Digital technologies for learning:

Findings from the NZCER national survey of

primary and intermediate schools 2016

Rachel Bolstad
Digital technologies for learning:
Findings from the NZCER national
survey of primary and intermediate
schools 2016
Rachel Bolstad
2017
New Zealand Council for Educational Research
P O Box 3237
Wellington
New Zealand
www.nzcer.org.nz

ISBN: 978-0-947509-87-3

© NZCER 2017
Acknowledgements
The New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) is very grateful to the principals, teachers,
trustees, parents, and whānau who completed the 2016 NZCER primary and intermediate national
survey questionnaires, and so enabled us to provide this national picture of practices involving digital
technologies in primary and intermediate schools.

The NZCER team which has worked with me on the 2016 national survey includes statisticians Melanie
Berg and Jess Mazengarb, co-ordinator Rachael Kearns, and fellow researchers Linda Bonne and Cathy
Wylie. Thanks also to Scott Irvine and Helen Baxter from Mohawk Media for their work on the infographics
presented in this report.

These national surveys are funded by NZCER’s Government Grant from the Ministry of Education. We are
grateful to the Ministry of Education, the Connected Learning Advisory reference group, NZEI, the New
Zealand Principals’ Federation, the NZ School Trustees’ Association, and ERO for their interest in and
support of this research, and their helpful comments on draft surveys.

III
Contents
Acknowledgements III

Key findings 1
How are students using digital technologies for learning? 1
Is digital technology good for students’ learning? 3
Including digital technologies in the curriculum 5
Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies 5
Teachers’ use of digital technologies to support their own work and professional learning 7
Parent and whānau views about learning with digital technology 9

1 Introduction 11
The landscape for learning with digital technologies in New Zealand schools 11
The 2016 NZCER national survey 12

2 How are students using digital technologies for learning? 14

Digital technologies for learning in the classroom 15
Changes in digital technology classroom practices 18
Coding, gaming, and makerspaces 19
Summary 20

3 Is digital technology good for students’ learning? 22

Teachers’ views 23
Changes in teachers’ views 26
Principals’ views 26
Summary 27

4 The inclusion of digital technologies in the curriculum 28

Generally positive views 29
Funding and equity implications 29
Where should digital technology sit within the curriculum? 30
Support needed for teachers 31
Summary 31

5 Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies 32

Digital technology issues in relation to other major issues for schools 36
Bring your own device (BYOD) 36
Further support for teachers 37
Professional learning and development needs 39
Summary 40

6 Teachers’ use of digital technologies to support their own work and professional learning 42
Online resources teachers use to support their work 44
Summary 46

7 Parent and whānau views about learning with digital technology 47

How important it is for their child to learn with digital technology at school? 47
Do parents access online information about their child’s schooling? 49
Summary 51

Discussion 52
Questions to consider 53
Tables
Table 1 Digital technology uses that teachers reported students doing “often” from 2007 to 2016 18
Table 2 Who plays a significant role in running coding, gaming, or makerspace activities in your school? 19
Table 3 How many students in your class have taken part in these activities over the past 12 months,
at school? 20
Table 4 Teachers’ views about the impacts of learning with digital technologies, teachers who agreed
or strongly agreed, 2007–2016 26
Table 5 Themes in teachers’ and principals’ comments about the inclusion of digital technology as a
strand of technology in the curriculum 28
Table 6 Views of digital technology as a major issue for respondents’ schools 36
Table 7 Schools with BYOD policy, reported by principals 37
Table 8 Teachers’ comments about additional support needed 37
Table 9 Number of people teachers regularly connect with as part of their online professional
learning networks 44
Table 10 Parents’ views on the importance of their child learning with digital technology at school 48
Table 11 Parent and whānau comments about digital technology in their child’s school learning 48
Table 12 Devices used to access online information about child’s schooling 51

Figures
Figure 1 Student use of digital technology to learn, create, and produce work, reported by teachers 15
Figure 2 Student use of digital technology to communicate, connect, and share learning, reported by
teachers 16
Figure 3 Do students have opportunities to participate in coding, gaming, or makerspace activities at
your school? Teachers’ responses 19
Figure 4 Teachers’ views about how digital technology for learning impacts students’ learning 23
Figure 5 Teachers’ views on the impacts of digital technology on teaching and learning practice 25
Figure 6 Teachers’ views on the infrastructure and support for digital technology within their school 34
Figure 7 Principals’ views on the infrastructure, support, and use of digital technology in their school 35
Figure 8 How teachers use digital technology to support their work and professional learning 43
Figure 9 Usefulness of selected online resources, reported by teachers 45
Figure 10 Online information parents can access about their child’s learning and schooling 50
Key findings

This report provides a snapshot of information from the 2016 NZCER national survey regarding the role
and impact of digital technologies for learning in New Zealand primary and intermediate schools. We
asked teachers and principals how students were using digital technology in the classroom, and how this
was benefiting their learning. We asked teachers and principals about their school’s digital infrastructure,
and the degree of support they had to help them make good use of this for teaching and learning. We
inquired about the role of digital technology in supporting teachers’ own professional learning and
networking. We asked parents and whānau about the importance they placed on their children having
opportunities for learning with digital technology.

Some key findings are summarised here in a series of themed infographics, along with a brief discussion
of where to find further details and analysis in each chapter of the report. The survey results raise further
questions which may be valuable points of discussion for school leaders, teachers, policy makers, boards
of trustees, and parents/whānau in making ongoing decisions about the integration of digital technologies
for learning in schools around New Zealand. Some suggested discussion questions are presented in the
final chapter of this report.

How are students using digital technologies for learning?

One way to understand the evolving role of digital technologies in New Zealand schools is to investigate
how students currently use digital technologies in the classroom to learn, create, and share their work,
and communicate, connect, and collaborate with people within and beyond their schools, and how this is
changing over time.

Teachers’ reports suggest that students’ use of digital technologies often centre on a few key kinds of
activities, such as practising skills, searching for information, and producing work such as documents
or slideshows. Other digitally-based learning opportunities are still relatively uncommon in primary
classrooms (such as students learning to code or programme), or are quite variable between classrooms
(for example, use of games and simulations, or creation of multimedia work).

One interesting finding was that many teachers say they would like their students to be using digital
technologies to collaborate and communicate with people beyond the school on shared learning projects.
The reasons why this does not already happen are unclear, but may include time pressures, a lack of
opportunity to connect with people in other schools or the wider community around authentic learning
projects, or teachers and students not knowing how or where to start in order to make this a reality.

For more on how students were using digital technologies for learning, see Chapter 2.

1
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

How are students using digital technologies for learning?

Practising subject-specific skills Researching using the internet Creating documents or slideshow
presentations

92%
of teachers say
80%
of teachers say
70%
of teachers say
this happens this happens this happens
often or sometimes often or sometimes often or sometimes

5% say it doesn’t happen, but they’d like it to 13% say it doesn’t happen, but they’d like it to 20% say it doesn’t happen, but they’d like it to

Is digital technology being used in other ways?

Creating multimedia Playing games or simulations Collect or analyse data Code and/or program

of teachers say of teachers say of teachers say of teachers say

56% 55% 41% 19%

this happens often this happens often this happens often this happens often
or sometimes or sometimes or sometimes or sometimes
35% would like 15% would like 38% would like 43% would like
this to happen this to happen this to happen this to happen

Students are also using technology to:

collaborate within school maintain a record of goals collaborate with people
on shared learning projects and learning achievements beyond the school

47% 41% 36% 41% 14% 65%

of teachers say
would like
this happens
this to happen
often or sometimes

of teachers say would like of teachers say would like

this happens this to happen this happens this to happen
often or sometimes often or sometimes

communicate with people share evidence of learning

beyond the school progress and achievements
in private online communities
share evidence of learning progress
36% 53% and achievements in public online
communities 34% 45%
of teachers say

29% 28%
of teachers say would like
this happens this happens would like of teachers say
this to happen would like
often or sometimes often or this to happen this happens this to happen
sometimes often or sometimes

2
 Key Findings

Is digital technology good for students’ learning?

Teachers generally seemed to hold positive views about the benefits and impacts of learning with digital
technologies. Most teachers agreed that digital technologies provide a range of benefits to learners,
although some expressed concerns around equity of access, safety issues, or the impact on teachers’
working hours. Even with these concerns it is notable that few teachers agreed that learning with digital
technologies is too time-consuming for the benefits gained.

For more on teachers’ and principals’ views about the benefits of digital technologies for learning, see
Chapter 3.

3
Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Is technology good for students’ learning?

Teachers agreed that digital technology:

92% helps students with additional or special

learning needs

81%
has led them to experiment with new
approaches to teaching and learning

helps students go deeper into

72% their learning

70% gives students more control over their

own learning

69% helps students see connections between

school learning and their own lives

59% has contributed to a more collaborative

classroom environment

53%
is enabling more positive involvement of
parents and whānau in students’ learning

49%
makes it easier to see students’ strengths,
interests, and what they are capable of

Teachers also expressed some concerns, saying digital technology:

creates some difficulties because not

68% all students can access digital
technology at home

create new types of safety issues

57% that are concerning

pushes the working day further

53% into their own time

10%
is too time-consuming for the
benefits gained

4
 Key Findings

Including digital technologies in the curriculum

The 2016 national survey was undertaken not long after an announcement by the Minister of Education
that digital technology will be more formally integrated into The New Zealand Curriculum and Te
Marautanga o Aotearoa by 2018. We invited teachers and principals to comment on the inclusion of
digital technology as a strand in the technology learning area. Forty-two percent of principals and 30% of
teachers wrote a comment.

These comments suggest generally positive views about the inclusion and strengthening of digital
technologies in the curriculum, saying that digital technology was “necessary” and “essential” learning for
young people today.

Some teachers and principals raised a number of other issues and questions about how this will play out
in practice. These include questions around equity of access, funding issues, overcrowding the curriculum,
and professional learning and support for teachers. Some principals said they already faced challenges in
keeping up with escalating costs for digital technology.

For more details, see Chapter 4.

Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies

We asked teachers and principals a range of questions about the infrastructure, support, and capabilities
within their schools to use digital technologies for teaching, learning, and professional work. The teacher
surveys also included an open question, inviting teachers to comment on any additional support they
thought they needed to integrate digital technology for learning into the curriculum.

While internet connectivity appeared to be good in most schools, some teachers and principals identified
challenges accessing hardware or software that is suitable to their needs, at the times at which they or
their students need it. The costs associated with keeping technologies up to date were a major concern
for more than half of principals. Some principals and teachers raised questions about equity of access for
schools or communities who cannot afford these costs.

For further details, see Chapter 5.

5
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

What do teachers and principals think What do principals and teachers

about digital technology in the curriculum? say about infrastructure and
support for teaching with digital
Some principals and teachers wrote a technologies?
comment about the inclusion of digital
technologies as a strand in the technology
Teachers say:
learning area of the curriculum.
82%
Of those who commented:
their school’s internet access is adequate and reliable.
40% of teachers and 19% of principals made a
generally positive comment.
62%
I think it’s a great idea Necessary in today’s
and a really positive world. (Teacher) they have good technical support to deal with problems
move forward for NZ
education. (Principal)
60%
22% of teachers and 30% of principals commented that school equipment is adequate and reliable
on funding and infrastructure support.

56 % say they have the knowledge and

skills they need to provide learning
Great idea, but how It is a strand whose
do you make it with digital technology
ongoing costs are
equitable and challenging to and 21% disagree

56%
achievable for ALL finance through the
schools, low or high budget. (Principal) say their school has strong leadership
decile? (Teacher) for the use of digital technologies
and 20% disagree

52%
18% of teachers and 35% of principals questioned whether
say that digital technology is available
digital technologies should sit within the technology
whenever their students need it for
learning area, or be integrated across the curriculum. their learning
and 36% disagree
I feel digital technology is a tool to access all learning
areas of NZC. I do not believe it should sit within the
technology strand exclusively. (Principal) Principals:

I believe there are aspects of digital technology that

need to be taught as a separate strand but there are
also aspects that need to be integrated into other 65% 52% 45%
curriculum areas. (Teacher)

17% of teachers and 15% of principals commented say that their say the costs of say that their
school has maintaining and school has adequate
on the need for adequate professional learning to
adequate expertise replacing digital resources to support
support teachers’ capabilities with digital technology. to support good technologies good quality
quality learning is a major issue learning with digital
with digital for their school technology,
technology and 33% disagree

6
 Key Findings

Teachers’ use of digital technologies to support their own work and

professional learning
Most New Zealand primary and intermediate teachers were using digital technologies to find resources
and teaching materials, and to collaborate with colleagues within their schools. Teachers were less likely
to go online to discuss teaching and learning or to seek out online professional learning, though a small
percentage of teachers did this often. If teachers had an online professional learning network, this most
often involved connecting with between one and 20 other people on a regular basis, and more than a
third indicated they have no online professional learning network (PLN).

The most useful online resources for supporting their teaching, according to teachers, were Te Kete
Ipurangi (TKI), overseas resource sites, and subject-specific online networks. Aside from TKI, reasonably
large proportions of teachers said they did not know or had not used various online resources we asked
about.

For further details, see Chapter 6.

7
Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

How do teachers use digital

technologies to support their own
work and professional learning?
97%
say they download resources

90%
say they collaborate with other
76%
ask teaching-related
62%
share teaching resources online
teachers within their school questions online

61 %
say they collaborate with
51
contribute to online
%
50 %
take part in online learning
teachers beyond their school discussions about teaching opportunities

Do teachers have their Which online resources do teachers

own online professional find useful or very useful for
learning networks (PLN)? supporting their teaching?

75%
of teachers say they
37% have no online PLN find TKI useful

37%
find Facebook and/or Google+ useful
say they regularly
connect with 1 to 20
49% people as part of their 20%
online PLN find the Virtual Learning Network (VLN) useful

11%
say they regularly
find Pond/N4L useful
connect with more than
11% 20 people as part of
their online PLN 7%
find Twitter useful

What is a PLN? PLN stands for Personal (or Professional) Learning Network. This usually involves an individual
creating their own “network” of educators and other people from whom they seek advice, ideas, resources, to support
their professional practice. PLNs can involve both online and offline relationships and communication, and often
includes social media platforms. For more on PLN see:
http://gifted.tki.org.nz/For-schools-and-teachers/Professional-learning-support/Professional-Learning-Networks

8
 Key Findings

Parent and whānau views about learning with digital technology

Most of the parents and whānau who responded to the national survey indicated that it is important
for their children to have opportunities for learning with digital technology at school, though this is not
the most important factor in choosing a school. Parents and whānau saw digital technologies as being
ubiquitous and “part of the future”, but also valued their children having a balance of other learning
activities and opportunities. Some parents and whānau had online access to information about their
child’s school learning. This was more likely to be information about school events and trips than about
what’s happening in the child’s classroom or work children have done that they want to share. Few
parents indicated that they can access online information about their child’s achievement or attendance.

For further details, see Chapter 7.

9
Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

What do parents and whānau say about Parents’ and whānau views on the
learning with digital technology? importance of their child learning
with digital technology at school
Parents and whānau expressed a range of views

46%
[Learning with digital technology
is] the way of the future.
36%
Technology is useful for learning
but I'm more interested in
developing emotional literacy
and relationship skills.
15%

1%
Yes our children need
technology, but I also feel that
learning basic math i.e. times
table should be 'old school'.
High Medium Low Not sure
importance importance importance

What online information can parents and whānau access

about their child’s learning?

60%
say they can access
37%
say they can access
34%
say they can see
15%
say they can view
13%
say they can view
information about online information work that their information about assessment results
school events and about things the child wants to their child’s atten-
trips online child is doing in the share online dance or lateness
classroom (includ-
ing videos or blogs)

10
1
Introduction

The Ministry of Education identifies “supporting schools to make the most of new technologies” as a
significant part of its work programme.1 Over the past two decades there has been a significant and
concerted effort to strengthen learning with digital technologies in New Zealand schools, through better
provision of technology infrastructure, various programmes of professional learning and development,
resources, and advisory services.

Given the high priority the Government has on learning with digital technology, there are many questions
worth exploring. For example, what educational goals and purposes guide the integration of digital
technologies in schools? How are primary students and their teachers actually using these technologies?
Are students and teachers more “connected”, as digital technologies promise? If so, how does this benefit
learning? Do teachers feel well-prepared and well-supported to make effective use of digital technologies
in their teaching and professional work? What resources are they using to support their practice? What
barriers or challenges get in the way of teachers or students making the most of new technologies, and
how are schools dealing with these challenges?

In this chapter I discuss some of the significant developments in the landscape of learning with digital
technologies in New Zealand schools before outlining what sorts of questions we asked in the 2016
national survey.

The landscape for learning with digital technologies in

New Zealand schools
Just as the technologies have evolved and diversified over time, so too has the language used to talk
about their role in schools. In the late 1990s and early 2000s the language was about information and
communication technologies (ICTs), and there was a variety of initiatives designed to get more hardware
(such as laptops) into the hands of teachers and students, and to examine how these might be used
in different ways to enhance learning and teaching. In the 2000s the focus turned more towards the
language of learning, often described as e-learning or learning with digital technologies (LwDT). In recent
years, the policy language around digital technologies in schools has turned towards the notion of “digital

1 See http://www.education.govt.nz/ministry-of-education/specific-initiatives/digital-technologies-for-teaching-and-
learning/

11
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

fluency”, the meaning of which still seems open to interpretation,2 but which at minimum connotes
something that goes beyond simple “digital literacy”.

The Government’s current digital strategy, “Towards digital fluency”, has several goals for schools:
• state-of-the-art infrastructure (including reliable high-speed broadband and fully-funded uncapped
data)
• 21st century teaching and learning
• equitable access to quality content and resources.3

In 2012 the Ministry of Education created Network for Learning (N4L), a company set up to build a
managed network and to provide ultra-fast broadband to schools. Additional Ministry-funded support to
help achieve these goals includes the Connected Learning Advisory—Te Ara Whītiki (CLA) which provides
free advice to schools on how to incorporate digital technology into teaching and learning, and the
Virtual Learning Network (VLN), which supports teachers to connect and collaborate with colleagues
online, and enables schools to connect with one another to share resources (e.g. students from a number
of schools can share a teacher for a subject that the individual schools are unable to resource).

Numerous international studies4 have underscored the importance of matching the investment in
hardware and infrastructure with similar investments in teacher professional learning and development
(PLD). The Information and Communication Technologies Professional Development (ICTPD) School
Clusters Programme was part of New Zealand’s teacher PLD landscape for a decade from 1999. The
programme aimed to increase teachers’ pedagogical understandings of ICTs in order to support effective
classroom teaching and improve student achievement. More recently, Ministry of Education-funded
providers such as Te Toi Tupu offered PLD to support learning with digital technologies. The Ministry-
funded website, Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) has been developed as a “go to” place for e-learning resources,
networks, and PLD information, which includes the Virtual Professional Learning and Development
programme. From 2017, digital fluency has been included in a small number of national priority areas for
centrally-funded PLD. Each term, schools, kura, and Communities of Learning (COL) can apply for funding
for PLD in the priority areas, with proposals assessed by regional allocation panels composed of sector
representatives and Ministry representatives.5

In July 2016, shortly before we undertook this national survey, the Minister of Education announced that
digital technology will be more formally integrated into The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga
o Aotearoa by 2018. At the time this report was written, work was underway to develop new curriculum
content relating to digital technologies in the Technology Learning Area of The New Zealand Curriculum
and the Hangarau Wāhanga Ako in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

The 2016 NZCER national survey

The landscape for learning with digital technologies in New Zealand schools is a fast moving terrain.
Developing survey questions and response options that can capture a rich and relevant picture of
current practice can be challenging.

2 See http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Teaching/Digital-fluency, also http://blog.core-ed.org/blog/2015/10/what-is-digital-fluency.

html
3 See http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Towards-Digital-Fluency.pdf
4 See, for example: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. (2015). International
computer and information literacy study: Preparing for life in a digital age. Downloaded 10 August 2015, from http://
www.iea.nl/ icils_2013.html. Also: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2015). Teaching in focus
12: Teaching with technology. Downloaded 10 August 2015, from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/teaching-with-
technology_5jrxnhpp6p8v-en
5 For further details, see http://services.education.govt.nz/pld

12
 1 Introduction

In the 2016 national survey we asked teachers and principals how students were using digital technology
in the classroom and how this was benefiting their learning. We asked teachers and principals about
their school’s digital infrastructure, and the degree of support they had to help them make good use of
this for teaching and learning. We inquired about the role of digital technology in supporting teachers’
own professional learning and networking. We asked parents and whānau about the importance they
placed on their children having opportunities for learning with digital technology. Some of our questions
have been asked in previous national surveys, enabling some insight into trends and changes in this area
over time. Other questions were new questions that have not been asked in previous national surveys.
This report weaves together findings from teacher, principal, and parent/whānau survey responses to
generate a picture of the role of digital technologies in New Zealand primary and intermediate schools.

Methodology
The survey was conducted from August to early September 2016 and was sent to a representative sample
of 349 English-medium state and state-integrated primary and intermediate schools (20% of all these
schools in New Zealand).6 At these schools, surveys were sent to the principal and to a random sample
of one in two teachers. Surveys also went to the board of trustees’ chair, who was asked to give a second
trustee survey to someone likely to have a different viewpoint from their own. Additionally, surveys were
sent to a random sample of one in four parents at a cross-section of 36 schools. The response rates were
57% for principals (n = 200), 38% for teachers (n = 771), 25% for trustees (n = 176), and 32% for parents and
whānau (n = 504).

The survey returns for principals, teachers, and trustees were generally representative of schools in the
sample, with the following small variations:
• Principal returns showed a slight over-representation of large schools, and urban schools. Decile
8–10 schools were somewhat over-represented, as were schools in the Auckland region.
• In the schools from which teachers returned surveys, there was a slight under-representation
of large schools, and an over-representation of small–medium and small schools. Slight under-
representations were evident of decile 1 schools and schools in the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay/
Gisborne Ministry of Education regions.
• The schools from which we received trustee surveys reflected some over-representation of large
schools and under-representation of decile 1 schools.

The maximum margin of error7 for the principal survey is 6.9%, for the teacher survey around 3.5%, and
for the trustee survey around 7.4%. Sometimes we report results for smaller groups of respondents
within each survey; the maximum margin of error reported for each survey does not apply to these
groups. Calculating the margin of error relies on random sampling and because we rely on schools
to select the teachers and trustees to complete surveys, we cannot guarantee that these samples are
random. Therefore, the margins of error for the teacher and trustee surveys should be regarded as
approximations. The parent and whānau sample is not a random sample, therefore we do not calculate a
margin of error for that survey.

6 Further details about the sample can be found in Berg, M. (2017). NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate
schools 2016: Methodology and sample information, available at: http://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/national-survey
7 The maximum margin of error added to and subtracted from a proportion gives a confidence interval. We can say there is a
95% chance that the proportion is inside this range of numbers.

13
2
How are students using
digital technologies for
learning?

One way to understand the evolving role of digital technologies in New Zealand schools is to investigate
how students currently use digital technologies in the classroom to learn, create, and share their work,
and communicate, connect, and collaborate with people within and beyond their schools, and how this
is changing over time. Variations of these questions have been asked in each iteration of the national
survey since 2007, allowing for comparisons over time.

We also asked some new questions to find out about activities involving digital technology that are often
touted as relevant for 21st century learning. These include coding, programming, gaming and simulations,
and makerspaces.8 We were interested in whether these kinds of activities, if they happened in schools,
might be happening outside class time, and/or be optional activities for students, rather than part of
everyday classroom learning and teaching. We asked about who plays a significant role in running these
sorts of activities—for example, school leaders, teachers, library staff, students, parents or community
members, or someone else.

This section reports findings in relation to these questions. We discuss what teachers said their students
were currently doing with digital technologies, what teachers said they would like to happen in their
classrooms, and to what extent additional opportunities such as coding, gaming, and makerspace
activities are available to students within primary schools. It is important to note that this general
picture of student use of digital technologies for learning is based on information provided by teachers,
not from students themselves.

8 A TKI page about makerspaces describes them as “collaborative workshops where young people gain practical hands-on
experience with new technologies and innovative processes to design and build projects”. A makerspace does not need
to be a specially-designed space. It “can be any space in a school where students and teachers come together to create,
invent, prototype, design, tinker, explore, discover, code, build, craft, draft, draw and more”. For more information, see
http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Teaching/Innovative-learning-environments/Makerspaces

14
 2 How are students using digital technologies for learning?

Digital technologies for learning in the classroom

We asked teachers to respond to a set of statements to indicate different ways their students might
currently use digital technologies in the classroom. Teachers could indicate whether these things
happened often or sometimes, or if a particular practice wasn’t currently happening, teachers could
indicate whether or not they would like this to be happening.

Using digital technologies to learn, create, and produce work

As shown in Figure 1, the three most common ways students were using digital technologies for their
school work were to practise subject-specific skills (reported as happening often or sometimes by 92%
of teachers), research using the internet (80% often or sometimes), and creating written documents or
slideshow presentations (71%).

Just over half said their students often or sometimes used digital technologies to generate multimedia
work (including images, music, movies, animation), or to play games or simulations. Less than half of the
teachers said students used digital technology to collect and/or analyse data, and less than a fifth of
teachers said students use digital technology to code or program.

FIGURE 1 Student use of digital technology to learn, create, and produce work, reported by teachers (n = 771)

Practise specific skills 5 31 61

Practise specific skills 5 31 61

Research using the Internet during class 5 13 35 45

Research using the Internet during class 5 13 35 45

Create written documents or slideshow
6 20 36 35
presentations
Create written documents or slideshow
6 20 36 35
presentations
Generate multimedia work 6 35 40 16

Generate multimedia work 6 35 40 16

Play games or simulations 27 15 38 17

Play games or simulations 27 15 38 17

Collect and/or analyse data 17 38 32 9

Collect and/or analyse data 17 38 32 9

Code and/or program 5 32 43 15

Code and/or program 5 32 43 15

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

%
100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

%
Donʼt and Donʼt but
No response Sometimes Often
donʼt want to would like to

Donʼt and Donʼt but

No response Sometimes Often
donʼt want to would like to

15
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Using digital technology to communicate, connect, and share learning

Using digital technologies to communicate or collaborate is less common than using them to practise
skills, do research, and create or produce work. Just under half the teachers (47%) said students often
or sometimes use digital technologies to collaborate with others inside the school on shared learning
projects (see Figure 2).

Around a third said students use it to communicate with people beyond the school (e.g. experts,
other teachers or students, community groups), but only 14% said students use digital technology to
collaborate with others beyond the school, including experts, other teachers or students, or community
groups.

Thirty-six percent said students maintain a digital record of their learning progress and achievements,
34% said students share digital evidence of their learning progress and achievements in private online
communities or e-portfolios, and 29% said students share evidence of their learning or achievements in
public online communities or e-portfolios.

FIGURE 2 Student use of digital technology to communicate, connect, and share learning, reported by
teachers (n = 771)

Collaborate with others inside the school on

9 41 27 20
shared learning projects

Communicate with people beyond the school 9 53 30 6

Maintain a record of goals and learning

19 41 22 14
achievements

Share digital evidence of their learning

progress and achievements in private online 18 45 19 15
communities or e−portfolios

Share digital evidence of their learning

progress and achievements in public online 39 28 19 10
communities or e−portfolios

Collaborate with others beyond the school on

17 65 12
shared learning projects

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Donʼt and Donʼt but

No response Sometimes Often
donʼt want to would like to

16
 2 How are students using digital technologies for learning?

It is also interesting to look at which practices teachers said they would or would not like their students
to be doing, if they weren’t already doing so (shown in green and blue in Figures 2 and 3), and to consider
what might be preventing these practices from happening more often in the classroom.

What teachers would like their students to be doing with digital technology
Of the five most common things teachers said they would like their students to be doing with digital
technology—but which wasn’t currently happening—four were about students using technology to
communicate, collaborate, or share their learning:
• Collaborating with people beyond the school on shared learning projects (e.g. Google docs, wikis)
(65% of teachers)
• Communicating with people beyond the school (e.g. experts, other teachers or students, community
groups) (53%)
• Sharing evidence of their learning progress and achievements in private online communities and
e-portfolios (45%)
• Collaborating with others inside the school on shared learning projects (41%)

In addition, 43% said they would like their students to use digital technology for coding and/or
programming. This practice did seem to divide teachers though, with almost a third saying they didn’t
want to include this in their classroom programmes (see below). More than a third of teachers said
they would like their students to be using technology to gather and analyse data (38%) and generate
multimedia work (35%). Teachers from decile 1–2 schools were even more likely than teachers from
decile 7–10 schools to indicate that they wanted their students to be using digital technology to generate
multimedia work (50%).

What teachers don’t want their students to do with digital technology

Some teachers identified practices they didn’t want to include in their programmes. The most common
things were:
• Sharing digital evidence of their learning progress and achievements in public online communities or
e-portfolios (e.g. class blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) (39%)
• Coding and/or programming (32%)
• Playing games and simulations (27%)

Why might teachers not want their students doing these things? Regarding students sharing their
learning online, twice as many teachers did not want students sharing their learning in public online
spaces (39%) as private online spaces (18%). One possible explanation for this may be concerns
relating to privacy or children’s safety. Regarding games and simulations, perhaps some teachers
don’t see this as useful or appropriate for their own students, or are not aware of how to find and use
resources that might be useful for learning. Regarding coding, this may be an unfamiliar area for some
teachers, although it is worth noting that, overall, more teachers said they would like to include coding
and programming (43%) than those who said they did not want to (32%). Although teachers were not
specifically asked to discuss their perspectives on coding and programming, 15 teachers did mention it in
written comments about the role of digital technology in their practice. Most of these comments alluded
to the professional learning, time, or access to devices that teachers felt they would need to be able to
support students learning to code.
I would consider teaching coding in my classroom. However, I would need to see practical applications
in the classroom in ways it could enhance my students’ learning. I would need a lot of professional
development.
Not having enough devices is an ongoing frustration. I would love to use Minecraft and coding to engage
students but simply can’t find the time at the moment to learn about this myself.

17
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

I think coding is the way forward, needs to start young but also requires a lot of one to one time to teach
juniors.

One teacher said they didn’t think coding knowledge was necessary.
Coding is a bit like saying to drive a car you need to know all about the engine—I don’t need to know
everything—just how to use it.

Changes in digital technology classroom practices

Table 1 shows the percentage of teachers who reported particular uses of digital technology for students’
learning as occurring “often” in the last four cycles of the national survey. As the survey items are revised
periodically, some questions have been asked in some years and not in others.

TABLE 1 Digital technology uses that teachers reported students doing “often” from 2007 to 2016

2007 2010 2013 2016

Use of digital technology to … (n = 912) (n = 970) (n = 713) (n = 771)
% % % %

Practise specific skills (e.g. maths or reading) 22 38 58 61

Research using the internet 29 41 42 45

Create printed documents or slideshow

42 29 24 35
presentations

Generate multimedia work (e.g. images, movies,

5 12 14 16
music, animations)

Collaborate with others inside the school on shared

* 9 8 20
learning projects

Collect and/or analyse data (e.g. from an internet site

5 3 10 9
or spreadsheet)

Maintain a record of goals or learning achievements

* * 10 14
(e.g. e-portfolio)

Communicate with people outside the school (e.g.

experts, other teachers or students, community 7 * 7 6
groups)

Collaborate with others outside the school on shared

learning projects (e.g. online book clubs, creating a * 5 4 2
wiki)
* Not asked

Overall, the data suggest that the use of digital technology for activities like skill practice and internet
research has increased steadily since 2007. The use of digital technology to create printed documents
or slideshow presentations has varied over the years, with no obvious explanation. There has been a
general increase in the production of multimedia, and within-school collaboration, although these are
more likely to be things that happen “sometimes” rather than often. Other kinds of digital technology
uses—such as communication and collaboration beyond the school—still do not happen often in most
primary and intermediate classrooms.

18
 2 How are students using digital technologies for learning?

Coding, gaming, and makerspaces

Students’ opportunities to participate
Across all teachers surveyed, 41% indicated their students have opportunities to participate in coding,
gaming, or makerspaces at their school (Figure 3). Another 41% said students did not have these
opportunities, and 17% were not sure. Overall, teachers from decile 9–10 schools were slightly more likely
to say yes (49%) than teachers from decile 1–2 schools (26%).

FIGURE 3 Do students have opportunities to participate in coding, gaming, or makerspace activities at your
school? Teachers’ responses (n = 771)

Not sure

Yes

No

Who runs these activities?

Of those who said coding, gaming, or makerspace activities did happen in their school (n = 314), most (71%)
said that just one or a few teachers had a significant role in running these activities (see Table 2). Some
said that a principal or senior leader had a significant role (22%) or that students themselves did (19%). It
was not common for this responsibility to be shared by most teachers in the school (7%). A few teachers
(4%–8%) said parents or community helpers or library staff played a role.

TABLE 2 Who plays a significant role in running coding, gaming, or makerspace activities in your school?

Teachers
(n = 314)
%

One or a few teachers 71

Principal or senior leader 22

Students 19

Parent or community helper 8

Most teachers 7

Library staff 4

19
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

We asked teachers to estimate how many students in their class had taken part in these activities over the
past 12 months at school. Their responses in Table 3 suggest that, in most schools, student participation in
these kinds of activities is limited to some or just a few students. Overall, it appears that student gaming
or coding activities are somewhat more common than makerspace activities, with 41% of teachers saying
at least “a small number” of students in their class have participated in these in the past 12 months,
compared with only 7% of teachers who said this about makerspace(s). There were no significant decile-
related differences.

TABLE 3 How many students in your class have taken part in these activities over the past 12 months,
at school? (n = 771)

Gaming or coding Makerspace(s)

% %

All or most students 12 2

Some students 15 2

A small number of students 14 3

No students 29 39

Not sure/no response 29 55

Although teachers were not specifically asked to comment on coding, gaming, or makerspaces, a few
mentioned these in written comments about teaching with digital technology. These comments largely
suggest these are still relatively marginal practices in schools, and may be quite dependent on having
appropriate resources and/or knowledge available within the school.
I have introduced ‘Scratch’ into classroom with great success. We did have a ‘coding club’ 2 years ago for
some students at lunchtime.
Funding specifically for makerspaces and STEM activities would be great.
With parent-helper facilitator, I run a Raspberry Pi lunchtime club using Python. With ASB support several
after school coding clubs operate. Several interested teachers incorporate other coding opportunities
within their class programme.
We have had a couple of small groups use coding but reliant on a teacher with that knowledge being
available.

Summary
Teachers’ reports suggest that students’ use of digital technologies often centres on a few key kinds of
activities, such as practising skills, searching for information, and producing work such as documents
or slideshows. These are of course quite broad categories of activity, and we don’t know the details
of the contexts in which they occur (e.g. the curriculum intentions and pedagogical approaches that
underpin these ways of using technology). Other digitally-based learning opportunities are still relatively
uncommon in primary classrooms, such as students learning to code or program, or are quite variable
between classrooms (e.g. use of games and simulations, or creation of multimedia).

One interesting finding was that many teachers say they would like their students to be using digital
technologies to collaborate and communicate with people beyond the school on shared learning projects.
The reasons why this doesn’t already happen are unclear, but may include time pressures, a lack of

20
 2 How are students using digital technologies for learning?

opportunity to connect with people in other schools or the wider community around authentic learning
projects, or teachers and students not knowing how or where to start in order to make this a reality.

Teachers had more mixed views about whether or not they would like their students to be doing things
such as coding or programming, or sharing evidence of learning and progress in public online forums.
Some did want these kinds of things to happen in their classrooms, others did not.

Responses to the new questions we asked about coding, gaming, and makerspaces suggest that these
sorts of activities are still relatively marginal in primary schools, and if these opportunities are present,
they are generally run by one or a few teachers, and not something that all students have opportunities
to be involved in. Teacher comments suggest activities of this nature might be limited by the resources
and knowledge available within the school to run them. It may also be that activities such as student
gaming and coding clubs or makerspaces are not viewed as being especially relevant or important in
many schools, or that schools simply have other priorities when it comes to curricular and co-curricular
activities that might be offered within the school.

Some of the practical and conceptual challenges teachers and school leaders experience with respect to
the integration of learning with digital technologies are discussed in Chapters 4 and 5.

21
3
Is digital technology good
for students’ learning?

Amongst the general public, discussions about the role of digital technology in young people’s lives and
learning often bring up two competing sets of ideas. On the one hand is the idea that digital technologies
must invariably be beneficial for learning. Various reasons for this view include the idea that young
people are more engaged by digital technologies, or that these technologies enable new ways of
learning, or more effective ways to support certain kinds of learning. Digital technologies are often seen
as “the way of the future”, and therefore an inevitable feature of life and learning in the 21st century.
Some people assume that young people’s formative experiences in a digital world are enabling them
to develop a native intelligence and fluency with digital technologies that previous generations do not
have. Others see the importance of schools in providing opportunities for young people to build digital
capabilities, and to redress inequities in young people’s access to such experiences in their lives outside
school.9 Some people point to the ways in which assistive technologies can be used to overcome barriers
to learning for students with additional learning needs.10

On the other hand, some people worry that digital technologies might be bad for young people and
their learning, at least in some respects. This includes concerns that digital technologies might be
a distraction, or that young people could miss out on other important developmental and learning
opportunities if too much time or focus is directed towards digital technologies, at the expense of other
kinds of learning and experiences. Related to this, some are sceptical about any causal link between the
use of digital technologies and improved outcomes for students.11

The middle ground between these two sets of ideas is the argument that it’s not the technologies itself
that are necessarily good or bad for learning, but what we do with them—how they are integrated with
pedagogy. As acknowledged in the previous chapter, the national survey gives us some insight into how
digital technologies are used in learning, but is limited in the extent to which it can provide a picture
of the pedagogies surrounding digital practices. However, we did ask teachers a few questions to gauge
their views on whether digital technology was affecting students’ learning in positive ways, and the
extent to which digital technology has influenced pedagogical practice, classroom culture, student
learning, and so on.

9 For example, see http://2020.org.nz/blog/2016/06/24/new/

10 For example, see http://inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/assistive-technology-at/
11 For example, see http://www.oecd.org/edu/students-computers-and-learning-9789264239555-en.htm

22
 3 Is digital technology good for students’ learning?

Teachers’ views
Teachers generally consider digital technologies to have had a positive impact for students’ learning (see
Figure 4). Teachers were most likely to say digital technologies have been generally positive in terms
of students’ engagement in learning and attitude to learning (61% in each case). A further 30% thought
digital technologies were positive for some students. Very few teachers (between 1% and 2%) indicated
they thought they had a negative effect on students’ engagement or attitude. Teachers were slightly less
in agreement about the impact of digital technologies on students’ attention span or ability to work
collaboratively. While most still thought the impact was generally positive or positive for some, a few
gave a neutral response, and between 7% and 9% judged digital technologies to have had a negative
impact for at least some of their students. Again, we do not know exactly how digital technologies
featured in each teacher’s classroom practice, or why teachers see their impacts as positive or negative,
but it is clear that most teachers’ views of learning with digital technology are generally positive.

FIGURE 4 Teachers’ views about how digital technology for learning impacts students’ learning (n = 771)

Engagement in learning 5 30 61

Attitude to learning 6 30 61

Attention span 8 11 35 42

Ability to work collaboratively 7 16 40 34

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Generally Negative for Neutral/not Positive for Generally

No response
negative some sure some positive

Figure 5 shows teachers’ views regarding the impacts digital technologies have had on various aspects of
learning, teaching, and professional practice. In terms of benefiting students, many teachers agreed or
strongly agreed that digital technologies help students with additional or special learning needs (92%),
that they help students go deeper into their learning (72%), that they give students more control over their
learning (70%), and that they help students see connections between school learning and their own lives
(69%). Teachers were more likely to agree than to strongly agree with each of these statements. Between

23
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

22% and 25% of teachers gave neutral responses to these items (excluding the item about the benefits for
students with special learning needs, to which only 5% of teachers gave a neutral response).

Two further items about the role of digital technologies in supporting learners and learning drew
more mixed responses from teachers. While 60% agreed or strongly agreed that digital technology
has contributed to a more collaborative classroom environment, 29% gave a neutral response, and
11% disagreed. And while 49% agreed or strongly agreed that digital technologies make it easier to
see students’ strengths, interests, and what they are capable of, just over a third (34%) gave a neutral
response, and 15% disagreed.

In terms of teachers’ own practice, 81% agreed or strongly agreed that digital technologies have led them
to experiment with new approaches to teaching and learning. Just over half (53%) agreed or strongly
agreed that they are leading to more positive involvement of parents and whānau in students’ learning,
with just under a third (32%) giving a neutral response. Some decile-related differences were evident,
with teachers from decile 5–10 schools more likely to agree or strongly agree and teachers from decile
1–4 schools least likely to agree or strongly agree. Just over half (51%) of teachers from decile 1–2 schools
gave a neutral response to this question.

Some of the items in Figure 5 probe some of the possible negative impacts or consequences of learning
with digital technologies. In terms of equity, 68% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that it creates
some difficulties because not all students can access digital technology at home. Decile-related
differences were evident in this question, with teachers from lower decile 1–2 schools mostly likely to
strongly agree that this was an issue (41%), compared with decile 7–8 (18%), and decile 9–10 (9%).

More than half (57%) agreed or strongly agreed that learning with digital technologies creates new types
of safety issues that are concerning, or that it pushes the working day further into teachers’ own time
(53%). However, even with some of these concerns, it is notable that only 10% of teachers agreed or
strongly agreed that learning with digital technologies is too time-consuming for the benefits gained.

24
 3 Is digital technology good for students’ learning?

FIGURE 5 Teachers’ views on the impacts of digital technology on teaching and learning practice (n = 771)

Supports students with additional

5 52 40
(special) learning needs

Has led me to experiment with new

5 12 53 28
approaches to teaching and learning

Helps students go deeper into their

22 51 21
learning

Gives students more control over their

5 22 46 23
own learning

Helps students to see connections

between school learning and their own 5 25 49 20
lives
Creates some difficulties because not
all students can access digital 12 16 46 22
technology at home

Has contributed to a more collaborative

9 29 40 20
classroom learning environment

Creates new types of safety issues that

19 19 43 14
concern me

Pushes the working day further into my

19 24 37 16
own time

Is enabling more positive involvement

of parents and whanau in my studentsʼ 12 32 37 16
learning
Makes it easier for me to see studentsʼ
strengths and interests, and what they 14 34 37 11
are capable of making and doing

Is too time consuming for the benefits

16 50 22 8
gained

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Strongly Neutral/Not
No response Disagree Agree Strongly agree
disagree sure

25
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Changes in teachers’ views

Table 4 compares questions that have also been asked in previous iterations of the national survey,
and shows the percentages of teachers who agreed or strongly agreed with these items in each survey
year. While there appears to have been some increase in the percentages of teachers agreeing that
digital technologies help students go deeper into or have more control over their learning, and that they
contribute to a more collaborative classroom learning environment, these increases may also be related
to slight changes in the wording of these questions in different years.

TABLE 4 Teachers’ views about the impacts of learning with digital technologies, teachers who agreed or
strongly agreed, 2007–2016

2007 2010 2013 2016

Impact (n = 912) (n = 970) (n = 713) (n = 771)
% % % %

Has led me to think about/experiment with new

* 79 85 81
approaches to teaching and learning12

Helps students go deeper into their learning13 51 51 51 72

Helps students see connections between school

* * 65 69
learning and their own lives

Gives students more control over their learning * * 62 70

Has contributed to a more collaborative classroom

* 52 54 60
learning environment14

Is too time consuming for the benefits gained 16 15 11 10

Pushes working day further into my own time * * 55 53

* Not asked.

Principals’ views
Principals’ responses to questions about digital technologies in their school are addressed in more
detail in Chapter 5, but it is interesting to note here these findings from the 2016 survey (see also Figure 7,
Chapter 5):
• 92% of principals agreed or strongly agreed that teachers in their school are changing their pedagogy
to increase the effectiveness of learning with digital technology
• 90% agreed or strongly agreed that teachers in their school are increasingly using digital
technologies to support access to the curriculum for students with special learning needs
• 73% agreed or strongly agreed that learning with digital technology has had an overall positive
impact on students’ achievement.

12 In 2010 and 2013 the question item was phrased “is getting me thinking about new ways of teaching and learning”. In 2016 it
was “has led me to experiment with new approaches to teaching and learning”.
13 In 2007, 2010, and 2013 the question item was phrased “helps students gain a deeper understanding of what they are
learning”. In 2016 this was shortened to “helps students go deeper into their learning”.
14 In 2010 and 2013 this item was phrased “leads to a more collaborative classroom environment”. In 2016 it was “has
contributed to a more collaborative classroom learning environment”.

26
 3 Is digital technology good for students’ learning?

Summary
Teachers and principals seem to hold generally positive views about the benefits and impacts of learning
with digital technologies, increasingly so over time. Teacher and principal responses also indicate that,
from their point of view, pedagogies are developing and adapting with new technologies, and that has
been beneficial overall for students’ learning.

How accurate are principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of the impacts and benefits of learning with digital
technologies in their schools? We cannot answer this question with national survey data alone. Other
useful information that could be used to triangulate with teachers’ and principals’ views might include
more detailed information about teaching and learning practices and their impacts for students, and data
from students themselves, including qualitative data about how they experience learning and teaching
with digital technologies, and quantitative data on their learning achievements. These data are difficult
to gather on a national scale and go beyond the scope of the national survey methodology. However,
we can gain some further insights into the practical realities of learning with digital technologies in
different schools by looking at teacher and principal responses to other questions in the survey, including
their comments about the position of digital technologies in the curriculum (Chapter 4), what they say
about infrastructure and support (Chapter 5), and how teachers use digital technologies for their own
professional learning, networking, and support (Chapter 6).

27
4
The inclusion of digital
technologies in the
curriculum

The 2016 national survey was undertaken not long after an announcement by the Minister of Education
that digital technology will be more formally integrated into The New Zealand Curriculum and Te
Marautanga o Aotearoa by 2018.15 We invited teachers and principals to comment on the inclusion of
digital technology as a strand in the technology learning area. Forty-two percent of principals and 30%
of teachers wrote a comment, incorporating a wide range of views. The most common themes in their
comments are indicated in Table 5.

TABLE 5 Themes in teachers’ and principals’ comments about the inclusion of digital technology as a strand
of technology in the curriculum

Teachers who wrote a Principals who wrote a

comment (n = 231) comment (n = 80)
% %

Generally positive comment 40 19

Funding and equity implications (e.g. concern about cost of 22 30

updating digital technology, requests for additional Ministry
funding)

Should be integrated across all learning areas, rather than a 18 35

strand of technology curriculum

Implications for PLD/resources 17 15

Not in favour, or worried about effects of adding to NZC (e.g. 14 9

effects on other curriculum areas/learning; crowded curriculum)

15 See https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz-curriculum-include-digital-technology

28
 4 The inclusion of digital technologies in the curriculum

Not a priority for all learners/particular challenges with young 8 -

children

Neutral comment/unsure 5 8

Pedagogy is more important than devices 2 8

Needs further thinking (e.g. evidence/research that shows the 2 5

benefits to learning, associated with using digital technology)

Not all families can afford BYOD or internet access at home 1 4

Generally positive views

Of those who commented, 40% of teachers and 19% of principals expressed a generally positive
sentiment, saying that digital technology was “necessary” and “essential” learning for young people
today.
Go for it! We are teaching it anyway! (Teacher)
Necessary in today’s world. (Teacher)
I am really excited about this. (Teacher)
Awesome. Karawhiua mai. (Teacher)
I think it is overdue. (Teacher)
It is a must to have it as a strand, students will get left behind if they don’t have current knowledge of
digital technology. (Teacher)
I think it’s a great idea and a really positive move forward for NZ education. (Principal)

Funding and equity implications

Twenty-two percent of teacher comments and 30% of principal comments related to the funding and
infrastructure support they believed would be necessary for this to impact positively for all students,
asking whether schools would receive more funding, and raising questions about equity.
Great idea, but how do you make it equitable and achievable for ALL schools, low or high decile?
(Teacher)
I think it would be good IF there was enough support/funding for teachers and schools to implement the
programmes successfully. (Teacher)
The development of digital technology as a strand will more likely require increased devices for students
to use as learning tools. Some schools will pass this cost on to parents, some will not be able to do that.
(Principal)

Some principals said they already faced challenges in keeping up with escalating costs for digital
technology.
It is a strand whose ongoing costs are challenging to finance through the budget. (Principal)
If this is to be done then there is a need to ensure that all schools will be digitally able to teach to this or
respond appropriately. My school is not at this point yet. We are still trying to achieve wifi and have still
to find funds to equip our tamariki with the technology. We also need to think about those kura who do
not have access to much out in the country. How would they cope? (Principal)

29
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Digital technology ages quickly. It would be good if the Ministry supplied digital technology and kept
updating/replacing it. (Principal)
We can’t afford to buy enough devices, and being a decile 3 school we would have a lot of trouble with
the have and have nots as we draw from a wide range of parent groups. (Principal)

Where should digital technology sit within the curriculum?

Eighteen percent of teacher and 34% of principal comments questioned where digital technologies
should sit within the curriculum. Some said it should be integrated across all learning areas rather than
be a strand within technology.
Digital technology needs to be integrated to the other curriculum subjects rather than taught as a
standalone subject. (Teacher)
I see it as a positive step but not as an add-on—yet another subject. It must be embedded into all
existing curriculum areas so it becomes as useful as picking up a pencil when necessary. It should not be
just part of the technology curriculum. (Teacher)
I would rather digital technology be used to teach 21C skills and key competencies. If it (Digital
technology) is used in isolation as a strand I don’t know what the context for learning would be … Maybe
coding? I don’t think digital technology needs to sit outside of the learning—there is so much opportunity
for digital technology to enable learning across the curriculum to be more collaborative and creative.
(Teacher)
That is in a way a step backwards as technology especially eLearning and BYOD can be integrated
and used in all curriculum areas. Don’t restrict its uses, find new ways of getting it into all classrooms
being used more effectively. Exemplars of ways to use it in all areas and resources to help achieve this.
(Teacher)

A common refrain was to describe technology is a “tool” for learning, rather than being the focus of
learning itself.
Digital Technology is a tool for education. I am not sure whether including it with [achievement
objectives] as a strand is going to improve its use. (Principal)
Technology learning (e learning) is just learning. ICT are tools to facilitate learning. (Principal)
I feel digital technology is a tool to access all learning areas of NZC. I do not believe it should sit within
the technology strand exclusively. (Principal)

Others saw it as a “both/and” situation, seeing digital technology as belonging across the curriculum as
well as having its own specific focus strand.
I believe there are aspects of digital technology that need to be taught as a separate strand but there are
also aspects that need to be integrated into other curriculum areas. (Teacher)
Digital devices are a learning tool. I have no problems with technologies such as coding, robotics being
included as a strand. (Principal)
Digital technology is a key aspect of the curriculum but the digital tools pervade the whole curriculum
… If it becomes a ‘strand’ of the technology curriculum you run the risk of dis-integration. If the digital
technology becomes a strand the emphasis must be placed on integration through the whole curriculum.
(Principal)

Some teachers and principals said that the curriculum is already too crowded, and worried that an
additional focus on digital technologies as a curriculum strand would have a negative impact on other
learning opportunities.

30
 4 The inclusion of digital technologies in the curriculum

There is already enough to fit into the day to day curriculum. Adding this in will take away from the core
subjects that are already stretched for time. Technology should be integrated, not taught separately.
(Teacher)
If you add to a crowded curriculum, what is removed? (Either centrally or in individual schools) usually
the arts and PE suffer first. (Teacher)
Our curriculum is already too crowded. Maybe this is appropriate at intermediate level, but not for all
children at primary levels. (Teacher)
If you are referring to ‘coding’ then I feel at our school it is another way of crowding an already over-
crowded curriculum which concentrates on National Standards. (Principal)

Support needed for teachers

Comments from 17% of teachers and 15% of principals mentioned teacher capability and the need for
adequate PLD.
This is great but lots more PD needed for those that have never been exposed to it. (Teacher)
Important to have this as the digital revolution is well underway. However, also important to be realistic
about the number of teachers currently who are not ‘digital natives’ and will need good support to feel
confident about their ability to implement this curriculum. (Teacher)
Will be useful for students once teachers ALL have the skills to make the most of it, to promote in-depth
learning and widen the range of learning opportunities by linking to others outside the school. (Teacher)
Teachers need to be capable of using these properly or it is a waste of time. (Teacher)
Some teachers assume putting devices in front of students is all that is needed. Not enough skills to
develop efficient use of devices are taught. (Principal)

While some suggested all teachers should be supported to develop capabilities in this area, others
thought there would be many teachers who would struggle, and a few suggested it was best to
concentrate on developing those teachers who were most likely to have an affinity for it.
It will need teachers who understand and have an ability for this. (Teacher)
[I] feel that the number of digitally minded people aren’t as common as you may think. If technology
became part of the NZ curriculum this could be possibly done through ‘specialist teaching’ that some
schools now have instead of whole day CRT. (Teacher)
I believe that many teachers are still struggling to get their heads around integrating ICT into their
programmes in a meaningful way. For many it will be viewed as yet another thing to learn. (Teacher)

Other themes
Other themes in teacher and principal comments included some remarks about the relevance or
appropriateness of digital technology for very young learners, issues with inequity of access to
technology in students’ homes, or comments stating that what matters is the pedagogy, and that further
research and critical thinking were needed to ensure that digital technology was used effectively in
service to learning.

Summary
Teacher and principal comments indicate generally positive views about the inclusion and strengthening
of digital technologies in the curriculum. However, teachers and principals raised a number of other
issues and questions about how this will play out in practice. These include questions around equity of
access, funding issues, overcrowding the curriculum, and professional learning and support for teachers.
These issues are addressed further in the next chapter.

31
5
Infrastructure and support
for teaching with digital
technologies

We asked teachers and principals a range of questions about the infrastructure, support, and capabilities
within their schools to use digital technologies for teaching, learning, and professional work. The teacher
surveys also included an open question, inviting teachers to comment on any additional support they
thought they needed to integrate digital technology for learning into the curriculum.

Figure 6 shows teachers’ responses to the closed questions, and Figure 7 shows principals’ responses.
Key findings are discussed thematically below.

Internet connectivity, equipment, and access

Most teachers (82%) agreed or strongly agreed that their school’s internet access is adequate and
reliable. However, fewer agreed or strongly agreed that they have good technical support to deal with
problems (61%) or that school equipment is adequate and reliable (60%), and just over half (52%) said
that digital technology is available whenever their students need it for their learning. More than a third
(35%) disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement, with teachers from decile 5–6 schools the
most likely to disagree or disagree strongly (48%), and teachers in decile 9–10 schools the least likely to
disagree (29%).

Only 45% of principals agreed or strongly agreed that their school has adequate resources to support
good quality learning with digital technology, and more than a third (34%) disagreed or strongly
disagreed.

Staff confidence and capabilities with digital technology

Just over half the teachers (57%) agreed or strongly agreed that they have the knowledge and skills they
need to provide learning with digital technology, and that their school has strong leadership for the use
of digital technologies for learning (56%). Interestingly, principals seemed to be slightly more positive,
with 65% agreeing or strongly agreeing that their school has adequate expertise to support good quality
learning with digital technology. It is possible that principals’ evaluations of the expertise within their

32
 5 Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies

school is based on the expertise of the most digitally-capable staff within their school being shared, or
helping to raise overall levels of expertise across the staff over time.

Supporting students with additional learning needs

Elsewhere in the survey, teachers and principals indicated that learning with digital technologies was
benefiting students with additional (special) learning needs (see Chapter 3). Ninety percent of principals
agreed or strongly agreed that teachers at their school are increasingly using digital technologies to
support access to the curriculum for students with additional learning needs, and 84% said students with
additional learning needs have access to digital technology to support their learning.

However, only 45% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that they have the knowledge and skills they
need to support learners with additional learning needs who rely on digital technologies to access the
curriculum, 28% gave a neutral response, and just under a quarter (24%) disagreed or strongly disagreed.

Principals’ interactions with staff and whānau

Sixty-nine percent of principals said digital technology has positively influenced the way they interact
with staff, with 31% strongly agreeing. A similar percentage (71%) agreed or strongly agreed that digital
technology has positively influenced the way they interact with parents and whānau, with slightly fewer
indicating strong agreement (27%).

33
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

FIGURE 6 Teachers’ views on the infrastructure and support for digital technology within their school
(n = 771)

School Internet access is adequate and

77 53 29
reliable

I have good technical support to deal

17 16 45 16
with problems

School equipment is adequate and

7 21 11 42 18
reliable

I have the knowledge and skills I need

to provide learning with digital 19 20 42 15
technology

Our school has strong leadership for

the use of digital technology in 5 15 22 37 19
teaching and learning

Digital technology is available

whenever my students need it for their 8 27 11 35 17
learning
I have the knowledge and skills I need
to support learners with additional
22 28 36 8
(special) needs who rely on digital
technologies to access the curriculum

School policies on digital technology

13 58 22
are too restrictive

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Strongly Neutral/Not
No response Disagree Agree Strongly agree
disagree sure

34
 5 Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies

FIGURE 7 Principals’ views on the infrastructure, support, and use of digital technology in their school
(n = 200)

This schoolʼs teachers are changing

their pedagogy to increase the
5 50 42
effectiveness of learning with digital
technology
This schoolʼs teachers are increasingly
using digital technologies to support
7 47 43
access to the curriculum for students
with additional learning needs
Students with additional learning needs
in our school have access to digital 68 55 29
technology to support their learning

Learning with digital technology has

had a positive impact on our studentsʼ 24 46 28
achievement, overall

Digital technology has positively

influenced the way I interact with 8 20 44 27
parents and whanau

Digital technology has positively

influenced the way I interact with 8 22 38 31
staff

This school has adequate expertise to

support good quality learning with 12 18 50 15
digital technology

All/almost all the students in our

school have access to digital 7 23 12 36 21
technology at home

This school has adequate resources to

support good quality learning with 8 26 20 30 15
digital technology

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Strongly Neutral/Not
No response Disagree Agree Strongly agree
disagree sure

35
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Digital technology issues in relation to other major issues for schools

Teachers and principals (as well as trustees and parents and whānau) were provided with a list of 25
issues for schools and asked to tick all those they considered to be major issues facing their school.
Three items related to digital technology (shown in Table 6). The costs of maintaining and replacing
digital technology was the most frequently identified major issue related to digital technology, more
so than the adequacy of digital technology and internet access. Issues around inappropriate use of
technology were not often identified as being major issues.

TABLE 6 Views of digital technology as a major issue for respondents’ schools

Major issue Principals Teachers Trustees Parents

(n = 200) (n = 771) (n = 176) (n = 504)
% % % %

Costs of maintenance and replacement of 52 35 19 7

digital technology

Adequacy of digital technology and 20 29 11 5

internet access

Dealing with inappropriate use of 8 7 2 2

technology (e.g. cellphones, social
networking sites)

To put these issues in context, amongst principals, the costs of maintaining and replacing digital
technologies was the second most frequently identified major issue (52%), after the general issue “too
much is being asked of schools” (53%). Amongst teachers, the cost of digital technology was the third
most frequent issue (35%), coming in just behind “too much is being asked of schools” (46%) and “staffing
levels/class size” (37%).16

The full list of major issues, which includes various issues related to student achievement, teacher
professional development, engagement with community and whānau, and other issues will be discussed
in the forthcoming overview report of the 2016 national primary and intermediate schools’ survey.

Bring your own device (BYOD)

Principals were asked if their school already has, or is considering, a BYOD policy. Just over half the
principals said they either already do, or are considering one. Just under half said no. There were decile-
related differences in their responses, with a higher proportion of decile 5–6, 7–8, 9–10 schools having a
BYOD policy compared to decile 1–2. Of principals from decile 1–2 schools, 64% said their school has no
BYOD policy, and 25% are considering one.

16 Generally, school trustees identified digital technology issues less often, compared with other issues such as property
maintenance/development, staffing/class sizes, funding, and other governance issues. Parents/whānau rated digital
technology as an issue less often than staffing levels/class size, student behaviour, and various other issues.

36
 5 Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies

TABLE 7 Schools with BYOD policy, reported by principals (n = 200)

BYOD policy Principals

%

Have a BYOD policy 31

Considering one 20

Do not have a BYOD policy 49

Because of the way the question was asked, principals may have been answering in terms of whether or not
the school had a written policy. With hindsight, we could have asked whether the school allows students to
bring their own devices to school, as well as whether the school has a policy in place around this.

Further support for teachers

Just over a third of teachers wrote a comment about additional support they needed to integrate digital
technology for learning into the curriculum. These comments provide further insight into the everyday
challenges and issues teachers encounter with regards to using digital technologies for learning and
teaching. There were two very frequent themes in the comments. The first theme referred to issues with
access, suitability, and reliability of hardware and infrastructure available, often coupled with comments
that schools needed more/additional funding to get sufficient digital technology and keep this up to
date. The second common theme related to teachers’ perceived PLD support needs.

TABLE 8 Teachers’ comments about additional support needed (n = 265)

Support needed Teachers who wrote a comment

(n = 265)
%
(Funding for) Sufficient, up-to-date, reliable hardware (including a device for every 36
student) and infrastructure
Ongoing support from external expertise/more funded PLD/concerned about 33
teachers’ preparedness
Time to practise, explore possibilities, implement new ideas from PLD 13
Dedicated funded tech support and maintenance that meet the school’s needs 11
Collaboration/problem solving with others—within school, or across local school 9
cluster (some referred to the value of this; others wanted it but didn’t have it yet)
Challenging to keep up with the rate of change 7
Teacher has had (or is having) appropriate support or PLD/No further external 5
support currently needed
Teacher wants more guidance, including which apps / websites to use for which 5
purposes; which hardware is best, etc.
Particular challenges/priorities related to teaching young students (NE–Y3) 5
Support for families and whānau to buy devices for BYOD and for using digital tech 5
at home

37
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Access, suitability, and reliability of infrastructure, and associated costs

Not enough devices
Some teachers said there simply weren’t enough devices available for their students. Definitions of “not
enough” ranged from “too few” devices to meet their students’ needs, through to some teachers not
having any devices available for students’ use.
Not enough iPads to be shared around. I have 2 iPads for 24 children.
Our students have access to NO computers/tablets of any description. The only ‘technology’ available to
them are cameras and a TV screen which can connect to teacher’s laptop. Each teacher has a laptop but
students are not meant to use them.
We need more devices—computers, laptops, tablets in our class. Just having two makes it difficult.

Some teachers said that having to share a pool of devices across the school was a limiting factor.
I would love to have more computers in our school so that if we needed them for learning they were
available. I would use the computers A LOT more if I could rely on having them available.
Limited number of devices restricts us. Growing school—devices shared over more classes.

How much is “enough”?

Teachers expressed different views about how much would be “enough” in terms of students’ access to
digital technology devices.
[I would like] more computers i.e. 1 between 2 per class.
We could always use more devices—1:2 isn’t quite enough.
To completely integrate, needs to be 1:1.

Some simply said it was a case of having “enough” to be functionally useful in the classroom.
[By] access I do not mean I need 1:1 but the ability to integrate it in all areas and groups, rather than
booking pods when available.
I just need more easily accessible/readily available devices so I can easily integrate use into my
programme. At the moment my 1:7 ratio isn’t ideal.

Some teachers commented about the types of devices available. They suggested they would be able to
make better use of technology if all students had the same or similar kinds of devices.
In order to teach well using ICT at Year 3 and 4 I believe we need devices which are the same rather than
a mixture of iPad and computer.
We do not have a device per student despite attempting BYOD… We also have a range of devices—
laptops, google docs, chrome books, macs, iPads—which do not all have the same programmes.

Equity and funding

It was common for teachers to say that schools needed “more funding” to equip them adequately for
using digital technology for learning. Some made specific comments about the importance of equitable
funding for all schools, and some said the Government should fund schools’ technology needs rather
than device costs being passed on to parents.
Schools need more funding to have enough ICT available for all students—especially those who cannot
afford it.
[We need] more support for low decile schools to have digital classrooms. BYOD is not an option.
I feel there is a need for funding to schools to help in having equitable resources for technology.

38
 5 Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies

An equal amount of funding for every school in NZ to purchase and keep updated technology equipment
needs to be looked at.

The cost of apps and resources, and keeping technology up to date

Some teachers talked about the costs associated with keeping pace with changing technologies,
including the need to have “up-to-date” technology, both hardware and software.
A number of Apps for special needs children are expensive … times need to change and we should be
given additional funds to purchase them.
Need more money to purchase good quality resources for the kids to use.

Some teachers suggested that dedicated funding for in-school or between-school technology support
might reduce delays or frustrating issues that limited integration of technology for learning. Some said
technical support within their school was inadequate or not available quickly enough for their needs.
Often digital problems are solved by other teachers and/or students quickly/timely rather than
waiting to go through official channels—we have to solve them ourselves, as the designated leader is
overworked, and under-resourced.
Financial constraints mean that the technical support is not regular and IT problems wait for help or to
be fixed for a term or more.
We are very isolated so technology is hard to get. There are limited technicians (one electrician) with
knowledge on our interactive boards etc…
When systems crash we can be ‘out’ for quite some time. Frustrating.
We need to update our class computers and other forms of digital technology as well. If computers
are not reliable then staff are less inclined to use them, due to frustration. I use my own personal iPad
because I got tired of the tablets the school had not working well.

Professional learning and development needs

Aside from hardware and infrastructure issues, the second major area of comment related to teachers’
learning and professional development needs. Many comments simply said teachers needed “more” PLD.
Any support would be great, at the moment in our school we have been given nothing.
Teachers have not had any PD to use google docs or find short cuts on the drive and spend hours trying
to figure things out.

Some teachers said they simply didn’t know what support they needed yet, due to current inadequacy of
access to technology.
Don’t know at this point since we (junior teachers) do not [have] adequate technology at [the] moment. It
is not until we have it that we will know what support we will need.

Some teachers discussed the need for support that was tailored to their needs, or “just in time”, or giving
teachers more time to experiment and explore things they had already begun to learn.
It’s usually too quick [PLD], only done by experimenting + verbally which does not suit my learning style.
Always find I am left hanging while someone in any workshop getting all the attention + help or/and
technology lets us down.
I would prefer in-class mentoring over workshops and being told to try it out myself.
Release time for teachers to work in small groups for [professional learning] … or to observe the use of
digital technology would be helpful. Funding seems to be tied specifically to platforms, e.g., Microsoft/
Google.

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 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

[I’d like] a support person to discuss next steps in e-learning, apps to use [that] I may not know or [have]
thought of. Group discussions with support person to continue own development for future learning &
skills needed.
One day courses are useful—but sometimes, presenters have their own ‘barrow to push’ e.g., iPad focus,
when in reality it is not a case of one tool fits all. Hard to know exactly what is most beneficial to put
time, money, and energy into!

Others wanted very specific guidance on how to link technology affordances to their goals for teaching
and learning, or to meet their particular students’ needs.
More PD on what works already for specific needs/goals.
I think I need some help using it to differentiate learning.
Additional support and planning around digital citizenship and cyber safety for teachers, students and
parents.

Which apps should I be using?

Some teachers commented that advice and support to find appropriate software would be useful.
I have a special needs boy and I feel there may be more programs available to support his learning.
I don’t know what I don’t know. I always appreciate guidance and support in finding/identifying and
using programs/apps/sites to support learning in new ways.
I would like more PD on the sea of Apps and programs so I can make well considered choices for my year
3 class.

A few teachers mentioned wanting PLD that could at least help them catch up to students, or get ahead
of students and what they might need.
Some PD on making colourful/informative/interesting displays would be useful. The kids are better than
me at this.
Knowing the programs before the students.
We are just scratching the surface of what we are able to do with technology now, new things are being
introduced as reality and readily available on a regular basis. If this is the direction teaching and learning
are taking then we need a massive PLD to help teachers and the teachers who are leading.

A small percentage of comments (about 5%) expressed teachers’ happiness with their current levels of
in-school support and PLD.
Our school has had whole staff PD throughout the year in Google Docs & iPad apps (teachers released
from classes to learn). It’s been AWESOME.
Have had considerable PD this year in apps and Google (docs) which has been very beneficial.
We have great support with ICT—it is time consuming to set up, but once up and running—it’s successful.

Summary
The findings in this chapter identify some of the infrastructure and support challenges teachers and
principals encounter regarding the use of digital technologies within their schools. While internet
connectivity appears to be good in most schools, and few teachers think their school’s policies are too
restrictive, some teachers and principals identified challenges accessing hardware or software that is
suitable to their needs, at the times at which they or their students need it. The costs associated with
keeping technologies up to date were a major concern for more than half of principals. Some principals and
teachers raised questions about equity of access for schools or communities who cannot afford these costs.

40
 5 Infrastructure and support for teaching with digital technologies

While teachers and principals agreed that digital technologies can support students with special learning
needs, some teachers disagreed that they have the knowledge and skills to support students who may
depend on these technologies to access the curriculum.

While more than half the teachers indicated that they have the knowledge and skills they need to
provide learning with digital technologies, and that their school has strong leadership for the use of
digital technologies in teaching and learning, 20% of teachers disagreed with each of these statements,
and some teachers identified specific professional learning and development needs they felt were not
currently being met.

41
6
Teachers’ use of digital
technologies to support
their own work and
professional learning

The previous chapters have begun to develop a picture of how primary and intermediate schools are
utilising digital technologies to support students’ learning. But to what extent are teachers utilising
digital technologies to support their own professional work, including extending their own learning and
digital networks?

We asked teachers to indicate how often they use various online technologies to support their work and
professional learning (see Figure 8). Most teachers say they often or sometimes use online technologies
to download resources or collaborate with teachers in their school. It was somewhat less common for
teachers to say they go online to ask teaching-related questions, share teaching resources, or collaborate
with teachers from beyond their own school. Just under half said they never or almost never took part
in online learning opportunities or contributed to online discussions about teaching. However, a small
percentage (13%) said they did each of these things “often”.

42
 6 Teachers’ use of digital technologies to support their own work and professional learning

FIGURE 8 How teachers use digital technology to support their work and professional learning (n = 771)

Download resources such as lesson plans

30 67
and teaching materials

Collaborate with teachers within my

8 31 59
school

Ask teaching−related questions 23 41 35

Share teaching resources I have

37 34 27
developed/adapted/found useful

Collaborate with teachers beyond my

38 46 14
school

Take part in online learning

49 37 13
opportunities

Contribute to online discussions about

48 37 13
teaching

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Never/almost
No response Sometimes Often
never

We also asked teachers to estimate how many people they regularly connect with online as part of their
own professional learning networks (PLNs). A professional learning network (or personal learning network)
usually involves an individual creating their own “network” of educators and other people from whom
they seek advice, ideas, and resources to support their professional practice. It is important to note
that PLNs can involve both online and offline relationships and communication. However, our question
specifically asked about online connections, in order to investigate whether teachers were using the
affordances of digital technology to connect and network more widely. As shown in Table 9, more than a
third of teachers (37%) say they have no online PLN. Just under half (49%) say they regularly connect with
between one and 20 people online as part of their PLN. Just 11% of teachers indicate an online network of
more than 20 people.

43
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

TABLE 9 Number of people teachers regularly connect with as part of their online professional learning
networks (n = 771)

Number of people Teachers

%

None, no online PLN 37

1–20 people 49

21–50 people 7

More than 50 people 4

Online resources teachers use to support their work

We asked teachers to indicate how useful they found a range of websites and online resources in
supporting their teaching. The list of sites and resources was compiled to include a range of key New
Zealand-specific online resources developed or supported by the Ministry of Education, as well as a few
common social media platforms that teachers might use to share or discuss teaching and learning (see
Figure 9). The most useful sites, according to teachers, were TKI (75%), overseas resource sites (49%), and
subject-specific online networks (48%). The next most useful sites or resources were Facebook (37%),
Google+ (36%), and the Inclusive Education guides for schools on TKI (34%).

Most of the online resources shown in Figure 9 were deemed “not useful” by around 2%–5% of teachers.
However, more teachers indicated three online resources they consider not useful: Twitter (20%),
Facebook (16%), and Pond/Network for Learning (8%).

Aside from TKI, reasonably large proportions of teachers said they didn’t know or hadn’t used various
online resources listed in Figure 9. Around a quarter said they hadn’t used overseas resource sites,
subject-specific online networks, or Facebook. Just under half didn’t know or hadn’t used Netsafe (47%)
or the Virtual Learning Network (46%), and over half didn’t know or hadn’t used Pond (54%) or the
Connected Learning Advisory (CLA) (68%). In the case of CLA and Netsafe, the key target audience for
these services may be people within schools who have a leadership or decision-making role with respect
to digital technologies, although both provide resources and advice that could be used by any teachers.
In the case of Pond and VLN, both are intended to be for all educators, and provide spaces where
teachers can find and share resources as well as discuss teaching and learning.

44
 6 Teachers’ use of digital technologies to support their own work and professional learning

FIGURE 9 Usefulness of selected online resources, reported by teachers (n = 771)

TKI 20 75

Overseas resource sites, like TES 24 20 49

Subject−specific online networks 25 21 48

Inclusive Education − Guides for

32 28 34
Schools (on TKI)

Facebook 25 16 19 37

GooglePlus 38 5 16 36

Netsafe 47 27 19

Virtual Learning Network 46 5 25 20

Pond/Network for Learning 54 8 23 11

Connected Learning Advisory (Te Ara

5 68 17 7
Whitiki)

Twitter 59 20 10 7

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Donʼt know/havenʼt
No response Not useful Somewhat useful Useful/Very useful
used this

45
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Summary
The findings in this chapter suggest that most New Zealand primary and intermediate teachers use
digital technologies to find resources and teaching materials, and to collaborate with colleagues within
their schools. Teachers are less likely to go online to discuss teaching and learning or to seek out online
professional learning, though a small percentage of teachers (13%–14%) do this often. If teachers have an
online PLN, this most often involves connecting with between 1–20 other people on a regular basis, and
more than a third indicated they have no online PLN.

Three-quarters of teachers find TKI useful for their teaching. Amongst other online resources and
websites that teachers might be expected to use, there were quite a few teachers who hadn’t used these
sites or resources, or didn’t think they were useful.

Why aren’t more teachers using these online resources, or going online to seek out PLD opportunities?
Is it a matter of time pressure, lack of awareness of the resources that are available, or a perceived lack
of relevance or usefulness for teachers’ needs? Are teachers content with the material they can find on
TKI and therefore don’t feel any need to utilise other resources? Are teachers’ PLD needs and interests
being sufficiently well-met by offline learning opportunities that they don’t see value in seeking online
professional networking and support? While our data cannot answer these questions, they could be
useful discussion questions for teachers, school leaders, and those who seek to support teachers and
schools online.

46
7
Parent and whānau views
about learning with digital
technology

The national survey includes parents and whānau. For pragmatic reasons, we did not ask every school
in the sample to send out surveys to a sample of parents and whānau.17 Instead, a subset of schools
was selected from the main sample to approximately reflect the school decile and size characteristics of
the sampling frame, and those schools were invited to take part in the parent survey by sending out the
survey to the families or whānau of every fourth student on their roll. If a school declined the invitation,
another school with the same decile and size characteristics was selected in its place. We contacted
a total of 61 schools to achieve a sample of 36 schools taking part. However, only 31 schools returned
parent and whānau surveys, with a total of 504 parents and whānau responses received.

The parent and whānau survey included a few questions about digital technologies. We asked parents
how important it was to them that their child uses digital technology as part of their learning at school,
and to comment on their answers. We also asked whether digital learning opportunities were a factor
in choosing their child’s school, or whether costs had ever prevented their child from various school
activities including using a digital device at school. Finally, we asked whether parents accessed online
information about their child’s learning and school activities.

How important it is for their child to learn with digital technology at school?
Most parents (81%) said the use of digital technology as part of their child’s school learning was of “high”
or “medium” importance. Only 15% said using digital technology for learning was of “low importance” for
their child’s school learning (Table 10).

17 Asking schools to send out surveys to parents and whānau places some additional burden on the schools as well as
NZCER’s national survey infrastructure, because additional time and follow-up is required in order to maximise the number
of surveys returned. Those schools that are asked to survey parents and whānau are provided with a small koha for this
additional request.

47
 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

TABLE 10 Parents’ views on the importance of their child learning with digital technology at school (n = 504)

Importance Parents and whānau

%

High 36

Medium 46

Low 15

Not sure 1

Parents were asked to comment on why they rated digital technology for learning as being of high,
medium, or low importance. Eighty-eight percent of parents wrote a comment, a very high response rate
to an open question. The most common themes in parent comments are shown in Table 11.

TABLE 11 Parent and whānau comments about digital technology in their child’s school learning

Theme Parents who wrote a comment

(n = 442)
%

Digital technology is ubiquitous: it’s the way of the future; we’re in a digital age 46

It’s important to balance digital technology learning with other kinds of other 44
learning (particularly with young children)

General tech skills are beneficial/important to students: need to be confident users; 37

opens up opportunities; without it, they’ll be left behind; need to know how to use
it safely

Concerned about effects on students 7

The child already uses enough tech at home / outside school 4

Schools can provide equity of opportunity for students who can’t afford digital 1
technology at home

The most common type of comment (46%) was a variation on “digital technology is the way of the
future”, followed by comments about the need to balance digital learning with other non-digital learning,
particularly in the first few years of schooling (44%).
In the first few years at school I believe reading, writing, and maths need to be the foundation including
writing in book. Technology is important as a tool to support learning once the foundations are
mastered.
Technology is useful for learning but I’m more interested in developing emotional literacy and
relationship skills.
Yes our children need technology, but I also feel that learning basic math, i.e., times table etc. should be
‘old school’.
Techno-wise kids love it and can develop tunnel vision as a result. We like a rounded approach.

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 7 Parent and whānau views about learning with digital technology

Parents also talked about the future relevance of digital technology skills.
Digital technology is very important due to its future requirements in subjects within secondary school. It
is a fun way to learn and there are many educational online learning programs to complement traditional
methods.
To keep up in the ‘real world’ they need to be competent (at a minimum) with digital technology.

A few parents (7%) expressed specific concerns about potentially negative impacts for children,
particularly on their eyes, bodies, and concerns about “addiction” or tunnel vision.
Not good for children’s eyes.
I think children need to learn to read and write properly. Devices used by children can make them not
very social and this can inhibit their communication skills.
These things are addictive to adults so how come we are encouraging our children that ‘they need them
for homework and [to play] educational games’—that is surely what the developers want us to believe.

A small number of parents said their child already gets enough exposure to digital technology at home,
while a handful noted that schools could provide equity of opportunity for students who were not able to
access digital technologies at home.

Digital technology as a factor in choosing a school

Only 8% of parents and whānau indicated that digital technology opportunities were one of the
specific factors in choosing their child’s school. This is perhaps not surprising compared with much
more common reasons for choosing a school, such as having an older child or family member at the
school (54%), what other families have said about the school (39%), where their child’s friends are
going (30%), or the child themselves wanting to go there (28%). However, even amongst other specific
programmes and offerings in which a school might have strengths, digital technology opportunities were
a less common factor than sports and physical activities (19%), environmental projects (13%), cultural
inclusiveness and arts programmes (each 12%), and te reo Māori / tikanga Māori (10%).

Do parents access online information about their child’s schooling?

We also asked parents and whānau if they have online access to various kinds of information about their
child’s schooling (Figure 10). More than half (60%) say they can access information about school events
and trips online, over a third (37%) say they can access online information about what sorts of things
their child is doing in the classroom (including videos or blogs), and 34% can see work that their child
wants to share online. Fewer say they can view information about their child’s attendance or lateness
(15%) or assessment results (13%) online.

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 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

FIGURE 10 Online information parents can access about their child’s learning and schooling (n = 504)

School events and trips 18 21 60

What theyʼre doing in the classroom 25 36 37

Work they have done and want to share 24 39 34

Attendance/lateness 29 53 15

Assessment results 32 52 13

100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

No response Not sure No Yes

A decile-related difference was evident in two items. Seventy-eight percent of parents from decile 9–10
schools said they had access to online information about school events and trips, compared with 46% of
parents from decile 1–2 schools. Regarding accessing online information about what students are doing in
the classroom, 27% of parents from decile 1–2 schools answered yes compared with 52% of parents from
decile 9–10 schools.

Overall, 69% of parents/whānau answered yes to at least one of the items in Figure 10. We asked them to
identify how they accessed this information (Table 12). This was most often done via a home computer or
laptop, although over half (56%) did so on their mobile phones.

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 7 Parent and whānau views about learning with digital technology

TABLE 12 Devices used to access online information about child’s schooling

Device Parents and whānau who access

online information about their
child’s schooling (n = 350)
%

Home computer/laptop 85

Mobile phone 56

Work computer/laptop 19

Other 9

Summary
Most of the parents and whānau who responded to the national survey indicated that it is important
for their children to have opportunities for learning with digital technology at school, though this is not
the most important factor in choosing a school. Parents and whānau see digital technologies as being
ubiquitous and “part of the future”, but also value their children having a balance of other learning
activities and opportunities. Some parents and whānau have online access to information about their
child’s school learning. This is more likely to be information about school events and trips than about
what’s happening in the child’s classroom or work children have done that they want to share. Few
parents indicated that they can access online information about their child’s achievement or attendance.

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Discussion

Overall, data from the 2016 national survey of primary and intermediate schools presents a complex
picture regarding the role and impact of digital technologies for learning and teaching. In terms of
infrastructure, most schools now have reliable internet access, but many still have some challenges in
terms of students having sufficient access to digital devices for learning. Many principals consider the
ongoing costs of maintaining and upgrading digital technologies to be a key issue.

In terms of the use of digital technologies for teaching and learning, the most common digital learning
practices tend to involve various kinds of digital document production, skill practice, and/or research
on the internet. Other practices that involve students using emerging digital technologies to create
multimedia or code/program are less common, as are co-curricular opportunities to engage with
makerspace activities or student gaming/coding clubs. These findings mirror the general patterns
identified in previous national surveys of both primary/intermediate and secondary schools, with
document production and internet research remaining the most common uses for digital technology
in the classroom. Interestingly, many teachers seem keen on the idea of students using technology to
communicate, collaborate, or share their learning beyond school walls, although this doesn’t currently
happen often in most classrooms.

Teachers and principals generally hold a positive view of the impact of digital technologies on student
engagement, attitudes, and achievement, though additional data would be necessary to substantiate
these views. Teachers also tend to think that digital technologies give students greater control over their
learning and can support students with additional learning needs. Both principals and teachers indicate
that pedagogies are changing as a result of digital technologies.

In terms of their own professional work, most teachers use digital technologies to find and retrieve
teaching resources, some go online to ask questions or discuss their professional practice, and a smaller
proportion seek out opportunities for online PLD or actively build their own online PLN. TKI is one of the
most used and useful go-to resources for teachers, while fewer teachers are using a range of other online
resources specifically designed to promote reflection, networking, sharing, and discussion amongst New
Zealand educators. While some teachers think digital technologies have pushed the working day further
into their own time, very few thought that the use of digital technologies for learning was too time-
consuming for the benefits gained.

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 Discussion

Questions to consider
Some of the survey results raise further questions which may be valuable points of discussion for school
leaders, teachers, policy makers, boards of trustees, and parents/whānau in making ongoing decisions
about the integration of digital technologies for learning in schools around New Zealand.

Infrastructure and equity

• What system-level policies and investments can help to ensure equity of access and support so that
all students, at all schools, can benefit from learning with digital technologies?
• What ongoing system-level policies and investments might support greater efficiencies and/or
reduce costs to schools with regards to investment and maintenance of digital technologies for
learning?
• What helps school leaders make good decisions regarding investment in, and maintenance of, digital
technologies, particularly as technologies and needs change over time?

Benefits and impacts of learning with digital technologies

• The prevalent view amongst teachers, school leaders, and parents/whānau was that using digital
technologies for learning is generally beneficial for most students. Are adults and students able to
articulate why and how digital technologies might strengthen or enable different, or better, kinds
of learning opportunities? What new insights can arise when ideas about learning with digital
technologies are critically examined in schools and communities?
• When talking about the future of learning, teaching, and curriculum, is there a risk of focusing too
much on digital technologies, and not enough on wider questions about learning and teaching?
For example, what supports teachers and students to be powerfully engaged and transformed as
learners and practitioners, and how might digital technologies be used to create or support these
conditions for learning in schools?

The use of digital technologies for learning

• Aside from document production and internet research, why aren’t teachers and students more often
engaging in learning activities involving the use of digital technologies to create, connect, and share
learning, and/or things that can only be done with digital technologies?
• The survey results suggest many teachers would like their students to be using digital technologies
to connect, communicate, and collaborate in their learning with people beyond school walls. If so,
why wasn’t this happening more often? What support is available for teachers who want to get these
things happening in their schools and classrooms?
• Why were learning activities such as coding/programming, gaming clubs, or makerspaces still
relatively uncommon in primary and intermediate schools?
• What other kinds of valuable digital learning opportunities might be happening in schools that we
were not easily able to pick up through our survey questions?
• How are innovative and effective digital learning and teaching practices developed and shared within
schools, and between schools?

The inclusion of digital technologies in the curriculum

• How can school leaders and teachers design learning opportunities with digital technology that
reflect the needs of their community and align with their local curriculum?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of thinking about digital technology as a tool? Are
there other metaphors (other than the tool metaphor) for thinking about digital technologies which
might assist schools to think creatively about the way teachers, leaders, and students use digital
technologies for learning?
• How does, or could, digital technologies be used to enact the vision, principles, and key
competencies in The New Zealand Curriculum, alongside learning objectives associated with the
technology learning area and other learning areas?

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 Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016

Teachers’ own use of digital technologies

• How are teachers learning, reflecting, and refining their practices around learning with digital
technologies, both online and offline?
• Why aren’t more teachers utilising various online resources designed to support reflection,
networking, sharing, and discussion amongst New Zealand educators? Does it matter?
• Is face-to-face and in-school professional learning and collaboration meeting teachers’ professional
learning and development needs so well that they do not need to seek out additional online learning
or professional learning networks?
• What other factors might limit the extent to which teachers go online for professional reflection,
support, or advice? For example, is it related to time constraints, familiarity with platforms and
resources that may be useful, or comfort levels with operating in the online environment?
• To what extent does teachers’ own use of, interest in, and comfort with using digital technologies in
their personal and professional lives enhance or diminish the kinds of learning opportunities they
can provide or support for their students?

These questions, and additional questions arising from the data in this report, may be useful in
supporting ongoing conversations about the future of learning with digital technologies in New Zealand
schools. School leaders and teachers can also find further guidance, support, information, and discussion
forums relevant to many of these questions through the Connected Learning Advisory / Te Ara Whītiki
service.18

18 See http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Ministry-initiatives/Connected-Learning-Advisory-service

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New Zealand Council for Educational Research
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