Teachers may have access to computers and the Internet, but key components for tech-integration are still missing. They don't feel adequately prepared to use the technology to enhance their lessons, and they are not receiving the technical support they need. 

Access, Adequacy, and Equity in Education Technology, a joint study by the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, explores the disparities in technology access found in different community types and school levels, and also provides suggestions to help guide policymakers toward ensuring that educators and students have opportunities to use technology as an effective instructional tool

Some highlights of the 21 key findings from the report are:

• Finding One: The number of computers in public school classrooms was not adequate to use computers effectively for classroom instruction, and the classroom was not the main location in school where most students used computers.
• Finding Three: Access to the Internet and instructional software at school was adequate for most educators, but technical assistance and support in using the equipment and software were often inadequate.
• Finding Four: School districts required professional development in technology for the majority of educators, but most educators believed that their training had been more effective for noninstructional tasks.
• Finding Six: Most educators used technology regularly at school for administrative tasks, but substantially fewer used it for instruction-related tasks. .
• Finding Eight: Most educators surveyed were highly optimistic about the impact of technology on their jobs and on their students, and they considered technology essential to teaching and learning.
• Finding Ten: The number of computers in the classrooms for students' use did not differ substantially by school location, but the software, technical support, and condition of the equipment in urban schools was more likely to be inadequate.
• Finding Twelve: Urban school educators were the least likely of all educators to have received adequate training to use technology, particularly to use either administrative or instructional software and to design individual lessons for students.
• Finding Seventeen: Educators in middle schools were more satisfied with their technology training than educators at other school levels and tended to use technology at nearly the same level or at higher levels than educators in senior high schools.
• Finding 20: Educators with the least amount of job experience were more likely to use technology for instructional purposes and were more satisfied with their knowledge of technology and its impact on their ability to do their jobs.

The report recommends improving technology access; increasing internet access, software, and technical support; expanding professional development in technology and for integrating use of technology as a learning tool in classrooms.

Source: NEA/AFT Press Release, Technology Not Being Used Effectively In Schools

Full report, Access, Adequacy, and Equity in Education Technology