation (59 percent), standards-based report cards (50 percent), and Web-based portfolios (48 percent).
"The school board is using technology themselves more and more. As their technology knowledge increases, so does their input in district decisions."
— A school-technology leader
| Do you feel that future purchasing decisions will be more influenced by parents and school boards? |
Large
districts |
Medium
districts |
Small
districts |
| |
Percentage of Respondents |
| Yes |
42% |
42% |
43% |
| No |
48% |
50% |
48% |
| Unsure |
10% |
8% |
10% |
| Source: Grunwald Associates |
| How influential are parents in the following areas? |
Percentage of respondents |
| Getting started with the Internet |
24% |
| Planning for new technology |
16% |
| Allocation of tech funds |
16% |
| Content applications |
11% |
| 5-point scale with 4 and 5=Very and Extremely Influential
|
| Source: Grunwald Associates
|
| How influential are parents in the following areas? |
Large districts |
Medium districts |
Small districts |
| |
Percentage of respondents |
| Getting started with the Internet |
32% |
28% |
17% |
| Allocation of tech funds |
32% |
16% |
13% |
| Planning for new technologies |
26% |
15% |
14% |
| Content applications |
16% |
12% |
9% |
| 5-point scale with 4 and 5=Very or Highly Influential |
| Source: Grunwald Associates |
| Does the district provide parents a Web site to access school information? |
Percentage of respondents |
| Yes |
90% |
| No |
10% |
| Source: Grunwald Associates |
| What information is on the [district] Web sites? |
Percentage of respondents |
| Homework assignments |
36% |
| Grade books |
33% |
| Electronic report cards |
31% |
| General school information |
19% |
| Teacher information |
14% |
| Lunch menu |
12% |
| School calendar |
12% |
| Curriculum resources/references |
9% |
| Administrative task/information |
5% |
| School activities |
5% |
| General contact information |
4% |
| School board information |
4% |
| Student work information |
3% |
| Human resources |
3% |
| Other (community resources, testing, transportation, state/district information) |
5% |
| Source: Grunwald Associates |
| What percentage of schools in your district have a Web site for parents to access information on their child's school? |
Percentage of respondents |
| 81-100% |
75% |
| 61-80% |
5% |
| 41-60% |
5% |
| 21-40% |
3% |
| 11-20% |
2% |
| Source: Grunwald Associates |
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