Title of Study:  The New Digital Advance Team—America’s K–12 Students Leading the Way to Transforming Learning with 21st Century Technology Tools

Author(s): Project Tomorrow – Speak Up

Summary:

This report from the sixth annual Speak Up online survey summarizes survey responses from students in grades K-12, teachers, parents and administrators.  Themes for 2008 included Web 2.0 tools, 21st Century skills, emerging technologies such as mobile devices and online learning, broadband access, and designing the 21st Century school.

Sponsoring entity(s): Project Tomorrow

Date conducted: 2008

Location of the study: This study can be accessed through the Project Tomorrow website.

Setting(s) addressed:

• Classroom
• School

Targeted population(s):

• K-12 students
• Teachers
• Parents
• Administrators

Primary sources of evidence used in the study or report:

• Online survey
• Focus groups

Primary Technology Application(s) Addressed:

• Web 2.0
• Mobile technology devices

Major education topic(s) addressed:

• Educational technology
• Online learning
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

Major findings/conclusions:

• Students in all grades reported using technology for schoolwork.  Half of middle and high school students use technology to access class information, create PowerPoint or video presentations and communicate and collaborate with peers for schoolwork.   The primary use of technology among elementary students is playing educational games.
• Students’ access to mobile electronic devices such as cell phones, smart phones, laptops and MP3 players increased dramatically over previous years of the survey.  Half of responding students had access to laptop computers, and higher percentages had cell phones and MP3 players.
• Students would like to be able use their mobile devices in school for uses including communicating with classmates or teachers, conducting Internet research, recording lectures and receiving alerts about upcoming homework and tests.  About half of responding teachers and three quarters of administrators said that mobile devices are beneficial for increasing student engagement.
• Increasing numbers of students use Web 2.0 tools.  Half of secondary students and one quarter of elementary students communicate regularly by e-mail, IM and texting, and almost as many update their profiles on social networking sites on a regular basis.
• Increasing numbers of secondary students are interested in taking online classes.  High school students like online learning to earn college credit, to work at their own pace or to take classes not offered at their school.  Middle school students like online classes to get extra help in classes in which they are struggling.

Practical implications of the findings:

• Students are the “Digital Advance Team”, adopting new technologies and new uses of technology before their teachers or parents.  Adults adopt the same technologies, but more slowly.
• Many students carry mobile devices with them that are more powerful than the computers available at their schools, and students want permission to use their personal technology in school as well as out of school.

Reviewer Comments:

The report is based on self-reported information from self-selected online respondents, including 281,500 K-12 students, almost 30,000 teachers, 21,000 parents and 3,000 administrators.  Respondents represented 4,379 schools in all 50 states.

Survey questions and data from all six years of the study are available at the Tomorrow.org website