tech-enabled social learning environments an executive briefing

© Project Tomorrow 2011

Speak Up 2011 National Findings

Julie Evans, Project Tomorrow CEO

Tech-Enabled Social

Learning Environments

An Executive Briefing


Today’s Discussion: The Big Questions

How do we define social learning?

Is there an unmet demand for the greater use of

social learning within schools?

What is the value proposition around social learning?

How can new solutions mitigate some of the

concerns that still exist about social learning?


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, Parents, Administrators

Pre-Service Teachers in Schools of Education

Inform policies & programs

Analysis and reporting of findings and trends

Consulting services to help transform teaching and learning

Speak Up National Research Project

+ 2.6 million surveys since 2003


Learning & Teaching with Technology

21st Century Skills: Digital Citizenship

Science and Math Instruction

Career Interests in STEM and Teaching

Professional Development / Teacher Preparation

Internet Safety

Administrators’ Challenges

Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

Mobile Devices, Online Learning, Digital Content, E-textbooks

Educational Games, Web 2.0 tools and applications

Designing the 21st Century School

Speak Up survey question themes


Saluting our Speak Up 2011 Sponsors:


K-12 Students 330,117

Teachers & Librarians 38,502

Parents (in English & Spanish) 44,006

School/District Administrators 4,133

About the participating schools & districts

o 5,616 schools and 1,250 districts

o 24% urban / 35% rural / 41% suburban

o All 50 states + DC

Honor Roll of States with highest participation:

TX, CA, AL, IN, AZ, NC, FL, WI, VA, MD

National Speak Up 2011 Participation: 416,758


Speak Up 2011 Congressional Briefings

Washington DC

April 24 and May 23, 2012


What can the Speak Up

findings tell us about the

future of learning?


Speak Up National Research Project

Key Findings: Speak Up 2003 – 2011

Students function as a “Digital Advance Team”

Students regularly adopt and adapt emerging technologies

for learning

Students’ frustrations focus on the unsophisticated use of

technologies within education

Persistent digital disconnect between students and adults

Exacerbation of lack of relevancy in current education

Students want a more personalized learning environment


Social–based learning

Un–tethered learning

Digitally–rich learning

The New Student Vision for Learning


Three Essential Elements

Digitally-rich

learning

Students see the use of

relevancy-based digital

tools, content and

resources as key to

education productivity




Un-tethered learning

Students envision

technology-enabled learning

that transcends classroom

walls





Students want to leverage

emerging communications

and collaboration tools to

create personal learning

networks of experts



Introducing . . .

“Defining the Emerging Role of Social Learning Tools to Connect Students,

Parents & Educators”

A new white paper in collaboration with Schoolwires based upon the Speak Up 2011 national data


Defining the Emerging Role of Social Learning Tools to Connect Students, Parents & Educators

Key findings:

Increased value around social learning

Students have high aspirations for leveraging social

learning tools

Concerns linger with administrators and parents

New cohort of administrators paving a new path for

innovative use


What is social learning?

Leveraging social media and networking technology tools to:

– Develop students’ personal learning networks

– Facilitate collaborations and connectivity

– Engage parents

– Support teachers’ productivity

– Ensure safety and security for participants

– Personalize the learning process


How are you using social media tools for your personal interests?


How are you using social media tools for your personal interests?

2008: Only 27% of parents and 12% of

principals were social networking users


“There are teachers that use these social

media sites themselves and see the value

of these as ways to grow professionally, so

making the transition to a site as a tool for

learning should not be a quantum leap.”

High School Principal - AZ


Students face obstacles to using technology at school:

Websites I need are blocked 59%

Can’t use my own mobile device at school 55%

Can’t access social networking tools 51%

Too many rules! 48%

Teachers limit our technology use 42%

Can’t communicate with my classmates 39%


Students’ wish list! Principals are you listening?

Ability to access projects from home computers 46%

Provide tools to communicate with classmates 39%

Provide tools to organize my schoolwork 38%

Provide tools to communicate with my teacher 34%

Provide tools to support collaboration 32%


The Social Learning Value Proposition Administrators’ Perspective

1. Sharing information with parents

2. Extends learning beyond the school day

3. Increases parental engagement

4. Provides more personalized learning

5. Facilitates student collaborations

6. Increases educator productivity

7. Enables stronger community connectivity


Challenges of Implementing Social Learning Administrators’ Perspective

Protecting student safety




Ensuring student information and data privacy





Monitoring for academic use






Providing access to all students







Teachers need training to use tools effectively








“No adults allowed” in my social spaces








“No adults allowed” in my social spaces

Is there an academic tool that mimics com’l features?


“A school social learning environment

would be fantastic. It needs to be

seamless though and simulate the latest

social media that the kids already use.

People expect their digital work to

overlap and be immediately accessible.”

High School Administrator - WI


Imagine you are designing the ultimate

school for today’s students,

what technologies would have the

greatest impact on learning?


Imagine you are designing the ultimate

school for today’s students,

what technologies would have the

greatest impact on learning?

Creating a shared vision?


Social learning in the ultimate school:

Safe chat rooms where we can

discuss course materials

with classmates

51% of students


Social learning in the ultimate school:



Un–tethered learning

Digitally–rich learning



What is the bottom line?

Today’s students

want learning that is:

Enabled

Engaging

Empowered


• National Speak Up Findings and reports

• Speak Up 2011 data: Apr 24 and May 23

• Presentations, podcasts and webinars

• Evaluation services & reports

• Speak Up 2012 for K-12

More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org


Start planning now for Speak Up 2012!

Speak Up 2012 – 10th Anniversary

Special online surveys to collect and report on the views of the

K-12 students, teachers, librarians, administrators and parents

on the role of technology within teaching and learning.

Surveys open in October

Sign up to receive

information and alerts

www.tomorrow.org


Thank you.

Let’s continue this conversation.

Julie Evans

Project Tomorrow

[email protected]

949-609-4660 x15

Twitter: JulieEvans_PT

Copyright Project Tomorrow 2011.

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