Teaching more with less – Why tech is crucial for managing the teacher shortage

Tech first made its way into classrooms decades ago and became a mainstay during the pandemic. Against the backdrop of the ongoing teacher shortage, it is now more crucial than ever. 

A recent report by The Public Accounts Committee found that The Department for Education’s pledge to address this deficit “lacks a coherent plan”. Despite the promise of 6,500 new teachers by 2029, the report found that DfE’s plan not only lacks clarity, but actually falls short of the forecasts needed to meet the current rate of vacancies, with colleges alone expected to need up to 12,400 more teachers by 2028. 

The UK education sector is facing unprecedented challenges, with The National Foundation for Educational Research finding that staff shortages in schools are having an increasingly negative impact on pupils, with class sizes often growing as a result of a lack of teachers. Whilst these issues require both policy attention and investment, tech has a crucial role in both helping teachers manage the burden, as well as increasing student engagement. Classroom technology is no longer an optional enhancement, but a necessary response to an unfolding crisis. 

Recruitment issues are forcing remaining educators to take on larger classes, more subjects outside their expertise and increased administrative burdens. This is creating a vicious cycle in which increased teacher vacancies generate more work for already hard-pressed teachers.

These issues are compounded by shrinking student attention spans. A poll of 504 teachers in schools in England found 84 per cent agree that children’s attention spans are “shorter than ever” post-Covid, and with the rise of TikTok and increased social media usage, it is likely that this problem will only continue to grow. Whilst engaging students is not a new challenge for educators, teachers are now competing on an uneven playing field. As students are now digital natives, it’s not surprising that tech can help teachers to re-engage their pupils; a recent Independent study found that game-based learning actually reduced multi-screen addiction amongst pupils. Technology should be used thoughtfully to foster interactive learning, transforming the student experience from passive listening to actively participating in the learning process.

A comprehensive meta-analysis published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, found that game-based platforms can improve not just engagement, but academic performance too. The study, which reviewed dozens of peer-reviewed papers, found that students using digital interactive learning platforms performed significantly better than control groups in which no learning tools were used – in some cases improving outcomes by a full grade. The same analysis linked digital tools to increased motivation, higher knowledge retention and improved attitudes towards learning – all critical factors when trying to sustain attention across larger classrooms. 

Interactive platforms allow one teacher to simultaneously engage a room full of students, as well as gathering real-time assessment data, helping to identify struggling learners without individual check-ins. This gives teachers a better ability to maintain pupil attention in lessons, giving them more time to focus on strategic interventions when they are needed. 

Another knock-on effect of the teacher shortage has been an increased workload faced by educators, who are now burdened with an unsustainable amount of administrative tasks. Recent data from the National Education Union found that one in three state school teachers in England are stressed at work for at least four fifths of the time; it is clear this workload is now beginning to detract from valuable time that could be spent supporting pupils. AI-powered platforms can help teachers complete tasks that would ordinarily consume hours of time outside the classroom – such as the creation of learning materials, tracking student progress and lesson planning – giving teachers more time to focus on what they do best, teaching. With educators already at breaking point, it is crucial that they have access to familiar, intuitive platforms that they know how to use. Exhausted educators don’t need the additional burden of mastering complex new systems – they need user-friendly tools that can immediately reduce their workload without requiring extensive training or adaptation.    

With government plans to address these issues drawing scrutiny, teachers need tools that can support them right now. Recruitment efforts could take years to yield results and will require consistent funding, ed-tech is offering a crucial solution to help bridge the gaps created by the staffing crisis, ensuring that students’ learning experiences are not adversely affected as a consequence. 

Despite Labour’s £2.3bn schools budget increase, unless strategic plans are drawn up to stem the flow of teachers leaving the profession, the UK education system will face serious complications. Whilst there has been debate around the benefits of tech for students, it has become a crucial tool in the arsenal of teachers.   

The teacher shortage crisis demands immediate action, not just long-term promises, and educational technology offers a lifeline that can be deployed today – helping overwhelmed teachers manage larger classes and reducing the administrative burden that drives educators from the profession. With this, it’s crucial that the government prioritises funding for the development and deployment of ed-tech in the classroom; teachers and students can no longer afford to wait.