Teachers Report 'Major Impact' of Internet on Learning

'Digital divide' cited as major challenge

By Mike Bock

Teachers of low-income students are twice as likely as teachers of upper-income students to say that their schools are "behind the curve" in utilizing digital tools in the classroom, indicating a concern among educators about the "digital divide" and its effects on students' academic development, according to a survey released last week .

But the vast majority of middle and high school teachers involved in the survey, all of whom teach in higher-level educational programs connected to Advanced Placement curricula or the National Writing Project, said the Internet has had a "major impact" on their ability to access content and resources for their teaching, the survey from the Washington-based Pew Research Center finds.

The report, "How Teachers Are Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms," gauges the opinions of nearly 2,500 middle and high school teachers. It is a part of the Pew Internet & American Life survey, a multiyear project that seeks to assess how Americans use the Internet...