Curricula: Trends By Subject Matter And Pedagogy (EduTech Specs)

Some subjects and teaching styles require more technology than others. Across the United States, investments in educational technology (including hardware, applications, and learning management systems) are influenced in part by the teachers' perceptions of that technology and how they will use it in their classrooms.

Today we look more closely at the traits defining those teachers. What subjects or styles of teaching facilitate greater adoption of educational technology? Does this scale to the national level?​

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SECTION #4 - Curricula

Purpose: To discover trends in educational technological adoption based on the subjects and pedagogies of the teachers surveyed.

Scope: American K-12 Schools

Research Questions:

1. Shifting Needs: How are changing approaches to classroom instruction impacting teachers' technological needs and points of adoption?
2. Subject Patterns: Which subjects will be most likely to lead in technological adoption in the upcoming years?

Research Methods:
In contrast to previous posts, this research topic is taking a qualitative approach to understanding the Why and How of teachers shifting their pedagogies and technological uses. For this, we are looking at data collected by Simba Information's interviews from the following reports:

• Deploying K12 Science and Social Studies Content (2016)
  • Individual interviews with curriculum directors in 31 different districts across 20 states
  • Plus 6 interviews with state or regional curriculum directors
• ​National Materials Adoption Scorecard and 2017 Outlook (2016)
  • ​Comprehensive data aggregation from states which participated in statewide adoptions
• ​K-12 Classroom Technology Survey Report and Data Appendix (2016)
  • ​Email-based survey with 437 responses from teachers across 47 states (and DC)​​

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​Shifting Needs: Impact of New Pedagogy On Teacher Needs

Social Studies is ditching textbooks in favor of problem-centered learning.

• Interviewed teachers said their districts are focusing on Inquiry-Based Learning, a problem-centric technique which "lends itself to textbook-free classes."
• Instead of textbooks, interviewees reported that their districts are seeking commercial digital resources or supplemental materials designed to facilitate inquiry-based learning.
• In addition, the push for digital materials is fueled by increasing desires from social studies teachers to have access to content that is more up-to-date with current events.
• This trends appears most strongly at the elementary level.

Science is also pushing to reduce textbooks in favor of problem-centered learning.

• Interviewees mentioned their districts focusing on "Three-Dimensional Learning," in which teachers focus more on providing problems and making relevant resources available for students as opposed to mandating a single textbook.
• These teachers also reported that digital materials (especially Open Education Resources) are making movements towards becoming supplemental or even core curricula in schools.

Teachers are saving money on books and using it on Professional Development.

• Interviewees stated that their districts are using savings from switching to digital resources and investing it in training, "so that teachers can adapt to the inquiry-based learning pedagogy."

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​Subject Patterns: Subjects Leading Adoption Of EduTech

Edutech Adoption occurs in large, sweeping purchases by states.

• Simba Information notes that sound data on adoption by subject matter is difficult because many purchases occur when an entire state focuses on a particular subject (e.g. K-5 Math, 6-8 English) and purchases materials for the entire public system.

2017 was dominated by CA English/Language Arts purchases and Social Studies purchases in FL, NC, VA, ID, and TX.

• Purchase estimates for Californian ELA materials are about $300 million.
• The total adoption market for materials was estimated at about $530 million. 

Based on public records, 2018 will be driven by CA Social Studies purchases and FL Science purchases.

• 2019 will be shaped by Californian Science purchases and Texan ELA purchases.

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LEARN MORE

Simba Information's report on these trends can be accessed here by students of participating institutions, or for a fee.

Have any questions? Feel free to leave them below and I'll keep digging to find truths in EduTech and the future of learning!

Next Topic: Reasoning: Factors Influencing School Choices In EduTech