balancing students' aspirations with district realities

© Project Tomorrow 2011

Balancing Students’ Aspirations

with District Realities

New Speak Up Findings from Tech Leaders

Julie EvansProject Tomorrow

[email protected]

Speak Up 2010 FindingsCoSN ConferenceMarch 15, 2011


Today’s Discussion: The Big Questions

� What are the expectations of K-12 students for 21st

century learning?

� How does that student vision compare with school and district realities – from the perspective of

administrators and technology leaders?

� How well are today’s K-12 schools meeting the expectations of students?

� What is the future of learning?


Discussion Agenda:

� Speak Up National Research Project

� Student Vision for 21st Century Education

� Deep Dive into the Tech Leaders and

Administrators Data Findings

� Conversation – Your insights!


Defining 21st century education . . .

“I believe that the purpose of education is not to make men carpenters, but to make carpenters men. To be competitive in a workplace that is changing and will change continuously throughout our careers, my peers and I need to be able to read and understand new information at a level never before prevalent.This should be, however, a familiar aim for the forces of academia, however, since what we must learn, in essence, is to learn.

I would ensure a broad and balanced education that exposes everystudent to rigorous inquiry in every discipline, from physics to pottery and makes them active participants in the process of inquiry and

learning.”

11th grade studentPittsburgh PA


• Annual national research project

� Online surveys + focus groups

� Open for all K-12 schools and schools of education

� Institutions receive free report with their own data

• Collect ideas ↔ Stimulate conversations

� K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators

� Pre-Service Teachers in Schools of Education

• Inform policies & programs

� Analysis and reporting of findings and trends

� Consulting services to help transform teaching and learning

Speak Up National Research Project


Speak Up is facilitated annually

by Project Tomorrow

(formerly known as NetDay)

Project Tomorrow

(www.tomorrow.org)

is the leading education nonprofit

organization dedicated to the

empowerment of student voices in

education.


• Empowering authentic voices – since 2003:

� 1.9 million K-12 students

� 180,000 teachers and librarians

� 124,000 parents

� 15,500 school and district leaders

� 30,000 K-12 schools – from all 50 states, DC,

American military base schools, Canada, Mexico,

Australia, int’l schools . . .

Speak Up National Research Project

2.2 million respondents


� Learning & Teaching with Technology

� 21st Century Skills: Digital Citizenship

� Science and Math Instruction

� Career Interests in STEM and Teaching

� Professional Development / Teacher Preparation

� Internet Safety

� Administrators’ Challenges

� Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

� Mobile Devices, Online Learning, Digital Content

� Educational Games, Web 2.0 tools and applications

� Designing the 21st Century School

Speak Up survey question themes


� K-12 Students 294,399� Teachers 35,525� Librarians 2,135� Parents (in English & Spanish) 42,267� Administrators 3,578� Technology Leaders 1,391� Schools / Districts 6,541 / 1,340

Participating States for Student Surveys: 48 states

Top 12 (# of participants): TX, CA, AL, AZ, FL, NC, IL, MD, IN, NV, PA, WI

National Speak Up 2010 Participation: 379,355


About our K-12 Schools:

� 34% urban, 29% suburban, 37% rural

� 51% Title 1 eligible – indicating community

poverty

� 34% majority-minority student population




Release of national findings:

Student & Parent Data: April 1

Educator Data: May 11

Stay tuned to all Speak Up announcements:

www.tomorrow.org

SpeakUpEd – Twitter and Facebook


Release of two national reports

March 16 and May 5, 2010

Available at: www.tomorrow.org

Creating Our Future:

Students Speak Up about their Vision for 21st Century Learning

Speak Up 2009 National Findings: K-12 Students & Parents

Unleashing the Future:

Educators Speak Up

about the Use of Emerging Technologies for Learning

Speak Up 2009 National Findings: Teachers, Aspiring Teachers & Administrators


Key Findings: Speak Up 2003 – 2010

� Students function as a “Digital Advance Team”

� Students regularly adopt and adapt emerging technologies

for learning

� Students’ frustrations with the unsophisticated use of

technologies within education

� Lack of relevancy in education exacerbated

� Persistent digital disconnect between students and adults


What can the Speak Up

findings tell us about the

future of learning?


Increasingly, students’ aspirations around

the use of emerging technologies within

education is a reflection of their desired

vision for learning in general.

What can the Speak Up data tell us about the

future of learning?


Result:

A new uniquely “student vision” for leveraging emerging

technologies to drive achievement and educational

productivity


Creating Our Future: Students Speak Up about their Vision for 21st Century Learning

Social–based learning

Un–tethered learning

Digitally–rich learning



Three Essential Elements


Students want to leverage emerging communications and collaboration tools to create personal networks of experts




Un-tethered learning

Students envision technology-enabled learning that transcends classroom walls




Digitally-rich learning

Students see the use of relevancy-based digital tools, content and resources as key to education productivity


Social-based learning

Un-tethered learning

Digitally rich learning

Online and blended learningUsing mobile devices within instruction

E-textbooks and digital content


Online and blended learningUsing mobile devices within instruction



Tech Leaders & Administrators

Implementations BenefitsBarriers

Aspirations


Online and blended learning



Who is learning online?

Growth in student experiences with academic online learning

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

2008

2009

2010

Students Gr 9-12

Students Gr 6-8

Includes:

• Online class taught by a teacher

• Self-study online class

• Blended class environment


Who is your primary audience for online

classes in your district?

1. Teachers (53%)

2. Students (40%)

3. Administrators (36%)

Administrators Speak Up about online learning


How is online learning implemented?

Administrators: Types of Online Learning Provided to Students

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

100% class - our teachers

100% class - other teachers

Blended class

Self directed class

2010

2009


Administrators: what barriers do you face implementing online learning for students?

Top responses:

1. Limited funding

2. Creating rigorous online courses

3. Concern about course quality

4. Evaluating the quality of online courses

5. Inadequate technology or support


Evaluating the quality of online courses –what is most important?

Evaluating Online Courses - what matters most?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Used by similar district

Developed by instructional experts

Recommended by state/prof org

Developed by expert org

Course completion rates

Includes embedded assessment

Integrates digital content

Student achievement

Ease of use

Align to content standards

Administrators

Tech Leaders



Additional findings: online and blended learning

� 62% of Tech Leaders say their district is currently implementing online learning

� 46% of Tech Leaders say that in the future they will move online courses “into the cloud”

� 39% of Administrators identify online classes as part of their ultimate school


Using mobile devices within learning



Potential uses of mobile devices for schoolwork

Top vote getters with students:

Check grades 74%

Internet research 68%

Take notes for class 59%

Text or IM classmate or teacher re: schoolwork 53%

Use the calendar 50%

Access online textbooks 44%

It’s all about productivity!


Potential benefits of mobile devices for schoolwork

Top vote getters with administrators:

Increases student engagement 84%

Extends learning beyond school day 66%

Personalizes learning 64%

Improves home communications 60%

Access online textbooks 56%

More about engagement!


Value of mobile devices within technology plan

Top vote getters with tech leaders:

Minimizes tech expenses 53%

Improves home communications 52%

Provides 1:1 opportunity 50%

Provides access to online textbooks 47%

Better use of scarce resources 31%

Puts responsibility on parents to provide devices 30%

More about managing resources!


So, what is holding you back from allowing

students to use their own devices?

Administrators say:

1. Teachers not trained

2. Current district policies

3. Concerns about network security

4. Concerns about theft

5. Devices can distract students

Tech Leaders say:

1. Concerns about network security

2. Staff capacity to support

3. Student access

4. Id curriculum

5. Acceptable use policies


Administrators: How likely are you this year to allow students to use their own mobile devices for instructional purposes at school?

Administrators say:

Likely 22%

Unlikely63%



Additional findings: mobile learning

� 37% of Tech Leaders say their district is not sure what approach to take but definitely are interested in mobile learning!

� Only 5% of Tech Leaders are advancing a BYOT approach at this time

� 35% of Administrators identify mobile devices as part of their ultimate school


Three themes emerge from the data:

� Students want interactivity and relevancy

� They want tools to facilitate collaboration

� They want ways to personalize learning

Students’ desires for the features and functionality of digital textbooks


Potential benefits of digital content within instruction

Top vote getters with administrators:

Increases student engagement 72%

Extends learning beyond school day 64%

Prepares students for work 62%

Improves teacher tech skills 52%

Personalizes learning 51%

Increases relevancy of instruction 51%

Decreases dependence on publishers 51%

Engagement + Relevancy


So, what are the barriers to integrating

digital content in your curriculum?

Administrators say:

1. Computer access

2. Teacher training

3. Evaluating digital content quality

4. Alignment to curriculum

5. Concern about legal policies and internet safety issues

Tech Leaders say:

1. Funding to purchase digital content

2. Teacher training

3. Computer access

4. Evaluating digital content quality

5. Concern about legal policies and internet safety issues


Evaluating the quality of digital content –what is most important?

Evaluating Digital Content: what matters most?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Referred by colleague

Created by content experts

Conference demo

Compiled by state dept of ed

Certified by ed associations

Created by teachers

Teacher evaluation

Student achievement

Administrators

Teachers



Additional findings: digital content

� 60% of Tech Leaders say they recommend digital content to administrators and teachers as an agent for education transformation

� 25% of Tech Leaders say they are currently implementing digital or e-textbooks

� 46% of Tech Leaders would consider a digital content library “in the cloud”

� 54% of Administrators identify digital textbooks as part of their ultimate school




Un–tethered learning

Digitally–rich learning


“My school (or district) is doing a

good job of using technology to

enhance student achievement.”


“My school (or district) is doing a

good job of using technology to

enhance student achievement.”

Would your stakeholders agree with this statement?


“My school (or district) is doing a good job of using tech to enhance student achievement.”

Student Aspirations vs. District Realities

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Administrators

Tech Leaders

Students


The Future of Learning?

What do administrators say schools will look like in 2019?


A vision for education in 2019

“School will become a 24 hour around the clock opportunity

with students logging into school from “home.” The role of the

teacher will be to lead and assist students in “discovering”

the uses for the technology and information. Every student

from Pre-K through twelfth grade will have access to learning

through the most advanced IT devices available. Learning will

occur online at least 80% of the time. School buildings will

be open on evenings and Saturdays for remediation, recreation

and community activities for the purpose of socialization.”

Principal from Michigan



Release of national findings:

Student & Parent Data: April 1

Educator Data: May 11

Stay tuned to all Speak Up announcements:

www.tomorrow.org

SpeakUpEd – Twitter and Facebook


• National Speak Up Findings

• Additional data analysis from Speak Up 2010

• Presentations, podcasts and webinars

• Evaluation services

• Reports and white papers

More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org


Thank you. Let’s continue this conversation.

Julie EvansProject Tomorrow

[email protected] x15

Copyright Project Tomorrow 2011. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted

for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes,

provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced

materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

balancing students' aspirations with district realities

Education

learning project

facebook project

adults project

wi project

respondents project

century school project

netday project tomorrowwww

release of national