Engaging Students, Empowering Learning:
New Roles for Digital Content and Games in the Classroom
Julie Evans, Project Tomorrow CEOSeptember 17, 2014
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
A big thank you to:
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Programs:
• Research & evaluation studies • STEM education programs• Advocacy for digital learning
Mission: To ensure that today’s students are prepared to become
tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and engaged citizens of the world.
Project Tomorrow, a national education not for profit organization
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Annual national 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
Inform policies, plans & programs Local: school stakeholder data State: state level data Federal: national findings
Speak Up National Research Project
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Learning & Teaching with Technology
21st Century Skills: Digital Citizenship & Global Awareness
Math and Science Instruction / Digital Writing
Students’ Career Interests in STEM
Professional Development / Teacher Preparation
Internet Safety / Digital Footprints
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 21st Century School
Speak Up survey question themes
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
K-12 Students 325,279Teachers & Librarians 32,151Parents (in English & Spanish) 39,986School/District Administrators 4,530Community Members (new this year!) 1,346
About the participating schools & districts
o 9,005 schools and 2,710 districts
o 90% public schools – 10% private/parochial/charter/other
o 32% urban / 31% rural / 37% suburban
o 30% school wide Title 1; 43% majority minority school
o All 50 states + DC + Guam + DODEA schools
National Speak Up 2013 Participation:
403,292
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Speak Up 2013 National Reports
www.tomorrow.org
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Digital Teachers, Digital Principals:
Transforming the Ways We Engage Students
Introducing a new white paper ….
A special collaboration with
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Today’s discussion topics:
Context for the new white paper
Review of some key findings
Considerations for digital content adoptions
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
What has greatest potential to impact student success readiness?
1. Enhancing teacher effectiveness
2. Integrating 21st century skills into curriculum
3. Leveraging technology more effectively
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
What has greatest potential to impact student success readiness?
1. Enhancing teacher effectiveness
2. Integrating 21st century skills into curriculum
3. Leveraging technology more effectively
Blending online with F2F Integration of mobile devices Use of digital content
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Teachers’ use of digital content in the classroom
“Use of digital content helps students develop critical thinking
and problem solving skills”
2009: 27% of classroom teachers
2013: 38% of classroom teachers
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Teachers’ use of digital content in the classroom
Videos that I create
Animations
Software or mobile apps
Online textbooks
Game environments
Videos that I find online
6%
19%
31%
22%
35%
47%
11%
22%
18%
29%
21%
49%
Middle school teachers Elementary school teachers
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Teachers’ use of digital content in the classroom
Videos that I create
Animations
Software or mobile apps
Online textbooks
Game environments
Videos that I find online
6%
19%
31%
22%
35%
47%
11%
22%
18%
29%
21%
49%
Middle school teachersElementary school teachers
Digital games/Game-based environments:
1. Increase in teacher interest
2. Increase in administrator interest
3. High interest of students
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
How to support the greater adoption of digital content?
Examine role of digital games as an entry point for digital content adoptions in the classroom
Learn from the values, attitudes and behaviors of teachers who use digital games in their classroom (25% of teachers)
Learn from the principals who are supporting digital games within their school (1/3 of principals)
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
What are the benefits of using digital games within learning?
Benefits of using digital games Teachers who are using digital games in their classroom
All teachers
Increased student engagement in learning
88% 74%
Address different learning styles 80% 63%
Help students reinforce learning 62% 49%
Provide practice opportunities for students
59% 46%
Differentiate instruction 59% 48%
Help students visualize different concepts
51% 40%
Introduce new concepts within lessons
50% 41%
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
How does technology use within instruction impact your students’ success?
Student outcomes Teachers who are using digital
games in their classroom
All teachers
Students are more motivated to learn
70% 53%
Students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills
49% 38%
Students develop creativity skills 48% 39%
Students take ownership of their learning
39% 30%
Students develop collaboration skills
37% 30%
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
How does technology use within instruction impact your effectiveness as a teacher?
Teachers who are using digital games in their classroom say:
Improved their productivity
Increased classroom management effectiveness
Provided time to differentiate instruction
Made it easier to assess student learning
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
What are the benefits of digital content usage within instruction?
Principals who say digital games are transforming teaching & learning at their school say:
Increase student engagement (72%)
Extend the learning day (63%)
Personalize instruction (54%)
Increase relevancy and quality of instructional
materials (52%)
Improve teachers’ skills with using technology
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
What are the challenges associated with implementing digital content within instruction?
Digital Principals’ Challenges Evaluating the quality of digital content products (45%) Locating appropriate digital content aligned to our curriculum
(42%)
Providing enough computers and devices with Internet access for student to use digital content (60%)
Providing enough Internet bandwidth to fully leverage digital content (42%)
Balancing time constraints to use digital content effectively (52%)
Concerns about student safety online when using digital content (32%)
Understanding the role of digital content within Common Core or other new state standards (31%)
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
What is most important when evaluating the quality of digital content?
Quality factors Digital Teachers
Digital Principals
Content is research-based 53% 73%Content can be modified by the teacher to meet classroom needs
73% 61%
Content includes imbedded student assessments
37% 50%
Content has a track record for student achievement results
35% 49%
Content was evaluated by practicing teachers
36% 47%
Content does not include commercial advertisements
47% 46%
Content was created by practicing teachers
49% 41%
Content was certified by an education association or organization
36% 31%
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Considerations for digital content adoptions
How should schools and districts leverage the experiences of digital teachers?
What are the most effective PD approaches for digital content adoptions?
How should we measure the impact of digital content beyond engagement?
How can schools and districts ensure that their classrooms are equipped to support digital content adoptions?
What are the key markers of quality in digital content? How should schools determine the best digital content for their needs?
National Speak Up Findings and reports
Targeted and thematic reportsDigital learning trendsMobile learning & social mediaIntelligent adaptive softwareDigital parent seriesNEW: Digital Content & Games
Presentations, podcasts and webinars
Services: consulting, workshops, evaluation and efficacy studies
Speak Up 2014 opens on October 6 (c) Project Tomorrow 2014
More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
A big thank you to:
.
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014
Thank you.
Let’s continue this conversation. Julie Evans
www.tomorrow.orgTwitter: SpeakUpEd
Copyright Project Tomorrow 2014 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.
To download the white paper visit:
http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/2014_DigitalContentReport.html
Digital Teachers, Digital Principals:
Transforming the Ways We Engage Students