Learning in the 21st Century: 2011 Trends Update

© Project Tomorrow 2011

Learning in the 21st Century: 2011 Trends Update – Report Release

Students, Parents & Educators Speak Up

about Online Learning

ISTE 2011 - PhiladelphiaBreakfast MeetingJune 28, 2011


A big thank you to: A big thank you to: A big thank you to: A big thank you to:


Series of Speak Up Reports in collaboration with Blackboard


Today’s Agenda:

� Welcome remarks from John Canuel

� About Speak Up

� Highlights from the new report

� Panel discussion

� Conversation time

Speak Up Research Project: Views of Students, Parents, Teachers,

Librarians and Administrators


Welcoming Remarks

John Canuel

Vice PresidentK-12 Education Strategy

Blackboard Inc.


Today’s Discussion: The Big Questions

� Who is learning online?

� What is propelling this new interest in online

learning?

� Can online learning really transform the learning

process?

� What is the standing in the way of greater

adoption?

� What motivates teachers to teach online?


• 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, Librarians, Parents, Principals

and District Administrators

• Inform policies & programs

� Analysis and reporting

� Services to help transform teaching and learning

Speak Up National Research Project


� Learning & Teaching with Technology

� 21st Century Skills & Digital Citizenship

� Science and Math Instruction

� Professional Development / Teacher Preparation

� Internet Safety

� Administrators’ Challenges

� Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

� Online Learning, Mobile Devices, 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

� School/District Administrators 3,578

� Technology Leaders 1,391

� Schools / Districts 6,541 / 1,340

Top 12 participating states:

TX, CA, AL, AZ, FL, NC, IL, MD, IN, NV, PA, WI

About Speak Up participating schools:

� 51% Title 1 eligible – indicating community poverty

� 34% urban, 29% suburban, 37% rural

National Speak Up 2010 Participation: 379,355


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

Social–based learning

Un–tethered learning

Digitally–rich learning


The New 3 E’s of Education:

Enabled, Engaged, Empowered

Report #1: How today’s students are leveraging

emerging technologies for learning

Report #2: How today’s educators are advancing a

new vision for teaching and learning

Speak Up 2010 National Findings

Two national releases in Washington DC

April 1 and May 11, 2011


What can the Speak Up

findings tell us about the

future of learning?


• Student vision for tech use mirrors desires for

learning in general

• Educators have potential to enable, engage and

empower this new learning vision

• By examining the synergies and the disconnects

we can develop a shared vision for the future of

learning

What can the Speak Up data tell us about the

future of learning?


The New 3 E’s of Education: Enabled, Engaged, Empowered

Key Trends to Watch:

� Mobile Learning

� Online Learning

� E-Textbooks and Digital Content


Introducing . . .

Learning in the 21st Century:

2011 Trends Update

A special collaboration with Blackboard, Inc.


Online learning enables a greater personalization

of the learning process for both students and

educators and facilitates opportunities to

collaborate with peers and experts, thus

empowering a new sense of

personal ownership of the learning process.


Who is learning online today?

16%10%At risk students

18%3%Students in continuation

schools

13%5%Home-schooled students

40%24%Traditional students

53%49%Teachers

36%21%Administrators

20102008Audience

Administrators: Who is your audience for online learning?



Figure 1: Administrators: Types of Online Learning Provided to Students

9%

7%

14%

4%

13%

9%

27%

6%

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

100% class - our teachers

100% class - other teachers

Blended class

Self directed class

2009 2010



4%9%8%7%8%5%

Took an online class for

personal reasons

10%18%30%9%13%19%

Took an online class for

school

200820092010200820092010

High School Students

Middle School Students

Type of online participation

Table 1: Growth in student participation in online classes


What is propelling this new interest?

25%14%Provide advanced coursework

20%15%Offer dual enrollment courses

29%23%Programs for at risk students

37%25%Providing scheduling alternatives

39%32%Offering academic remediation

44%32%Increasing graduation rates

46%37%Keeping students engaged in

school

District AdministratorsPrincipalsValue of Online Learning

Table 2: Value of Online Learning for Students


Can online learning transform the learning process?

For high school students, traditional reasons: scheduling and college credit.

For middle school students, it’s about changing the

learning paradigm.

Students: Why do you want to take an online class?


Why do you want to take an online class?

For high school students, traditional reasons: scheduling and

college credit.

For middle school students, it’s about changing the learning

paradigm.

� Get extra help in a tough subject

� More comfortable asking questions

� In control of my own learning

� More motivated to learn

� Work at my own pace

� Review class materials whenever I want

� Share ideas with my classmates


Given the demand and the interest, what is standing in the way of greater adoption?



Figure 2: Administrators' identify barriers to offering online courses

14%

21%

20%

17%

8%

36%

12%

14%

15%

18%

26%

30%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Teachers are reluctant to teach onl ine classes

Teachers are not comfortable teaching online courses

Teacher compensation

Lack of expertise to create online courses

Evaluating quali ty of onl ine courses or curriculum

Limited state funding

2009 2010




14%

21%

20%

17%

8%

36%

12%

14%

15%

18%

26%

30%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Teachers are reluctant to teach online classes

Teachers are not comfortable teaching online

courses



Evaluating quality of online courses or curriculum


2009 2010


Which factors are most important when evaluating online course quality?

Administrators say:

1. Standards alignment 77%

2. Ease of use by students and teachers 63%

3. Student achievement results 54%

4. Source = teachers or curriculum specialists 42%

5. Includes imbedded assessments 36%




14%

21%

20%

17%

8%

36%

12%

14%

15%

18%

26%

30%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Teachers are reluctant to teach online classes

Teachers are not comfortable teaching online

courses



Evaluating quality of online courses or curriculum


2009 2010


What would motivate a teacher to teach an online course?

Working conditions?

Professional development opportunities?

Professional satisfaction?

Curriculum support?

Job opportunities?



For teachers who express an interest:

Flexibility in working conditions 78%

Increased compensation 65%

Providing necessary tools/support 60%

Learning about job opportunities 58%

Working with more motivated students 53%



For teachers who say they are not interested:

Increased compensation 37%

Flexibility in working conditions 32%

Providing necessary tools/support 25%

Co-teaching an online course 22%

Providing curriculum 21%



Value of first hand experience by taking an online course?

Not that meaningful ….

Only 26% of the interested cohort and 9% of the

disinterested cohort said that would make a difference.



Key audience for recruitment:

• Teachers with less than 10 years of experience

• Prefer online courses for their own PD

• Explicitly state an interest in teaching an online course


Learning in the 21st Century: 2011 Trends Update

Panel Discussion

Amy Colucci Education Technology Teacher

Jefferson County PS (KY)

Mary Fluharty Technology Integration Specialist

Alexandria City PS (VA)

Polly Haldeman FLVS Regional Liaison

Florida Virtual School (FL)

Alison Schleede Technology Facilitator

Mooresville Graded SD (NC)


A big thank you to: A big thank you to: A big thank you to: A big thank you to:


Thank you. Let’s continue this conversation.

Julie EvansProject Tomorrow

[email protected] x15

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