New technology trends create a dilemma in the education world as schools try to create policy that minimizes distractions in the classrooms. What are schools doing to keep up with these new trends and could some applications better serve the students if the schools promoted their use? How does policy affect students, teachers, and parents?
This study examined what technologies school districts in North Central Ohio were promoting within their schools and what school policies were being used to guide technology in and outside of the schools. An internet survey on technology and school policy was completed by 132 school personnel. Participants were employees of districts that used North Central Computer Cooperative as an email, technology, and continuing education service provider.
Key findings included twenty-two percent of teachers and administrators responding who stated their district will be considering new technology policies in the next year and were considering a change in cell phone policy that would open up cell phone use for educational purposes. Schools were also planning to address social networks in these new policies. Teachers and administrators stated that 65.9% of them worked for a district where communicating with students on a social network was discouraged and 17.1% stated that doing so could result in possible punitive punishments. Most of the school policies discouraged use of any electronic device during the school day.