(c) Project Tomorrow 20091 Tomorrow’s Students, Today’s K-12 Digital Learners - Are we ready for them? ELI Web Seminar February 2, 2009 Julie Evans

(c) Project Tomorrow 2009 1

Tomorrow’s Students,Today’s K-12 Digital Learners -

Are we ready for them?

ELI Web SeminarFebruary 2, 2009

Julie Evans


What are the expectations of our future students?

How do we prepare for these students of tomorrow?

What are the important trends in education & technology that we

should be discussing today?

Our discussion today:

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“We want technology to be almost a

thoughtless, seamless process. When you

go to a classroom, you pick up a piece of

chalk. Technology should be as automatic as

picking up the chalk. The newer teachers are

expecting it and our students are expecting it

when they come into the classroom.”

Irving (Nick) NicholsonDirector of eLearning Programs

Chicago Public Schools

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• Annual national research project– Online surveys + focus groups– Open for all K-12 schools– Schools/districts get back their own data for planning and budgeting

• Collect data ↔ Stimulate conversations– K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents and Administrators

• Inform policies & programs– Analysis and reporting – national reports, state reports, district reports – Services: custom reports, consulting with districts and state agencies– NCES back end database – provide statistically significant samplings

• 6 years of empowering authentic voices – since 2003: – 1.3 million K-12 students– 103,000 teachers– 54,000 parents– 6,300 school leaders– 17,000 schools – from all 50 states, DC, American military base

schools, Canada, Mexico, Australia

What is Speak Up?

1.46 million respondents

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Speak Up is facilitated annually by

Project Tomorrow (formerly known as NetDay)

About Project Tomorrow:

A national education nonprofit organization providing leadership, research and programs to support science, math and technology education in America’s schools

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Learning & Teaching with Technology

Web 2.0 in Education

Broadband Access & Policy

Information and Media Literacy Skills

Science Instruction & Global Competitiveness

Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

Mobile Devices

Online Learning

Digital Content

Designing the 21st Century School

Speak Up 2008 survey question themes

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K-12 Students 260,231 Teachers 29,645 Parents (in English & Spanish) 21,139 School/District Administrators 3,115 States All 50

o Top 10: TX, CA, AZ, AL, IL, MD, FL, NC, NE, WI

About Speak Up Schools:– 97% public, 3% private– 32% urban, 40% suburban, 29% rural– 43% Title 1 eligible– 29% majority-minority student population

National Speak Up 2008 Participation

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Creating context: How do we prepare for the students of tomorrow?

Tomorrow’s

Students

Current Forces @ Work ?

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Tomorrow’s

Students

Millennial Attitudes & Values

K-12 EducationPriorities

Technology-InfusedLearning

Current Forces @ Work


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K-12 Education Priorities

What issues are “waking up” our nation’s K-12 administrators in the middle of the night?

What issues are driving their priorities and education vision?

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What issues are waking up our K-12 education administrators in the middle of the night?

Top 5 List – Speak Up 2008 data:

• Funding

• Test scores

• Communications with parents

• School safety

• Student diversity

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Seismic changes in K-12 education since early 1970’s

A sampling of those “earthquakes”

Standards based education Teacher quality/retention issues Role of education More education stakeholders Expectations for success for all Diversity of languages, styles, cultures

A different kind of learner


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Tomorrow’s

Students






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Millennials Rising (Neil Howe and William Strauss)

How do they want to learn?

Collaboratively

Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any pace

Structured activities

Relevancy with real world

And with all kinds of technology

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Tomorrow’s

Students





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Students, technology & learning:

Activities, Attitudes & Aspirations

Disconnects & Differences

Trends & Leverage Points

Speak Up 2008 Data Findings

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“Digital disconnect” is alive & well:

the gap between how

today’s students learn

and

how they live!

Key findings from Speak Up 2008 data:

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“Digital disconnect” is alive & well:

Between students and teachers

Between advanced tech students and

other students

Between girls and boys

Between older and younger students

Key findings from Speak Up 2008 data:

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Let’s get to know each other!

Audience Response

How would you assess your own technology skills compared to your peers?

Beginner

Average

Advanced

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Parents, Teachers, Principals: What kind of tech user are you?

Self Assessment of Tech Skills

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

Parents

Teachers

Principals

Beginner

Average

Advanced

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a. 6%b. 24%c. 70%

Audience Response: What % of students in grades 6-12 consider themselves “advanced tech users?”

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Students' Self Assessment: Tech Skills

Advanced

Average

Beginner

What % of students in grades 6-12 consider themselves “advanced tech users?”

70%

24%6%

C

B

A

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How are today’s students using technology for schoolwork?

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How are today’s students using technology for schoolwork?

Top 5 responses:

1. Writing assignments (78%)

2. Online research (75%)

3. Access class info – grades, notes (67%)

4. Creating slideshows, videos, webpages

(64%)

5. Communications with email/IM/text (64%)

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How satisfied are today’s students with technology use at their school?

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How satisfied are today’s students with technology use at their school?

Students say:

Not very!

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Top responses:

• Filters block websites I need

• Teachers limit tech use

• Lots of rules

– Cannot use my own devices

– Cannot access my communications

tools

– Rules that limit use of my school’s

technology

Students say: Major obstacles to student tech use at school

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How could your school make it easier for you to use technology?

Top 5 student demands:

1. Let me use my own tools & devices

2. Give me unlimited Internet access

3. Let me access my projects anywhere

4. Provide me w/communication -

organization tools

5. Give me access to my social

networking sites

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Question & Answer Period 1

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• Mobile devices• Online learning• Digital content

Digital Disconnect:

A new “battleground” with emerging technologies in education

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• Mobile devices @ school– Cell phones– Laptops– MP3 players– Smartphones & PDAs

Digital Disconnect:

A new battleground with emerging technologies in education

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Using Mobile Devices for Learning

Student Access to Mobile Devices

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Cell Phone MP3 Smartphone Laptop

K-2

Gr 3-5

Gr 6-8

Gr 9-12

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• Communications• Collaborations• Creativity• Productivity

How students want to use mobile devices to support learning

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• Communications– Email teachers, classmates– Access personal websites

• Collaborations– Projects and calendars

• Creativity– Create/share documents, videos

• Productivity– Research, downloads, ed games– Get alerts and reminders

How students want to use mobile devices to support learning

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• Online learning– Dedicated online class– Blended class– On own or through school

Digital Disconnect:


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Online learning and K-12 students

Current online learning experience:

16% of high school students

14% of middle school students

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Is there interest in taking online classes? Yes!

Interest in taking an online class:

+ 40% of high school students

+ 35% of middle school

students

+ 15% of students grades 3-5

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Is there interest in taking online classes? Yes!

Interest in taking an online class:

+ 40% of high school students

+ 35% of middle school

students

+ 15% of students grades 3-5 34% increase in the past year!

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a. Take class not offered at my school

b. Get extra help in a subjectc. Earn college creditd. To fit my class schedulee. To work at my own pacef. To complete a school

requirement

Audience Response:

What is the #1 reason middle school students want to take an online class?

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What is the #1 reason middle school students want to take an online class?

Why take an online class?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Class notoffered

Extra help College credit Fit schedule Work at ownpace

Schoolrequirement

Gr 6-8

Gr 9-12

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How would online classes make school more interesting?

1. In control of my learning (47%)

2. Easier to review class materials

(38%)

3. Easier for me to succeed (32%)

4. More comfortable asking questions

(29%)

5. More motivated to learn (27%)

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Policy: Online class requirement for high school graduation?

Online Class - a HS Grad Requirement

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Gr 6-8 Gr 9-12 Parents Principals

Agree

Disagree

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• Digital Content

Digital Disconnect:


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• Digital Content– Online textbook– Information and Media Literacy

Digital Disconnect:


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Desired features:

– Electronic note taking and highlighting

– Self assessments

– Links to useful website

– Animations/simulations to explain concepts

– Access to online tutors

– Powerpoint presentations of lectures

– Games to explore concepts/ideas

Students design an online textbook

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Top 5 responses:

1. Teacher/parent recommendation

2. Info is current, accurate, impartial

3. Domain extension

4. Author is expert

5. Website is cited in multiple

resources

How students authenticate online resources

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What if you could design the ultimate school . . . .

what technologies would have the greatest impact on your learning?

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a. Digital media tools for creating projects

b. Games and virtual simulationsc. Personal laptops for each studentd. Student access to email and IM at

schoole. Using mobile devices like

cellphones, MP3 players and PDAsf. Online classesg. Digital content inc. online textbooks

Audience Response:

What do students say is the #1 tech toolor service that will impact their learning?

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Students in Kindergarten thru 12th grade say the same thing every year:

What do students say is the #1 tech tool or service that will impact their learning?

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Students in Kindergarten thru 12th grade say the same thing every year:

“Give me a laptop for my personal use at school and at home”

What do students say is the #1 tech tool or service that will impact their learning?

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What if you could design the ultimate school?

Designing the Ultimate School

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

Communications tools

Digital media tools

Mobile devices

Digital content

Laptops

Internet access

Games

Interactive boards

Online classes

Gr 6-12

Teachers

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Key trends to watch:

• Continuing “digital disconnects”

• Spectrum of digital native-ness

• Multiple “computers” in the backpack

• Embracing & adapting new technologies

• Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any pace

learning


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Key trends to watch:

• Self directed learning for student & teacher

• Everyone is a content developer

• Make it relevant to me!

• Blend of informal & formal learning opps

• Beyond engagement to productivity

benefits

• “Long tail” of training & education


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But what is the #1 trend that you

should watch regarding your

future students?


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#1 Trend to watch for your future students:

The era of the technology-

enabled

Free Agent Learner


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Free Agent Learner

Characteristics:– Self directed learning– Un-tethered to trad’l education – Expert at personal data aggregation

Examples: Online learning

Control over knowledge authenticity


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Free Agent Learner

Characteristics: – Power of connections– Creating new communities– Not tethered to physical networks

• Example: Mobile devices


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Free Agent Learner

Characteristics: – Experiential learning – make it real – Content developers– Process as important as knowledge

gained (sometimes more important)

• Example: Gaming, simulations,

animations, multimedia content


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What is the impact of this Free Agent Learner on your institution?

What is the impact of these other emerging trends?

What are the tough questions you need to be asking today?

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•Content

•Culture

•Competition

•Control

Tough questions to think about today:

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Tough questions to think about today:

• Content– What is content today, what will define it tomorrow?

• Culture– How will these Free Agents fit into our existing

culture or is a new culture required/preferred?

• Competition– Do we need new “business models?”

• Control– Who controls the learning process in this new world?

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Visit www.tomorrow.org

Student, Teacher, Parent & Administrator Data Findings – updated annually

National Data Release

• March 24

• Congressional Briefing

• Key findings available online

More Speak Up?

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http://www.tomorrow.org/


Visit www.tomorrow.org

Reports such as:

Learning in the 21st Century: A National Report of

Online Learning (Oct 2007, Updated Jun 2008)

Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators

Students, Teachers and Parents Speak Up about Science Education (June 2008)

Leadership in the 21st Century: The New Visionary Administrator (October 2008)

More Speak Up?

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http://www.tomorrow.org/


It has been great to learn with you today. If you have any questions, please contact us:

Julie EvansProject Tomorrow

[email protected] x15

Copyright Project Tomorrow 2008. 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.

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mailto:[email protected]



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Documents

(c) Project Tomorrow 20091 Tomorrow’s Students, Today’s K-12 Digital Learners - Are we ready for them? ELI Web Seminar February 2, 2009 Julie Evans