Savvy teachers keen to harness new technology

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Rotorua teachers are on the ball when it comes to creating e-learning environments in classrooms, a local principal says.

The Digital Technologies in Schools 2014 report released by the 2020 Trust says more than 75 per cent of schools nationwide are seeing positive impacts on student achievement as a result of using digital technologies in classrooms.

However 2020 Trust chairman Laurence Millar said rapid growth of personal digital devices appeared to be creating new challenges for educators.

The report stated 80 per cent of New Zealand schools had students using personal digital devices but only 14 per cent of those schools were confident all their teachers had the skills to manage a classroom with the devices.

Mr Millar said teachers might not be ready for the shift in learning attitudes.

"Back in 2011, schools reported about half of teachers were in the top two stages of technology adoption, 'adaptation to other contexts' and 'creative application to new contexts'. The 2014 report indicates a drop to 35 per cent, suggesting teachers are now feeling more challenged by the technologies than they were three years ago."

But Rotorua Intermediate School principal Garry de Thierry said teachers in his school were asking how they could change their teaching attitudes to "hook into the digital momentum in schools".

"Initially when digital technologies and computers were being introduced into schools we had a few select teachers having to 'sell' the idea to others but now there are so many professional development avenues teachers can take that many are very receptive to the shift towards one-on-one digital learning."

Mr de Thierry said students wanted to engage with technology and teachers recognised the need to tap into this to increase academic achievement.

"Students have an intrinsic drive to achieve and personal digital devices are tools being used to encourage this drive and keep the momentum going.

"I can only speak for my school but I can say in Rotorua I know of many educators who show a keen interest in incorporating one-on-one digital device time in their curriculum."