Unfinished business: Understanding the digital use divide in American schools

In this second report in the special series, we examine how digital tools and resources are used within America's classrooms to create active learning experiences which help students develop learner self-efficacy and agency, as well as critical workplace skills. Using the feedback from over 7,600 K-12 classroom teachers from 2022 - 2024, this report prioritizes the experiences of teachers to understand what is needed to close the digital use divide.

In addition to documenting how teachers are utilizing various technologies to support differentiated learning for their students, the report also provides new insights into what teachers need to more effectively leverage digital tools to engage their students in active learning.

To create a complete picture of the current environment, we also conducted additional analysis on the Speak Up data findings to understand differences in teachers' activities and perspectives based upon their years of experience in teaching. Where appropriate, we reference longitudinal data from the Speak Up Research dataset from 2003-2024 to provide additional context. School level demographic analysis of the research findings enables greater clarity to understand where gaps and unfinished business still exist relative to effective technology usage to support active learning.