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
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Our discussion today:
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?
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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) Nicholson
Director of eLearning Programs
Chicago Public Schools
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What is Speak Up?
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Annual national research project
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Collect data ↔ Stimulate conversations
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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:
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K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents and Administrators
Inform policies & programs
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Online surveys + focus groups
Open for all K-12 schools
Schools/districts get back their own data for planning and budgeting
1.3 million K-12 students
103,000 teachers
1.46 million respondents
54,000 parents
6,300 school leaders
17,000 schools – from all 50 states, DC, American military base
schools, Canada, Mexico, Australia
(c) Project Tomorrow 2009
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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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Speak Up 2008 survey question themes
 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
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National Speak Up 2008 Participation
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K-12 Students
Teachers
Parents (in English & Spanish)
School/District Administrators
States
o Top 10: TX, CA, AZ, AL, IL, MD, FL,
260,231
29,645
21,139
3,115
All 50
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
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Creating context: How do we prepare for the
students of tomorrow?
Current Forces @ Work ?
Tomorrow’s
Students
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Creating context: How do we prepare for
the students of tomorrow?
Current Forces @ Work
K-12
Education
Priorities
Millennial
Attitudes & Values
Tomorrow’s
Students
Technology-Infused
Learning
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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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K-12 Education
Priorities
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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K-12 Education
Priorities
Seismic changes in K-12 education since early
1970’s
A sampling of those “earthquakes”
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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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Creating context: How do we prepare for
the students of tomorrow?
Current Forces @ Work
K-12
Education
Priorities
Millennial
Attitudes & Values
Tomorrow’s
Students
Technology-Infused
Learning
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Millennial Attitudes & Values
How do they want to learn?
Collaboratively
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, any pace
Structured activities
Relevancy with real world
And with all kinds of technology
Millennials Rising (Neil Howe and William Strauss)
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Creating context: How do we prepare for the
students of tomorrow?
Current Forces @ Work
K-12
Education
Priorities
Millennial
Attitudes & Values
Tomorrow’s
Students
Technology-Infused
Learning
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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
Students, technology & learning:
Activities,
Attitudes & Aspirations
Disconnects & Differences
Trends & Leverage Points
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Key findings from Speak Up 2008 data:
“Digital disconnect” is alive & well:
the gap between how
today’s students learn and
how they live!
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Key findings from Speak Up 2008 data:
“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
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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
Principals
Beginner
Teachers
Average
Advanced
Parents
0%
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10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
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60%
70%
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Audience Response:
What % of students in grades 6-12 consider
themselves “advanced tech users?”
a. 6%
b. 24%
c. 70%
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What % of students in grades 6-12
consider themselves “advanced tech users?”
Students' Self Assessment: Tech Skills
A
6%
24%
B
Advanced
Average
C
Beginner
70%
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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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Students say:
Major obstacles to student tech use at school
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
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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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Digital Disconnect:
A new “battleground” with emerging technologies
in education
• Mobile devices
• Online learning
• Digital content
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Digital Disconnect:
A new battleground with emerging technologies
in education
• Mobile devices @ school
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Cell phones
Laptops
MP3 players
Smartphones & PDAs
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Using Mobile Devices for Learning
Student Access to Mobile Devices
100%
80%
K-2
60%
Gr 3-5
40%
Gr 6-8
Gr 9-12
20%
0%
Cell Phone
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MP3
Smartphone
(c) Project Tomorrow 2009
Laptop
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How students want to use mobile devices
to support learning
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•
•
•
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Communications
Collaborations
Creativity
Productivity
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How students want to use mobile devices
to support learning
• 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
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Digital Disconnect:
A new “battleground” with emerging technologies
in education
• Online learning
– Dedicated online class
– Blended class
– On own or through school
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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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Online learning and K-12 students
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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Online learning and K-12 students
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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Audience Response:
What is the #1 reason middle school
students want to take an online class?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
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Take class not offered at my school
Get extra help in a subject
Earn college credit
To fit my class schedule
To work at my own pace
To complete a school requirement
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What is the #1 reason middle school
students want to take an online class?
Why take an online class?
50%
40%
30%
Gr 6-8
20%
Gr 9-12
10%
0%
Class not
offered
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Extra help College credit Fit schedule Work at own
School
pace
requirement
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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
50%
40%
30%
Agree
20%
Disagree
10%
0%
Gr 6-8
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Gr 9-12
Parents
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Principals
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Digital Disconnect:
A new “battleground” with emerging technologies
in education
• Digital Content
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Digital Disconnect:
A new “battleground” with emerging technologies
in education
• Digital Content
– Online textbook
– Information and Media Literacy
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Students design an online textbook
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
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How students authenticate online
resources
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
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Question & Answer Period 2
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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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Audience Response:
What do students say is the #1 tech tool
or service that will impact their learning?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
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Digital media tools for creating projects
Games and virtual simulations
Personal laptops for each student
Student access to email and IM at school
Using mobile devices like cellphones, MP3
players and PDAs
Online classes
Digital content inc. online textbooks
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What do students say is the #1 tech tool
or service that will impact their learning?
Students in Kindergarten thru 12th
grade say the same thing every
year:
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What do students say is the #1 tech tool
or service that will impact their learning?
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”
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What if you could design the
ultimate school?
Designing the Ultimate School
Online classes
Interactive boards
Games
Internet access
Gr 6-12
Laptops
Teachers
Digital content
Mobile devices
Digital media tools
Communications tools
0%
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10%
20%
30%
40%
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50%
60%
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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
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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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
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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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
But what is the #1 trend that you
should watch regarding your
future students?
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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
#1 Trend to watch for your future students:
The era of the technology-enabled
Free Agent Learner
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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
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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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
Free Agent Learner
Characteristics:
– Power of connections
– Creating new communities
– Not tethered to physical networks
• Example: Mobile devices
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Speak Up 2008 Data Findings
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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Tough questions to think about today:
• Content
• Culture
• Competition
• Control
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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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More Speak Up?
Visit www.tomorrow.org
Student, Teacher, Parent & Administrator Data
Findings – updated annually
National Data Release
• March 24
• Congressional Briefing
• Key findings available online
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More Speak Up?
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)
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It has been great to learn with you today.
If you have any questions, please contact us:
Julie Evans
Project Tomorrow
jevans@tomorrow.org
949-609-4660 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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Question & Answer Period 3
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