High-speed internet is a basic necessity–not a luxury–when it comes to learning

Parents With School-Aged Children Are Frustrated

• Schools Can Help: When parents with school-aged children were asked what they felt their children’s school could have provided to make online/distance learning more accessible, 61% said “high-speed internet,” 46% answered “technical support for necessary devices,” and 44% said “devices such as tablets or laptops.”
• Schoolwork Doesn’t End at School: When asked about which activities at home require high-speed internet access, 42% of parents with school-aged children stated schoolwork for themselves or their children. More than half (52%) said that business/work also required a high-speed connection.
• Remote Learning is Not Always Possible from Home: When asked all of the reasons Americans, or someone in their household, have had to leave home to access high-speed internet, 49% said “to complete homework,” and 44% said, “to attend online classes.”
• Degrees of Separation: Almost half of U.S. adults surveyed (41%) have either struggled themselves to access internet connectivity for learning in the last year or know someone who has.
• Need for Access to Better Technology to Support Online Learning: Nearly a quarter of parents with school-aged children (24%) said their children’s schools have not provided adequate technology to support online/distance learning over the past year.
• Online Learning is Here to Stay: When asked which type of learning model they prefer for their children going forward post-pandemic, almost half of parents with school-aged children (44%) stated a preference for a hybrid model (mix of both in-person and virtual), less than one-third (32%) prefer 100% in-person, and 11% said they prefer fully virtual learning.

Other key findings include:

• Internet Access Everywhere is Important: Almost three-quarters (72%) of U.S. adults believe it is important to have an internet connection they can take with them and use outside their home, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot, a Wi-Fi device, internet-embedded devices, etc.
• Remaining Connected is Essential: When asked about the importance of having high-speed internet access at home, 65% said they found at-home connectivity is important, which includes one-third (37%) saying “very important.”
• Speed and Quality Problems are Common: When asked how often respondents have experienced speed or quality problems with their high-speed internet connection at home during the past year, Americans are experiencing frustrations: 20% said “always;” 21% said “often;” 26% said “sometimes;” 10% said “rarely;” and only 3% said “never.”
• Home is Not Always Where High-Speed Internet Is: Over the last year, nearly three-quarters of adults (73%) said they had to leave home at some point to access high-speed internet.

“The results of this national survey highlight the widely-held belief among Americans that everyone needs to be connected to the Internet. The data clearly show that as the world opens after the pandemic, the need for reliable connectivity is necessary, and makes our society and economy more vibrant and resilient,” said Daniel J.W. Neal, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Kajeet. “The survey provides key insights into the types of activities outside of education that require connectivity, such as access to a wide range of healthcare and employment opportunities. With many Americans concerned about how they will pay for this necessary connection, it is essential that more steps are taken to ensure affordable and robust Internet connectivity.”

This press release originally appeared online.

Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

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