Common Sense Releases New Research on 21st-Century Classroom

Common Sense has released The Common Sense Census: Inside the 21st-Century Classroom, a provocative examination of what it takes to support teachers and prepare students as schools navigate the growing presence of technology. 

The report aims to shed light on the state of educational technology in U.S. classrooms, with a goal of helping teachers, administrators, school districts, and others who have a stake in children's education make smart, evidence-based decisions on what is most effective for students.

Key findings include:

  1. Teachers worry about their students’ ability to critically evaluate online content. 
  2. More than a quarter of high school teachers report sexting as an issue.
  3. Teachers place a high value on digital creation tools in developing 21st-century skills, but these tools are among the least used in the classroom.
  4. Many teachers are not receiving effective professional development (PD) to support their use of educational technology.
  5. Home access to technology continues to be a challenge for teachers and students in schools serving lower-income students.

Read the full report.