Connected 24/7: Understanding Teachers as Consumers

Teachers are expert jugglers, of their work life, professional development, home life, and community involvement. Keeping in touch and on top of things is a priority and they have embraced technology as their must-have tool. We wanted to know more about how this country’s seven million teachers think about and use technology. We focused questions in our Teachers as Consumers: Background, Interests, Buying Patterns, and Media Uses study to find out:

The Download on Teachers’ Digital Uses

“Bring an Apple for the teacher…or an Android.” These days, it’s rare to see a teacher without a smartphone or tablet. In fact, 91% of teachers use smartphones and 68% use a tablet. That makes this audience a good fit for digital marketing campaigns. For instance:

Teachers connect “on-the-go”

68% of teachers said it is important for them to have Internet access away from home or work, and 55% said they access the Internet more through a mobile/handheld device than a computer.

Teachers are digital natives

62% of teachers say the Internet has changed the way they work, and 61% rely on it to communicate with friends and family.

Teachers click first

To get news or product information, teachers primarily turn to online sources: 65% say they get more and more of their news from the Internet; 76% say when they need information the first place they look is the Internet; and 60% spend less time reading newspapers in print because of the Internet.

Teachers use smartphones for everything

Even more than most consumers, teachers depend on their smartphones for their multi-tasking lives:

Agreement About Use of Cell Phones/Smartphones survey results graphic

Teachers use smartphones to find and create content

Among the top five uses of phones among teachers are taking pictures, watching and downloading videos, social interaction, and listening to music; all of which can be for either personal or professional uses.

Want to know more? The entire study is available for download here.