Magazine

Barriers to Getting Educators Online, by Denise Ethier and Jennifer Gold

Lack of time

School-based educators are seen as a ready audience for telecommunications since opportunities for peer exchange and professional collegiality are often at a minimum; after working with students all day, educators have little time left over to conduct independent research or to problem solve with colleagues about issues concerning their work life (U.S. National Commission on Time and Learning, 1994). For these professionals, one would assume that the use of telecommunications could combat these barriers by offering access to information and peers 24 hours a day.

Yet, of those questioned about their use of NCIPnet, the most common factor cited for limited use was lack of time. In fact, NCIP found that more participants were logging on from home after work hours than from school or their office computer. The lack of free time during the work day can prevent educators from fully making use of the potential of telecommunications.