Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) Report: “Navigating the New Normal: Ensuring Equitable and Trustworthy EdTech for the Future”

From the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT):

Catalyzed by the rapid expansion of remote learning brought about by COVID-19, education technology continues to occupy a large, evolving role in K-12 instruction even as schools make steps toward leaving the pandemic behind. Many technologies adopted to accommodate remote or hybrid learning have been incorporated into districts’ long-term technology platforms, and teachers are seeking ways to apply skills learned in the past year and a half. Parents, teachers, and students, the three key stakeholder groups with the most to gain — and lose — from the way these tools are implemented, are paying attention to the privacy and equity implications of these technologies.

CDT surveyed parents, teachers, and students about their views toward student privacy, security, data use, and equity issues. The surveys, conducted this past summer, follow up on previous CDT research conducted in the summer of 2020 and spring of 2021 as well as recent research on student activity monitoring software. Several key themes emerged from our findings:

1. Parents, teachers, and students want to play a greater role in protecting privacy:
   1. Parents’ concern has risen, but pathways to participation are limited;
   2. Well-trained teachers will serve as student privacy ambassadors;
   3. Students want to participate in decisions about their own data.
2. Use of technology in disciplinary contexts is growing, but with mixed support.
3. Ongoing attention to technology’s equity impacts is necessary.

Report Resources

Direct to Full Text Report
5 pages; PDF.

Direct to Slide Deck
50 pages; PDF.

Direct to Press Release

Filed under: Data Files, News