The findings of this report represent the results of an online survey about the resources provided to K–12 teachers by the J. Paul Getty Museum on www.getty.edu. The survey was sent to teachers in the Getty Education Department's database of contacts, Facebook friends, and recipients of the monthly e-newsletter Getty Teacher Update. From these channels, 374 individuals completed the survey.

The survey questions were designed to ascertain whether the Department is meeting teachers needs through its online offerings. In addition to questions dealing specifically with the effectiveness of teacher resources offered on www.getty.edu, we asked questions to gain insight into how teachers are using the Internet and other technologies to teach art. What kinds of technologies and web-based tools do teachers use? How important are these technologies and tools? How are teachers displaying reproductions of works of art? Which characteristics of an arts-related lesson plan are most important? The responses to such questions enabled Getty staff to determine areas for improvement in order to better meet teachers' needs.

Download the summary report:
Summary Report of Survey Findings: Assessing the Getty Museum's Online Resources for K-12 Teachers (38pp., 698KB)

Key Findings:

• The majority of survey respondents are satisfied with the resources the Getty Museum provides to teachers (92.6% are satisfied or very satisfied). They simply want more content that relates to their specific grade level or subject, and they want the content to be downloadable, customizable, targeted to their needs, and easily findable.
• Teachers use the Internet, iPads, and smartphones, if used at all, most commonly to review information—either for research purposes or to review content with the class as a whole. The second most frequent use of the Internet is to display reproductions of works of art.
• Survey respondents were asked to consider the importance of sixteen online features. One of the most important online features, according to survey respondents, is access to images (especially printable images, images that can be downloaded for use in PowerPoint© presentations, or images that can be viewed online with zoom features). The only online feature that was considered more important was information about works of art and artists (90.8% considered this very important or essential).
• The most frequently used method of viewing works of art in the classroom is projecting images from a live Internet connection, followed by PowerPoint, and then large posters.