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:
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.