What does it mean to use technology in education?
Technology use does not equal good teaching or student learning. In fact, misuse of technology can actually be a detriment to student learning. There are many factors that affect the use of technology, such as teacher beliefs, the quality and availability of technology infrastructure, and lesson time spent to set up technology or move to another technology-enabled room. Hence, technology use is not necessarily an indication of a teacher’s technological savviness or willingness to use technology. Technology use can also mean different things. A teacher using a video in class could either be to illustrate a point, or to fill lesson time. This is essential to consider prior to making generalizations about the nature of technology use reported in this brief around EdTech in Jordan’s schools. Below are the key findings from the National Teacher Survey regarding technology use in Jordan’s schools, followed by questions left unanswered and policy recommendations.
Key findings
- Ministry of Education (MoE) teachers reported the least regular use of technology in schools (27-33%), when compared to UNRWA (47-48%) and private school teachers (56-64%).
- Principal reports reveal MoE schools are the least equipped with technology infrastructure, while private schools were the most equipped with a variety of functioning devices.
- While the majority of teachers reported using computers or the internet to view videos in class within the 3 months prior to survey administration, fewer teachers reported using desktops, laptops and tablets for learning activities in the classroom within that timeframe.
- Teacher reports reveal there is high utilization of computers or the internet for carrying out administrative tasks; with approximately 90% of teachers reporting such use in the 3 months prior to survey administration.
