Ten Things Everyone Should Know about Today’s Students and Digital Learning

1. Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning
Julie Evans
@JulieEvans_PT
CEO, Project Tomorrow
National School Board Association’s 76th Annual Conference
April 9, 2016

2. Today’s Discussion:
 Introduction to Project Tomorrow and the
Speak Up Research Project
 Countdown of “Ten Things” about students
& digital learning
 Let’s play Jeopardy!
 Your turn! Your ideas/comments/questions
Copy of presentation?
Sign up on sheets or email: jevans@tomorrow.org

4. Project Tomorrow, a global education
nonprofit organization
Programs:
• Research & evaluation studies
• STEM education programs
• Advocacy for digital learning
Mission: To ensure that all of today’s
students are prepared to become
tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and
engaged citizens of the world.

5. Something new in the air in schools today . . .

6. • Connecting digital learning with global skill
development
• New classroom models gaining acceptance
• Criticality of connectivity – in school and at home
• Changing ideals for measuring outcomes and results
• New approaches to developing teacher capacity
• Evolving culture for professional development
Key trends from our research:

7. • Learning is a 24/7 enterprise for students
• Blurring of informal and formal arenas for learning
• Students as content producers not just consumers,
especially in the arts
• Game-based learning is changing classroom
dynamics
• Self-directed, collaborative learning is preferred
• Desire for greater personalization
Key trends from our research:

8. Key trends from our research:
• Learning is a 24/7 enterprise
for students
• Blurring of informal and
formal arenas for learning
• Students as content
producers not just
consumers, especially in the
arts
• Game-based learning is
changing classroom
dynamics
• Self-directed, collaborative
learning is preferred
• Desire for greater
personalization
• Connecting digital learning
with global skill
development
• New classroom models
gaining acceptance
• Criticality of connectivity –
in school and at home
• Changing ideals for
measuring outcomes and
results
• New approaches to
developing teacher capacity
• Evolving culture for
professional development
New sense of
urgency to get it
right

9. Key finding from our research:
Students, educators and parents agree –
we need a different kind of learning experience to
prepare students for the future

10. “Knowing it and seeing
it are two different
things.”
Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

12. “Without data, you are just another person
with an opinion …
Introducing the
Speak Up data to inform new
discussions and better decision-
making around the use of
technology for learning

13. Annual research project
 Using online surveys + focus groups
 Surveys for: K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents,
Administrators, Community Members
 Special: Pre-Service Teachers in Schools of Education
 Open for all K-12 schools and schools of education
 Schools, districts & colleges receive free report with their
own data
 Questions about how eLearning = 21c education
Speak Up Research Project
4.5 million
surveys since
2003
Data informs: policies,
programs, funding at
local, state and federal
levels

14.  Learning & Teaching with Technology
 College and career ready skills
 Students’ Career Interests in STEM
 Professional Development / Teacher Preparation
 Internet Safety / Data Privacy Issues
 Administrators’ Challenges / Bandwidth Capacity
 Emerging Technologies both in & out of the Classroom
 Mobile Devices, Online Learning, Digital Content, E-texts
 Educational Games, Social Media tools and applications
 Flipped Classroom, Print to Digital, Online Assessments
 Designing the Ultimate School/Classroom
Speak Up survey question themes

17. DIGITAL
LIVES of
STUDENTS

18. In this student’s life, they ……..
 Play digital/video games regularly in school (65%)
 Want to learn how to code (54%)
 Take tests online in class (50%)
 Have a personal tablet – not school provided (55%)
 Prefer reading on a tablet to reading a printed book
(57%)
 Watch videos to learn math (59%)
 Interested in a future job in a STEM field (45%)

19. Who is . . . . . ?
o 3rd grade girl
o 6th grade boy
o 9th grade girl
o 12th grade boy

20. Correct
response:
Who is a 3rd
grade girl?
Results from 17,567 3rd grade
girls in fall 2015

21. Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

22. K-12 Students 415,686
Teachers & Librarians 38,613
Parents (in English & Spanish) 40,218
School/District Administrators/Tech Leaders 4,536
Community Members 6,623
About the participating schools & districts
o 7,825 schools and 2,676 districts
o 25% urban / 35% rural / 40% suburban
o All 50 states + DC + Guam + DODEA schools
Speak Up 2015 national participation: 505,676

23. Use of digital tools for
learning
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

24. Current uses of technology for learning
Four types of technology usage by students:
 In school:
o teacher directed
o student self – initiated
 Out of school time:
o supporting schoolwork
o supporting personal learning

25. Sample Digital Activities
Grades
3-5
Grades
6-8
Grades
9-12
Take tests online 50% 63% 62%
Use online textbooks 16% 37% 46%
Use Google Apps for
Education
34% 47% 45%
Watch teacher created
videos
22% 30% 29%
What are examples of teacher-facilitated technology
use by students?

26. Sample Digital Activities
Grades
6-8
Grades
9-12
Look up info on a mobile
device – in class
41% 58%
Text classmates for help 38% 56%
Find videos to help with
homework
34% 39%
Use social media sites to
facilitate peer collaborations
23% 27%
What are examples of student self-directed
technology use to support learning?

27. Using technology in my classes
increases my interest in learning
Agree:
53% of middle
school students
43% of high school
students

28. Obstacles to tech use
at school
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

29. Students: Obstacles to using technology at school
38%
45%
43%
52%
39%
45%
41%
36%
39%
42%
61%
46%
49%
57%
Can't text
Can't use my own mobile
Can't access social media
Internet is too slow
Teachers limit tech use
Too many rules
Edu websites are blocked
Gr 9-12 Gr 6-8

30. I would learn more if my classes
used more technology to support
my learning
Agree:
37% of middle
school students
29% of high
school students

31. Social media to connect,
collaborate and create
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

32. Social media:
tools to connect, collaborate, create
Instagram:
60% of HS students
53% of MS students
Twitter:
35% of students in Gr 9-12
Creating/watching videos:
79% of students in Gr 6-8

33. Massively multi-player online
games (MMOG)
36% of students in Gr 6-8
Facebook
35% of students in Gr 9-12
48% say rarely/never use
Social media:
tools to connect, collaborate, create
Snapchat
61% of high school students

34. Digital Footprint Actions
Gr 9-12
students
2013
Gr 9-12
students
2015
I am careful about what I post about myself or
others online
64% 75%
I have advised my friends not to post certain
things online
39% 45%
I have stopped interacting with someone based
upon what they posted online
32% 43%
I think it is important to have a positive online
profile
43% 59%
I don’t regularly post about myself online 34% 47%
Digital footprints – change in behaviors

35. Video-based learning
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

36. 2012 2015
K-2 students 36% 57%
Gr 3-5 students 20% 23%
Gr 6-8 students 28% 34%
Gr 9-12 students 32% 39%
Who is watching online videos for learning?

37. Student question: In what class are
you watching videos for learning?
What do
middle school
students say?

38. In what class are you watching videos for learning?
Middle school students say:
1.Science (69%)
2.Math (63%)
3.Social Studies/History (57%)
4.English/Language Arts (48%)

39. What do students say are the benefits of watching
online videos to support schoolwork?
.
Benefits of videos K-2 Gr 3-5 Gr
6-8
Gr
9-12
I can watch videos to self-remediate 47% 45% 62% 60%
Easy to find a variety of videos 54% 49% 56% 49%
Makes it easier to understand
difficult concepts
53% 49% 55% 54%
Teaches me in a different way than
my teacher does
43% 36% 42% 43%

40. Mobile devices
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

41. 39%
46%
72%
86%
47%
45%
49%
53%
57%
59%
58%
40%
25%
23%
24%
16%
Gr
K-2
Gr 3-5
Gr 6-8
Gr 9-12
Digital Reader Tablet Laptop Smartphone
Students’ personal access to mobile devices (not school
provided)

42. Student access to technology in the classroom
I most often use … Grade 6-8 Grade 9-12
My own mobile device 30% 64%
A school provided laptop 36% 39%
A school provided tablet 21% 12%
A school provided Chromebook 33% 21%
School computers in a lab,
library, media center
43% 37%
Do not regularly use 18% 10%

43. Student access to technology in the classroom –
trend line 2014 vs. 2015
I most often use … Grade 6-8 Grade 9-12
My own mobile device
Fall 2014 23% 58%
Fall 2015 30% 64%
A school provided Chromebook
Fall 2014 21% 16%
Fall 2015 33% 21%

44. Students’ use of mobile devices to support learning
64% of high school students say they use their own
mobile device to support learning while at school
 56% text classmates about schoolwork questions
 51% take photos of assignments or text book pages
 50% use mobile apps for learning
 35% take notes on a mobile device
 15% text their teachers with questions also!

45. It is important for every student to
be able to use a laptop, tablet or
Chromebook during the school day
to support learning
Agree:
75% of middle
school students
76% of high
school students

46. Different tasks =
different mobile
devices
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

47. Read a
book or
articles
Take notes in class
Use social media
Communicate w/peers & teacher
Create/watch videos
Create presentations
Take online tests
Write reports
What device I use depends upon the task to do

48. Importance of
Internet connectivity
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

49. Home internet access
Type of access Urban Suburban Rural Title 1
Fast, broadband
access
56% 57% 48% 52%
Access through
Wifi
71% 75% 50% 69%
No or slow access 17% 14% 22% 20%
Students in grades 6-8 nationwide:

50. Defining the Homework Gap
1. Teacher assigns digital or
Internet dependent
homework, assignment or
project
2. Student does not have
safe or consistent access
to technology and the
Internet to do that
schoolwork
3. Result = equity gap

51. Do we have a “homework gap?”
Homework gap is about more than at home Internet access:
o 1/5 of students say that they often have a problem doing
digital or Internet-dependent homework outside of school
o 25% regularly go to school early or stay late to use school
Internet; 19% say a fast food restaurant or coffee shop is
where they are doing their homework
o Parents are making decisions about who has priority for
limited home digital resources
o 68% of teachers say they don’t assign digital projects or
homework due to concerns re: homework gap

52. It is important for students to have
consistent, safe Internet access
outside of school time to be
successful in school.
Agree:
64% of middle
school students
71% of high
school students

53. Value of digital
classroom experiences
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

54. In their own words … how students value digital learning
As a result of using technology for learning, I am …
Developing new skills
• Creativity
• Critical thinking and problem solving
Changing my learning behavior
• More likely to complete homework
• Collaborating more with my classmates
• Communicating with my teacher more often
• Participating more in class discussions
Enhancing my self-efficacy as a learner
• Learning at my own pace
• Learning in a way that fits my learning style
• In control over my learning

55. What types of learning experiences are best for learning
science?
Learning experience Gr 6-8 Boys Gr 6-8 Girls
Doing real research 70% 71%
Having a skilled teacher 62% 62%
See science in action 72% 80%
Collaborate with classmates 58% 66%
Use real lab tools 59% 64%
Use online simulations 43% 36%

56. Career exploration
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

57. Grade 6-8 Students:
Are you interested in a career in a STEM field?
24%
17%
38%
21%
17%
15%
36%
32%
Not interested
No opinion
Somewhat interested
Very interested
Boys Girls

58. Grade 6-8 students:
Are you interested in a career in teaching?
31%
19%
33%
17%
49%
23%
19%
9%
Not interested
No opinion
Somewhat interested
Very interested
Boys Girls

59. Grade 6-8 students: different ways to explore careers
What would be most helpful in exploring a
career?
Gr 6-8
Students
Traditional Approaches:
o Get real life experience – PT job, internship,
volunteering
71%
o Take field trips to see career in action 63%
o Shadow a career professional for the day 48%
New Digital Approaches:
o Watch videos about different jobs 50%
o Play a digital or online game about a career 43%
o Learn about careers through social media 39%

60. Student interest in learning how to code
Yes, I am interested
in learning how to
code or program a
computer
Girls Boys
Grades 3-5 55% 62%
Grades 6-8 47% 57%
Grades 9-12 37% 51%
Sweet spot for nurturing interest is Grades 3-5

61. I am learning things that are
important for my future on my own
outside of school
Agree:
54% of middle
school students
50% of high
school students

62. Designing the
ultimate school for
today’s learners
Ten Things Everyone Should Know about
Today’s Students and Digital Learning

63. “Imagine you are designing the
ultimate school for today’s
students, what technologies would
have the greatest impact on
learning?”
Favorite Speak Up Question:
Superintendents & School Boards

64. .
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Online classes
Tablets
E-textbooks
Games
Schoolwide Internet
Principals Teachers Parents Gr 6-8 students
Does your district have a shared vision around digital
learning solutions? (sampling of possible responses)

65. But, what is
needed to take
this to the next
level?
Something new in the air in schools today . . .

66. Ideas to think about . . .
1. Ask the right questions – are our practices aligned with
our vision?
2. Build capacity, not just compliance
3. Impact of school-based digital learning extends beyond
2:30 pm
4. Doing the same things better OR doing better things with
digital tools, content and resources
5. Engaging stakeholders in an authentic way to get beyond
mythology

67. National Speak Up reports and infographics
Targeted and thematic reports
Digital learning trends
Mobile learning & social media
Games in the classroom
Blended learning outcomes
Presentations, podcasts and webinars
Services: consulting, workshops, evaluation and
efficacy studies
More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org
New national report to be released in May 2016

68. Online surveys for:
o K-12 students – individual + group
o Parents – English and Spanish
o Teachers
o Librarians/Media Specialists
o School Site & District Administrators
o Technology Leaders
o Community Members/ School Board Members
All schools and
districts are invited to
participate
Surveys open October
2016
Participate in Speak Up!
Sign up to receive
information at:
www.tomorrow.org

69. Your turn!

70. For additional information about Speak Up please
contact:
Julie Evans
jevans@tomorrow.org
949-609-4660 x15
Twitter: JulieEvans_PT and SpeakUpEd
Copyright Project Tomorrow 2016
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