By Matthew Glotzbach, CEO of Quizlet
You can’t enter a classroom today without seeing Chromebooks, tablets, SMART Boards and other technology; when students leave class, they can instantly get online with phones and WiFi. Inside school walls and at home during homework time, technology is more pervasive than ever — but is it accomplishing what teachers and students want it to?
With more than 20 million monthly users studying on Quizlet, we’re in unique place to find out. This November, we surveyed over 20,000 students and teachers to find out what they think about the technology they use in and out of the classroom. As we combed through the data, here’s what stood out to us:
With more than 20 million monthly users studying on Quizlet, we’re in unique place to find out. This November, we surveyed over 20,000 students and teachers to find out what they think about the technology they use in and out of the classroom. As we combed through the data, here’s what stood out to us:
Trend #1: There’s a big difference between how students and teachers see technology; teachers say tech makes learning more fun, whereas students say it helps them learn. Teachers are also 32% more likely than students to say learning tech is a good use of classroom time.
Trend #2: Younger students and teachers are more likely to say apps help them teach or learn, compared to older generations*.
Trend #3: Gen Z is more positive about learning tech in the classroom than Millennials, but less so at home. Compared to Millennials, Gen Z students are:
- 28% more likely to say tech in class helps them learn more quickly than traditional worksheets, books and lectures.
- 24% more likely to say that tech in the classroom makes learning more fun.
- 12% more likely to say learning apps help them learn more quickly than traditional worksheets, books and lectures.
- Almost 6% less likely to say learning apps used at home help them learn.
- Almost 5% less likely to say learning apps used at home are a good use of homework or study time.
The one thing students and teachers of all ages agreed on?
Interaction between students and teachers is the #1 most important part of a classroom learning environment with 86% of teachers and 68% of students naming it as an important part of the classroom -- ahead of technology, interaction with other students, and assessments.
At Quizlet, learning and being inquisitive is built into how we do things. Our mission is to help students (and their teachers) practice and master anything they are learning. The more we understand how students and teachers are currently using edtech, the better we can be at making customizable and engaging learning tools both students and teachers love to use.
*Curious about how we measured generations? We define Baby Boomers as being born 1946-1964, Gen X as 1965-1982, Millennials as 1983-2000, and Gen Z as 2001 through today.
