Unnecessary workload is a major concern for teachers, so how do they feel about the introduction of new technology in the classroom? New research from EdTech company, Tassomai, shows that the majority of teachers they contacted are feeling positive. 77% say that EdTech has made their workload easier, 23% say it’s had no impact or made it harder.
The company found that teachers recognise there is often an increase in admin, or extra work involved in setting up new systems, but that this cuts down on time spent preparing resources in the long run.
Other benefits of EdTech mentioned by respondents include freeing up teacher time to focus on intervention, and making it easier to set and assess homework or share good practice. However, some teachers feel that EdTech introduces extra work on top of their normal workload.
“Technology is doing things that I would have to do manually, but at the same time the new technology applications require more tasks from me” said one classroom teacher in North London.
Vic Goddard, Principal at Passmore’s Academy in Harlow – known to many from TV’s Educating Essex- is enthusiastic about technology in schools, but says companies need to consider the end user: “EdTech providers need to recognise the workload teachers are dealing with and ensure their solutions are simple to grasp and easy to implement. Many teachers will have multiple systems to get their heads around, and learning to use all of them is a time consuming challenge in itself.”