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To examine the extent to which available computer and Internet resources are being used in private schools, the survey asked about the proportion of teachers who regularly use computers and/or advanced telecommunications for teaching, and the extent to which various members of the school community (students, teachers, and administrative staff) used electronic mail (e-mail) and the World Wide Web (WWW). Moreover, to explore the extent support for computer and Internet use, schools were asked whether they provided different types of advanced telecommunications training for teachers, used various approaches to encourage participation in technology-related training, and provided technical support for advanced telecommunications use. The survey also asked about the extent to which schools might face various barriers to the acquisition and use of computers or advanced telecommunications capabilities.
Schools were asked to estimate the proportion of teachers who regularly use computers or advanced telecommunications for teaching. Overall, 45 percent of all private school teachers were reported to regularly use advanced telecommunications for instruction (figure 9 and table B-18). There were no significant differences in the proportion of teachers using advanced telecommunications for teaching by school affiliation, instructional level, enrollment size, or whether the school had Internet access.
The survey also asked schools about the extent to which various members of the school community-students, teachers, and administrators -used electronic mail and the World Wide Web.9
In 1998-99, virtually all Internet-connected schools with e-mail access reported that students, teachers, and administrative staff used e-mail at least to a small extent (tables 8 and B-20). Nineteen percent of the schools indicated that students used e-mail to a large extent and one-fourth indicated that teachers made use of this resource to a large extent. Moreover, 39 percent of the schools indicated that their administrative staff used this resource to a large extent, which was significantly higher than the proportion of schools reporting that teachers and students used e-mail to a large extent. Nonsectarian schools were more likely than other religious schools to report that teachers used e-mail to a large extent (37 versus 20 percent). The proportion of schools reporting this level of students" e-mail use did not differ significantly by religious affiliation. However, secondary schools were more likely than elementary schools to report
In the 1998-99 school year, almost all Internet-connected schools with WWW access reported that students, teachers, and administrative staff used the WWW at least to a small extent (tables 9 and B-21). Thirty-one percent of the schools reported that students used this resource to a large extent, 24 percent of schools indicated that teachers used this resource to a large extent, and 28 percent reported that their administrative staff used it to a large extent. Secondary schools were more likely than elementary schools to report that students used the WWW to a large extent (48 versus 25 percent), and Catholic and nonsectarian schools were more likely than other religious schools to indicate that students used this resource to a large extent (35 and 42 percent versus 21 percent). The proportion of schools that students used e-mail to a large extent (40 versus 13 percent). reporting that teachers used the WWW to a large extent did not differ by religious affiliation or instructional level.
Private schools were asked whether they offered or participated in four types of technology related training for teachers-use of computers, use of the Internet, use of other advanced telecommunications, and integration of technology into the curriculum. The survey also asked about various ways in which the schools encouraged computer or advanced telecommunications training for teachers.
Overall, 64 percent of private schools offered or participated in some type of advanced telecommunications training for teachers in the 1998-99 school year (tables 10 and B-22). The most common type of training was in the use of computers, with 60 percent of schools offering or participating in this activity. Moreover, about half of all private schools offered or participated in training in the integration of technology into the classroom, and 43 percent provided training on the use of the Internet. Nineteen percent offered or participated in training on the use of other types of advanced telecommunications.
The proportion of private schools that offered or participated in advanced telecommunications training differed by affiliation (tables 10 and B-22). Overall, Catholic schools were more likely than other religious or nonsectarian schools to offer or participate in any training for teachers (88 percent compared with 49 and 58 percent, respectively). Similarly, for three of the four types of advanced telecommunications training for teachers-use of computers, use of the Internet, and integration of technology into the curriculum-Catholic schools were more likely than other religious or nonsectarian schools to offer or participate in the activity. Other religious schools were least likely to offer or participate in teacher training on the use of the Internet.
There were also some differences among schools offering or participating in advanced telecommunications training by instructional level (tables 10 and B-22). Overall, secondary schools were more likely than combined schools to offer or participate in any technology training for teachers (74 versus 55 percent). Secondary schools were more likely than elementary schools to report that they offered or participated in training on the use of the Internet (62 versus 44 percent), and combined schools were least likely to report this activity (33 percent). Moreover, secondary and elementary schools were more likely than combined schools to offer or participate in the other three types of advanced telecommunications training for teachers-use of computers, integration of technology into the curriculum, and use of other advanced telecommunications.
There were some consistent differences in the proportion of schools that offered or participated in technology-related training for teachers depending on whether or not the school had Internet access (tables 10 and B-22). For instance, schools with Internet access were consistently more likely than those without access to offer or participate in any type of advanced telecommunications training for teachers (77 versus 39 percent). Internet connected schools were also more likely to offer or participate in each type of technology-related training examined in this survey-use of computers, integration of technology into the curriculum, use of the Internet, and use of other advanced telecommunications.
The likelihood of private schools offering or participating in any technology training for teachers also differed by enrollment size (tables 10 and B-22). Large and medium-sized schools were more likely than small schools to provide any technology training for teachers (84 and 76 percent versus 45 percent, respectively). Moreover, the likelihood of offering or participating in each type of training increased with enrollment size. For example, large schools were more likely than medium-sized schools to report technology-related training in the use of computers, and small schools were least likely to report this activity.
To explore the ways in which private schools encouraged their teachers to participate in technology-related training, the survey asked whether:
Of the 64 percent of private schools that offered or participated in some type of advanced telecommunications training for teachers in the 1998-99 school year, 55 percent reported that the decision to initiate participation in technology training was left to the teachers (tables 11 and B-23). An additional 22 percent said that teacher training in computers/advanced telecommunications was not mandated, but that the school provided incentives to encourage teacher participation. However, 16 percent of private schools that offered or participated in advanced telecommunications training said that teacher training was mandated by the school, central administration, or diocese. The remaining 6 percent of schools that offered or participated in training provided some other response as to how such training was encouraged by the school.
The likelihood of schools reporting that it was left to teachers to initiate participation in technology-related training differed somewhat by affiliation, enrollment size, and whether the school had Internet access (tables 11 and B-23). Other religious and nonsectarian schools were more likely than Catholic schools to leave the decision to participate to teachers (67 and 56 percent versus 37 percent, respectively). Combined schools were more likely than elementary schools to leave this decision to their teachers (68 versus 50 percent). Small schools were more likely than medium-sized or large schools to report that it was left up to teachers to initiate participation in technology-related training (68 percent versus 49 and 39 percent, respectively). Schools without Internet access were more likely than those with access to leave this decision to their teachers (72 versus 47 percent).
To provide some insights on the extent to which schools provided technical support for the use of advanced telecommunications, the survey asked about persons primarily responsible for providing this support, and the various types of technical support made available.
Most private schools (80 percent) indicated having someone primarily responsible for supporting advanced telecommunications in the 1998-99 school year (figure 10 and table B-24). Twenty-seven percent indicated that a teacher or other staff member was primarily responsible for providing support for advanced telecommunications as part of his/her formal responsibilities, and 13 percent reported that a part-time paid technology director/coordinator had primary responsibility. Moreover, 12 percent of the schools indicated that primary responsibility for advanced telecommunications was held by a full-time paid technology director/coordinator, and another 12 percent said that primary responsibility was with a teacher or other staff acting as volunteers. Primary responsibility was held by other volunteers or someone else in 10 percent of the schools, and 5 percent of the schools reported a consultant/outside contractor in this capacity.
Schools were also asked about the number of individuals providing technical support for advanced telecommunications during the 1998- 99 school year. Of the 80 percent of private schools with at least one individual providing support for advanced telecommunications, a large majority (70 percent) relied solely on one individual (tables 12 and B-25). The other 30 percent had two or more individuals providing assistance for advanced telecommunications. Among private schools with at least one individual providing advanced telecommunications support, 37 percent received fulltime support from one or more persons. One fourth of these schools relied on one individual and 12 percent had two or more individuals. Schools also reported part-time advanced telecommunications support: three-fourths of schools with at least one individual providing support had part-time assistance, with 48 percent receiving assistance from one individual and 28 percent from two or more persons.
The proportion of schools with two or more individuals responsible for providing advanced telecommunications support differed by whether the school had Internet access (tables 12 and B-25). Internet-connected schools were more likely than schools without Internet access to report having two or more individuals with this responsibility (36 versus 14 percent). Also, large schools were more likely than small schools to indicate they had two or more persons responsible for providing advanced telecommunications support (38 versus 21 percent). There were no significant differences by instructional level or affiliation.
Private schools with at least one individual responsible for advanced telecommunications support were also asked to indicate the extent to which the technology coordinator or other technical support staff:
Most private schools that provided advanced telecommunications support reported that the technology coordinator or other technology staff helped teachers integrate technology into the curriculum at least to a small extent (81 percent; tables 13 and B-26). Forty-one percent indicated that technical assistance in integrating technology into the curriculum helped teachers to a large or moderate extent, and 40 percent felt that it helped to a small extent. Nineteen percent of the schools indicated that this type of technical support did not help at all.
Catholic and nonsectarian schools were more likely than other religious schools to indicate that the technology coordinator or other technology staff helped teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum to a large or moderate extent (56 and 44 percent versus 25 percent, respectively; tables 13 and B-26).
Schools with Internet access were more likely than those without this resource to report that the assistance provided by technology coordinators or other technical staff helped teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum to a moderate or large extent (46 versus 24 percent). Moreover, elementary and secondary schools were more likely than combined schools to report this extent of support to teachers (47 and 49 percent versus 23 percent, respectively).
Private schools with one or more individuals providing advanced telecommunications support also reported the extent to which network technical assistance was provided by the technology coordinator or other technical staff. About two-thirds (63 percent) indicated that network technical support was provided at least to a small extent (tables 14 and B-27). Forty two percent indicated that this assistance was provided to a large or moderate extent, and 21 percent felt it was provided to a small extent. However, 37 percent of the schools indicated that network technical support was not provided at all.
Nonsectarian schools were more likely than Catholic or other religious schools to report that technical support was provided to a large or moderate extent (57 percent versus 44 and 37 percent, respectively; tables 14 and B-27). Internet-connected schools were more likely than schools without Internet access to indicate this extent of technical support (49 versus 20 percent). Secondary schools were more likely than elementary or combined schools to report that the technology coordinator or other staff provided technical support to a large or moderate extent (57 versus 40 percent).
Schools with one or more individuals providing advanced telecommunications support also reported the extent to which the technology coordinator or other technical staff involved students in the maintenance of the telecommunications systems. Nineteen percent of the schools indicated that students were involved in this activity to a large or moderate extent, and 28 percent reported that it occurred to a small extent (tables 15 and B-28). However, 54 percent of the schools indicated that the involvement of students in the maintenance of the telecommunications systems did not take place at all. Secondary schools were more likely than elementary schools to report that the technology coordinator or other technical staff involved students in the maintenance of the telecommunications systems to a large or moderate extent (28 versus 17 percent), and nonsectarian schools were more likely than other religious schools to report this extent of student involvement in the maintenance of telecommunications systems in the school (29 versus 13 percent). There were no significant differences in the proportion of schools reporting this activity by whether or not the school had Internet access.
Private schools indicated that various factors were barriers to either to the acquisition or use of computers/advanced telecommunications capabilities. In the 1998-99 school year, the most commonly cited barrier was insufficient budget for hardware/software purchases; 45 percent of private schools indicated that this was a major barrier to acquiring or using advanced telecommunications, 23 percent said it was a moderate barrier, and 13 percent indicated it was a minor barrier (tables 16 and B-29). For 19 percent of private schools, insufficient budget for hardware/software purchases was not a barrier at all. Other barriers reported as major by private schools included the lack of or poor equipment (23 percent), concern about student access to inappropriate materials (18 percent), and the lack of quality software for instructional purposes (15 percent).
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