Giving Compass' Take:

• The teacher shortage is increasing across the nation, and it will affect the implementation of successful edtech tools across schools. However, the author suggests a few ways to help mitigate these challenges that involve engaging teachers to hopefully increase retainment. 

• In what other ways can the teacher shortage affect education systems other than edtech? 

• Read about what Indiana policymakers are doing to address teacher shortages. 

School districts nationwide are facing a critical teacher shortage and the situation is only expected to worsen in the next few years. This issue has many implications for student learning, but one that is often overlooked is that a shortage of qualified instructors can have a crippling effect on a school district’s ability to implement technology effectively.

The supply of teachers is dwindling because of high turnover rates, the retirement of the baby boomer generation and a decline in the number of students choosing a teaching career.

Implementing school or district technology programs with fidelity is hard enough with one, consistent group of teachers. It becomes even more challenging when the teachers being asked to use classroom technology have likely not taken part in edtech professional development to learn how tools are used in a specific classroom or school. And while technology can address a variety of educational challenges, the misuse of it can be disruptive to learning.

Both edtech providers and school districts have their own parts to play. First, here are three things that edtech providers can do to help solve this crisis:

  • Make training and support widely available.
  • Volunteer in local schools.
  • Support 'second career' options for employees.
  • Include substitute teachers in edtech professional development.
  • Focus on teacher retention efforts.
  • Partner with a professional staffing firm.

Read the full article about teacher shortage will affect edtech by Nicola Soares at EdSurge