Project Tomorrow & Pennsylvania

Posted on April 18th, 2009 by mkrill

Project Tomorrow has conducted the Speak Up Survey of students, teachers and parents each year since 2003 to learn more about the views these groups have about technology and 21st century education. The Speak Up findings are used to inform federal, state and national policies and programs on education and technology.

The 2008 themes were:

  • Learning & Teaching with Technology.
  • Designing the 21st school. Including: Web 2.0 in Education and broadband access & policy
  • Emerging Technologies in the Classroom: mobile devices, online learning & digital content
  • 21st century skills: Information & Media Literacy
  • Science Instruction and STEM Careers

The national findings can be found here (pdf). The reason I’m writing, however, is because I recently took a look at the findings specific to Pennsylvania and found them interesting and obviously in line with the Classrooms for the Future program.

A national finding:

The Pennsylvania numbers reported in the 2008 survey included 4,145 K-12 students, 500 teachers, and 721 parents. A summary of interesting information:
When PA students were asked how satisfied they are with technology use at their school…Not very was the response.

When asked what major obstacles (besides time) PA students face using technology at their school, the top responses were:
  • School filters and firewalls block websites I need.
  • Teachers limit our technology use
  • Too many rules (Can’t use personal devices, cannot access personal communication tools, rules limit use of school’s technology)

How could schools make it easier for PA students to work electronically?

  • Top response from students was ‘Let me use my own laptop, cell phone or mobile device.’ (69%)

Is your school doing a good job preparing students for the jobs of the 21st century?

  • PA Teachers – 44% yes
  • PA Parents – 27% yes
  • PA High School Students – 35% yes

What do students say is the #1 tech tool or service that will impact their learning?

  • Students in K-12th grade say the same thing every year: ‘Give me a laptop for my personal use at school and at home.’
These results are obviously from a small sample in Pennsylvania, but interesting nonetheless. Providing a survey similar to this in your district might be a way to find out what students, teachers and parents are thinking about the technology and the educational program. See the PA pdf project-tomorrow (PA).

Another important report to read in this area is the K12 Horizon Report from the New Media Consortium. We’re reading this in my district as we continue to try and stay in front of new technologies when planning for the future.
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One Response to “Project Tomorrow & Pennsylvania”

  1.    Tom Boito, on April 18th, 2009 at 1:37 pm Said:

    Thanks for this interesting post

    [Reply]

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