Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

May 2013

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

2 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

Among the findings from this survey:

• Approximately 1.4 million adults, or more than one-third (36%) of adult Tennesseans with Internet access, take online classes or conduct research for schoolwork online, while approximately 272,000 adults, or 13% of those who use a cell phone to access the Internet, conduct online education through these devices.

• Nearly one-half of minority Internet users in Tennessee (45%) go online for e-Learning,significantlyhigherthanamongtheir Caucasian counterparts.

• Age and educational attainment are highly correlated with the use of online education applications in Tennessee.

• More than one-half of parents (55%) report that their children use their home Internet service for schoolwork and 60% say that their children use the Internet at their schools.

• Over 971,000 Tennessee adults have access to both home and mobile broadband to take classes online or conduct research for schoolwork.

• Almost two out of five rural Internet users in Tennessee (39%) take online classes or conduct research for schoolwork.

Technology has become an important component of our nation’s education system. It has been shown to improve student achievement, assist in making schoolsmoreefficient,andprovidemoreequitableaccesstoeducation.1 As a result, online learning, or e-Learning, is playing a growing role in educating students in the United States. According to a 2012 report, over 6.7 million students took at least one online higher education course during the fall 2011 term, an increase of 570,000 students over the previous year, and nearly one in three higher education students have taken at least one online course, compared to one in ten a decade ago.2

In Tennessee, e-Learning can have a major impact on the challenges facing the state’s educational system. A 2012 report by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission found that, despite a recent increase of high school graduation in Tennessee, only 19% of the state’s ninth graders complete college within 150% of normal degree time.3 The report also states that Tennessee is below the national average in both college educational attainment and economic vitality. According to the 2011 American Community Survey, Tennessee trails the national average in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas (84%, compared to 86% nationally) and with bachelor’s degrees or higher (24%, compared to 28.5% nationally).4

Improving the educational attainment levels of Tennesseans is important to the state.By2020,56%ofthejobsinTennesseewillrequireacareercertificateor a college degree.5 Other studies show that nearly half a million jobs will be createdinTennesseeby2018thatwillrequirecollegedegrees.6 To prepare for this need for a college-educated workforce, it is vital for Tennessee to take every step possible to ensure that its students can excel at school and earn their degrees. This includes encouraging students to take classes and further their educations via the Internet.

To better understand the state of technology and the impact of online education in Tennessee, Connected Tennessee conducted a survey of 1,202 adults. The results of this analysis show that broadband and technology can improve academic opportunities throughout the state.7

The State of e-Learning in Tennessee

Technology plays a key role in Tennessee’s educational advancement. Opportunities like online education, which is soaring in popularity, can help many Tennesseans earn higher degrees. According to the National Education Technology Plan (NETP), “Online learning is becoming an increasingly important part of our education system at all levels, from secondary and postsecondary education to other types of adult learning, including corporate training. This creates both the need and opportunity for educators who are skilled in online instruction and the demand for increased knowledge of the most effective practices.”8

1 Ed Tech Action Network, http://www.edtechactionnetwork.org/why-technology-in-schools2 Babson Survey Research Group, http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/changing_course_20123 Tennessee Higher Education Commission, http://tennessee.gov/thec/Legislative/Reports/2012/Profiles--Trends-2012_w_cover_page.pdf4 U.S. Census, Selected Social Characteristics in the United States, 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml5 Complete College America, http://www.completecollege.org/docs/Tennessee.pdf6 Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/State-LevelAnalysis-web.pdf7 Connected Tennessee, http://www.connectedtn.org/survey-results/residential8 National Education Technology Plan, http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

3 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

In the state of Tennessee, approximately 1.4 million adults (36% of adult Internet users in Tennessee) go online for e-Learning (Figure 1).

This includes 87% who subscribe to home broadband service, 3% who rely on dial-up service at home, and 10% who only use the Internet someplace other than home (such as a library, school, or a family member’s home).

Mobile Internet service is also being used in Tennessee to access e-Learning tools. Approximately 272,000 adults in the state, or 13% of those who use a cell phone to access the Internet, conduct online education through these devices. In fact, two out of three e-Learners (66% of e-Learners, representing over 971,000 Tennessee adults) say that they use both their home broadband service and mobile broadband service for e-Learning. Altogether, there are close to 1.5 million Tennessee adults taking online classes or conducting research for schoolwork through the Internet at home, outside of the home, or through mobile Internet service.

Compared to 2011, Connected Nation’s survey reports shows a decline in e-Learning among not just Tennessee adults but across all the states surveyed. According to Connected Nation’s prior year assessment, the percentage of e-Learners has dropped by 5% and 4% points since 2011 in Tennessee and across all states respectively.

Who are Tennessee e-Learners?

Even though Tennessee Internet users are less likely than those in other states to use e-Learning tools, further research indicates that some in Tennessee are taking advantage of this opportunity at a higher rate than others. Minorities, younger Tennesseans, employed residents, and college-educated adults are more likely to be e-Learners (Table 1). In fact, age and educational attainment are highly correlated with the use of online education applications in Tennessee.

Younger Tennesseans are more likely to take advantage of the Internet for their educational purposes. More than one-half (53%) of Tennessee Internet users ages 18 to 24 go online for education. These numbers decrease among older Internet users, with 45% of Internet users ages 25 to 44, 30% of those ages 45 to 64, and a mere 5% of Internet users ages 65 and older using the Internet for e-Learning.

Nearlytwooutoffive(39%,or280,000)low-incomeTennesseansearning$25,000orlessannuallyaree-Learners,comparedto36%ofTennesseansearningbetween$25,000and$49,999,and29%ofthoseearningbetween$50,000and$74,999.Theuseofe-LearningisthehighestamongTennesseeInternetuserswhomake$75,000ormore.Nearlyone-halfofInternetusersinthisincomebracket(45%)usee-Learningapplications,asignificantlyhigherpercentagethanthe state average. This still leaves a huge gap among low-income Tennesseans, though, where more than six out of ten Internet users are still not taking advantage of e-Learning applications.

Figure 1. e-Learners in Tennessee

40%36%

13% 13%

Connected Nation Average Tennessee

Internet Users Mobile Internet Users

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

4 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

MinorityInternetusersaresignificantlymorelikelytogoonlineforeducationthan Caucasians in Tennessee. Nearly one-half of minority Internet users in Tennessee (45%) go online for e-Learning, compared to only 34% of Caucasian Internet users in the state. African American and Hispanic Tennesseans are both more likely than Caucasian adults to be e-Learners. Since 2011, e-Learning among African American and Hispanic adults has held steady, while e-Learning among Caucasians has decreased. This means that broadband provides opportunities for Tennesseans who are less likely to have received degrees from traditional brick-and-mortar colleges, as the U.S. Census reports that only 18% of African Americans and 12% of Hispanic residents in Tennessee currently have bachelor’s or advanced degrees.9

Educational attainment is highly correlated with online education. More than twooutoffive(41%)college-educatedInternetusersinthestategoonlinetotakeadditionalclassesorconductresearchforschoolwork,asignificantlyhigher percentage than among adults who have not had any college education. Almost one-half (44%) of Internet users with advanced degrees use the Internet to take online classes or conduct research for school, while 42% of Internet users with bachelor’s degrees conduct e-Learning. Online educationisstillfairlynew,butadvocatingthebenefitsmightprovidetheboost that many Tennesseans with no college education are looking for.

Men and women in Tennessee tend to be just as likely to go online for e-Learning purposes. Men reported using e-Learning tools at a slightly higher rate than women (38% of male Internet users, compared to 35% of females who use the Internet).

e-Learning provides opportunities for rural residents in the state - almost twooutoffiveruralInternetusersinTennessee(39%)currentlytakeonlineclasses or conduct research for schoolwork. This rate is higher than among their non-rural counterparts.

Tennessee Children e-Learners

According to a report by the National Center for Educational Statistics, more than one-half (55%) of public school districts offer education through distancelearning,andnearlythree-quartersofthosedistricts(74%)indicated that they planned to expand the number of distance education courses offered in the next 3 years.10 The report indicated that nationally there were over 1.8 million K-12 students enrolled in online classes for the fiscalyear2009-10.

Tennessee has made online learning a priority in K-12 education as well. By the end of 2011, Tennessee was one of several states to change their laws to allow full-time online schools.11 K-12 online learning in Tennessee is currently provided by one full-time K-8 school (the Tennessee Virtual Academy) and several district-run virtual state schools, including Metro Nashville Public Schools.12

9 US Census, http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml10 National Center for Educational Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012008.pdf11 Evergreen Education Group, http://kpk12.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/KeepingPace2011.pdf12 Metro Nashville Public Schools, http://vlearn.mnps.org/site240.aspx

% of Internet Users

State Average 36%

Age

Age 18-24 53%

Age 25-44 45%

Age 45-64 30%

Age 65 and older 5%

Annual Household Income

Lessthan$25,000 39%

$25,000-$49,999 36%

$50,000-$74,999 29%

$75,000ormore 45%

Employment Status

Employed 41%

Not Employed 29%

Race/Ethnicity

Caucasian 34%

Minority 45%

Black, or African American 47%

Hispanic 44%

All Other Minorities 35%

Education

No college education 26%

College education 41%

Some college 38%

College graduate 42%

Advanced studies/degree 44%

Gender

Male 38%

Female 35%

Geography

Rural 39%

Non-Rural 35%

Table 1.Tennessee e-Learners by Demographic

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

5 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

Connected Tennessee’s survey show that 77% of Tennessee households with children subscribe to home broadband service. Broadband is a powerful tool for online learning, as 55% of Tennessee households with children reported that their children use their home Internet service for their schoolwork, and 60% report that their children use the Internet at their schools for their schoolwork (Figure 2).

Preparing children for the future is essential, and one of the competitive drivers in today’s economy is the use oftechnology.Broadbandprovidesmanyadvantagesthatcouldbebeneficialforthesechildren,andhavinganunderstanding of these tools from early on is a key to their success. One program that has affected the lives of many youths is Connected Tennessee’s “Computers for Kids,” a federally funded program to increase sustainable broadband adoption and provide computers and training to over 60,000 disadvantaged youth across the state.13 Since 2010, the program has awarded over 4,000 computers to youth in need across the state and provided over 43,000 hours of computer training.

“Educationisfinallyembracingandrecognizingthattechnologythroughmobilization-smartphones,iPads,andtablets-canbeusedasaneffectiveteachingtool,”accordingtoDr.RobbieK.Melton,AssociateViceChancellorforMobilizationand Emerging Technologies for the Tennessee Board of Regents. “What has awakened educators is, if all of us have this technology and know how to use it, why can’t we deliver education? If we can play ‘Angry Birds,’ why can’t we study birds on these devices?” She believes that soon, all students will own a personal tablet to complete their educational assignments.

Dr. Melton does not believe that technology will completely replace the interaction between teachers and students, though.“Educatorsmustrecognizetheneedforabalancebetweenonlineinstructionandface-to-faceinstructiontodetermine which is best for the knowledge and skills to be obtained, as well as the age appropriateness for the use and time for students to use technology,” said Dr. Melton.

13 Computer for Kids, http://www.connectedtn.org/sites/default/files/connected-nation/Tennessee/files/c4k_success_flyer_2013.pdf

Figure 2.Tennessee Children Using the Internet

for Schoolwork

Use Internet at school for schoolwork

Use Internet at home for schoolwork

60%

55%

“I firmly believe that soon all students will own a personal tablet for use to complete their educational assignments”

Dr. Robbie K. MeltonAssociateViceChancellorforMobilizationandEmergingTechnologies

Tennessee Board of RegentsPreston Taylor Boys & Girls Club located in West Nashville

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

6 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

Dr. Kecia-Campbell Ray - Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools

Dr. Kecia-Campbell Ray is an Executive Director at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Martin Professional Development Center in Tennessee. She acknowledges the fact that access plays a huge role in the correlation between educationalattainmentandconductingdigitallearning.“Itdoesn’tsurprisemethatminorityadultsaresignificantlymorelikely to go online for e-Learning than their Caucasian counterparts as the report suggests,” said Dr. Ray. She also said that online learning is often the only higher education option for many minorities, who shoulder a tremendous burden that forces them to choose between family, employment, and their education.

“IfthenumberofteacherswhorequiretheuseoftheInternetincreases,therewillbeanincreaseinthepercentageofparents who report that their children use their home Internet service for schoolwork, and at their schools,” said Dr. Ray. She further states that “As teachers, we need to do better to set expectations that online learning goes beyond the school day;bydoingso,itgivesstudentstheopportunitytorethinkandreflectonwhatthey’velearnedduringtheschoolday.Wewill one day have the widespread expectation of digital lessons, media, technology, accessing the Internet after the school day, or viewing lectures online at home in order to complete projects at school. It’s going to happen. It actually begins in Nashville high schools next year.”

Conclusion

Tennesseehasalreadyexperiencedseveralbenefitsfromtheuseofe-Learningtools–onlineeducationhasbeenaboonforthosewhohavetraditionallyhadadifficulttimeaccessinghighereducation.Thisiscrucial,asmanyfuturejobopeningsinTennesseewillrequireapostsecondaryeducation,andaccordingtotheU.S.Census,fewerthanaquarterofresidents in Tennessee currently have a bachelor’s degree or higher, much lower than the United States average.

There is still a great deal of progress that can be achieved. Currently, only 36% of adults with Internet access take classes online or conduct research for schoolwork; a decline of 5 percentage points since 2011. e-Learning can support the growthoftheTennesseeworkforce,asmoredegreesandcertificatesbecomeavailableonline.

Online learning is as essential to K-12 education as it is to higher education. Currently, 55% of parents report that their children use their home Internet service for schoolwork, and 60% say that their children use the Internet at their schools. As more content becomes available online, increasing these numbers would go far to prepare students to be productive members of the workforce.

There is more work to be done in the state to encourage students at all levels to engage and participate in online learning.Studentsinallpartsofthestatecanutilizeonlinelearningtobemorecompetitivewiththeirpeersinthefuture.By providing more opportunities for online education, including increasing access to home broadband service for all Tennessee families, Tennessee policymakers can help the state’s children secure a brighter and more prosperous future.

“If the number of teachers who require the use of the Internet increases, there will be an increase in the percentage of parents who report that their children use their home Internet service for schoolwork, and at their schools. As teachers, we need to do better to set expectations that online learning goes beyond the school day; by doing so, it gives students the opportunity to rethink and reflect on what they’ve learned during the school day.”

Dr. Kecia-Campbell RayExecutive Director, Metropolitan Nashville Public School Martin Professional Development Center

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

7 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

Methodology and Definitions

Between September 29 and October 23, 2012, Connected Tennessee conducted a random digit dial telephone survey of 1,202 adult heads of households across the state. Phone numbers were chosen randomly, with area codes and telephoneprefixesdeterminedbygeographypertheNorthAmericaNumberingPlan(NANP),withthelastfourdigitsofthe telephone numbers randomly selected. Of the 1,202 respondents randomly contacted statewide, 200 were called on their cellular phones, and 1,002 were contacted via landline telephone.

The results of this survey have been compared to similar surveys that Connected Nation conducted across eight states in 2012 (Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas). Altogether, Connected Nation surveyed 9,607 residents across these eight states in 2012 for this study. In addition, the 2012 residential survey in Tennessee was also compared to a similar survey conducted in 2011.

“TechnologyAdoption”isdefinedasfollows:1. Broadbandadoptersaredefinedasrespondentswhoanswered“yes”whenasked,“DoyousubscribetotheInternet

at home?” and answered “broadband or high speed Internet service” when asked, “Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home?”

2. Mobilebroadbandusersaredefinedasrespondentswhometanyofthefollowingcriteria:• Responded that they use a cell phone to access the Internet while at home when asked, “When you are at your

home, which of the following devices do you use to access the Internet?” or• When asked, “At what locations outside of your own home do you use the Internet?” responded “Through a cell

phone or handheld device” or• Responded “yes” when asked, “On your laptop or tablet computer, do you subscribe to a mobile wireless service

that allows you to access the Internet through a cellular network?” or• Responded “yes” when asked, “On your cell phone, do you subscribe to a plan that allows you to access the

Internet?” and reported that they access the Internet via their cell phone when asked, “How often, if ever, do you go online using your cell phone?”

e-Learners are Internet users who answered that they “take online classes or conduct research for schoolwork” when asked, “Which of the following activities do you conduct using the Internet?”

Households with children are those respondents who answered “yes” when asked, “Do you have any children under the age of 18 living at home?” Households with children that use the Internet for schoolwork are respondents with children under age 18 in the home who answered “yes” when asked, “Do those children use your home Internet service for any of their schoolwork?” and/or “Do they use an Internet connection at their school for any of their schoolwork?”

“Minority respondents” are those who answered “yes” when asked, “Are you, yourself, of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin or descent?” and/or when asked, “Which of the following race (or races) do you consider yourself to be?” responded withoneoracombinationofthefollowing:BlackorAfricanAmerican;AsianorPacificIslander;orAmericanIndian,Eskimo, or Alaska Native; or “any other race.”

Multiple attempts were made to each working telephone number on different days of the week and at different times of thedaytoincreasethelikelihoodofcontactingapotentialrespondent.Toensurearepresentativesample,quotaswereset by age, gender, and census area of residence (rural or non-rural), and the results were weighted to coincide with 2010 UnitedStatesCensuspopulationfigures.Forthepurposeofsettingquotasandweighting,“rural”respondentsaredefinedas living in a census area that is not a part of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), as designated by the United States OfficeofManagementandBudget.WeightinganddesignconsultationwereprovidedbyLucidityResearch.

Surveys were conducted by Thoroughbred Research Group. On average, the survey took approximately 10 minutes to completeaftertherespondentagreedtoparticipate.Basedontheeffectivesamplesize,themarginoferror=+ 3.11% ata95%levelofconfidenceforthestatewidesurveyof2012.Aswithanysurvey,questionwordingandthepracticalchallengesofdatacollectionmayintroduceanelementoferrororbiasthatisnotreflectedinthismarginoferror.

Broadband Provides Educational Opportunities to Many Tennesseans

8 May 2013www.connectedtn.org

This residential survey was conducted as part of the State Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant program, funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The SBI grant program was created by the Broadband Data Improvement Act (BDIA), unanimously passed by Congress in 2008 and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009. To learn more about Connect Tennessee and its programs please visit www.connectedtn.org or e-mail us at info@connectedtn.org.

APPENDIX A:

Select Sample Sizes

2012 Residential Technology AssessmentConnected Nation

Average(n=)

2012 Tennessee(n=)

Total 9,607 1,202

Internet User 7,853 953

e-Learners 2,830 326

Households with Children 406

Past Residential Survey in Tennessee 2011

Connected Nation 12,004

Tennessee 1,201