Digital Content = Better Results

Digital Content
= Better Results
Julie Evans, Project Tomorrow
Ryan Lefton, Cengage Learning
February 7, 2014

Today’s Discussion Agenda
 Context: New Speak Up national data
highlights
 Results: Key findings from research on
digital content usage in the classroom
 Your thoughts and questions
(c) Project Tomorrow 2014

ProjectTomorrow, a national
education nonprofit organization
Programs:
• Research & evaluation studies
• School and community programs
• Events for students
Mission: To ensure that today’s
students are prepared to become
tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and
engaged citizens of the world.

Digital Content Discussion
Research & evaluation studies
• Speak Up National Research Project
• Efficacy studies on digital content usage
• Efficacy studies on mobile learning
• Research on teacher readiness to use digital
content in the classroom

• Efficacy studies on digital content usage

Annual national research project
 Using online surveys + focus groups
 Surveys for: K-12 Students,Teachers, Parents,
Administrators, Community Members
 Special: Pre-ServiceTeachers 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: your stakeholder data
 State: state level data
 Federal: national findings
Speak Up National Research Project
+ 3.4 million
surveys since
2003

.
 Power of local data
 Use data as input for planning
 To justify budget and purchasing decisions
 Inform new initiatives – as an evaluation tool
 As a tool to engage parents
 Demonstrate interest in students’ ideas
 Use for grant writing and fund development
 Content for professional development
 As a competitive tool
 To counteract mythology . . . . . . .
Why do school and districts participate in
Speak Up every year?

Commonly heard mythology
“New teachers don’t need any training in how to use
technology within teaching”
“Parents won’t accept online textbooks”
“Kids only want to use mobiles so that they can
text & play games in class”
“Online learning undercuts the role of the
teacher in learning.”
“There is so much great content online for teachers to
use in the classroom – so, what is the problem?”
“Put technology in the classroom and magically students will learn more!”
Examples of ed tech mythology

Speak Up 2012
National Reports

Speak Up Goes to
Washington, DC
National Release of Speak Up 2013 National Findings
2014 Congressional Briefing
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_congress.html

A special pre-release
of the
Speak Up 2013
national data
findings
Just for you today:
Special focus: Digital Content

K-12 Students 325,279
Teachers & Librarians 32,151
Parents (in English & Spanish) 39,986
School/District Administrators 4,530
Community 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

K-12 Students 325,279
Teachers & Librarians 32,151
Parents (in English & Spanish) 39,986
School/District Administrators 4,530
Community 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 wideTitle 1; 43% majority minority school
o All 50 states + DC + Guam + DODEA schools
o#1 participating state: TEXAS
National Speak Up 2013 Participation:
403,292

Speak Up 2012 National Findings
From Chalkboards toTablets
“Digital Conversion”

Speak Up 2012 National Findings
From Chalkboards toTablets
Digital Conversion
A shift in what we do, but also
in our attitudes and values

Focus on Digital Content
Views of K-12
Students,
Parents,
Teachers &
Administrators
Speak Up 2013
National
Findings

Students’ use of digital resources for
schoolwork
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Watch teacher created videos
Play educational games
Watch online videos
Use online textbook
Use online databases
Create multi-media presos
Access class info
Gr 9-12 Gr 6-8 Gr 3-5

So, what are the benefits of using digital
content within instruction?
The Principals’ List:
1. Increases student engagement 74%
2. Extends learning beyond the school day 60%
3. Prepare students with work ready skills 54%
4. Improves quality of instructional materials 49%
5. Improves relevancy of instructional materials 49%
6. Differentiates school as innovative 46%
7. Provides a way to personalize learning 45%
8. Improves teachers’ skills with technology 44%

Digital content usage: What is holding our
schools back?
School principals say:
Providing enough computers and Internet access 55%
Balancing instructional time constraints 47%
Evaluating the quality of digital content 42%
Not enough bandwidth 38%
Teachers are not trained to use digital content 32%

Digital content usage: What is holding our
districts back?
School principals say:
Providing enough computers and Internet access 55%
Balancing instructional time constraints 47%
Evaluating the quality of digital content 42%
Not enough bandwidth 38%
Teachers are not trained to use digital content 32%

How do you evaluate digital content quality?
Quality Factors Teachers Say: Administrators say:
Teachers can modify the
content
68%
Research based 45%
Created by a teacher 43%
Referred by a colleague 36%
Certified by education
association
32%
Student achievement
results
28%
Source is content expert 24%

How do you evaluate digital content quality?
Quality Factors Teachers Say: Administrators say:
Teachers can modify the
content
68% 58%
Research based 45% 70%
Created by a teacher 43% 36%
Referred by a colleague 36% 22%
Certified by education
association
32% 28%
Student achievement
results
28% 47%
Source is content expert 24% 36%

Teachers: what digital content are you
using in your classroom?
Type of content Percentage of teachers
Online videos 46%
Google drive 29%
Games 25%
Online textbooks 23%
Online curriculum 22%
Animations 20%
Online databases 11%
Simulations 9%
Virtual labs 6%

What teachers say they need: their wish list
for PD
• Using tech to differentiate instruction 45%
• Use tech for formative assessments 26%
• How to id mobile apps for classroom use 36%
• Using a tablet within instruction 31%
• How to id quality digital content 34%
• How to use games within instruction 26%
• Implementing a blended classroom 23%
• How to create videos of my lessons 19%
• Implementing a flipped classroom 16%

Teachers: how does technology improve
your effectiveness?
I’m better organized
I am able to create more interactive and relevant lessons
I am creating more student centered learning
environments
I am more productive
I am empowering my students to be more self-directed

• McKinley Study
“Bringing Digital Content into the
K-12 Classroom”

Research Study Questions
 What is the impact of using digital content in the
classroom?
 Can digital content improve students’ 21st century skills
including research skills?
 What factors influence the adoption of digital
content and resources in the classroom?
 What are the lessons learned from this project that
can impact other implementations?

Research Study Methodology
 Mixed methods two year study (2010-11, 2011-12)
 Select group of teachers at McKinleyTech HS
 Data collection components included:
o Pre and post surveys
o Student focus groups
o Teacher and administrator interviews
o Classroom observations
o Student achievement metrics
 Speak Up data benchmarks
 Use of Gale Resources - online databases

McKinley Technology High School

 STEM magnet school inWashington DC
 College – going environment
 Six STEM academies
 Enrollment of 689 students
o 93% African-American
o 54% qualify for federal lunch program
 Mixed bag in terms of technology access and teacher
usage of technology
 Typical challenges of most urban high schools

 Study participants:
o 283 high school students
o 8 teachers
 Teachers were provided with access to Gale,
training and support
 Instructions were to integrate Gale into daily
instruction

Research Study Methodology
 Gale Collections of Digital Content :
o Biography in Context
o Global Issues in Context
o Global Reference on the Environment, Energy and
National Resources
o Literature Resource Center
o OpposingViewpoints in Context
o Student Resources in Context
o US History in Context
o World History in Context

• 8 Teachers in the Study Project in year 2
o 5 from year 1, + 3 new teachers in year 2
o Content disciplines:
• Biology
• English
• Global Perspectives
• Human Geography
• Issues in BioTech
• Physics
• US Government
• World History

Research Focus: Year 1
Classroom use of Gale resources:
 Impact on student outcomes
 Teachers’ value proposition on usage
 Impact on teacher productivity
 Development of workplace ready skills

Research Findings: Year 1
Ways to use Gale resources in the classroom:
 Activate students’ prior knowledge
 Assess student knowledge
 Facilitate class discussion
 Introduce a lesson
 Illustrate a concept
 Differentiate instruction
 Homework assignment
 Class project
 Independent study
 Student research
 Background information
Primary
usage by
the
teachers

Classroom use of Gale resources
(formal and extra-curricular):
 Integration of the resources into instruction
 Resulting changes in teacher practice
 Support of student self-directed learning
 Development of college level research skills

Ways to use Gale resources in the classroom:
 Activate students’ prior knowledge
 Assess student knowledge
 Facilitate class discussion
 Introduce a lesson
 Illustrate a concept
 Differentiate instruction
 Homework assignment
 Class project
 Independent study
 Student research
 Background information
Project
Based
Learning

Gale resources support Project Based Learning
Case Study: Science Fair in Biology Class
 Teacher was new to Gale
 Teacher goals:
o Use outside resources to create relevancy and quality
o Make it easy to use in class
o Support development of research skills
 Teacher and students used Global Issues in Context

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Searches
Retrievals
Sessions
2011/Global Issues 2010/Global Issues
Global Issues
in Context –
increased usage
2011
200%
66%
39%

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Seaches
Retrievals
Sessions
2011/Global Issues 2010/Global Issues
Purposeful
Sporadic

 Results:
 Met teacher’s goals
 Increased student engagement
 Higher quality projects
 Richer class discussions
 Easy to use
 Proved case for teacher on value of Gale
 Continued teacher usage with seamless integration

Case Study: National History Day Projects
 Teachers had used Gale in year 1
 Year 1 familiarity led to this idea for usage
 Teachers’ goals:
o Support development of research skills
o Improve quality of submissions
o Provide out of school access
 Teacher and students used US and World History in
Context

US &World
History in
Context –
increased usage
2011
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Searches
Retrievals
Sessions
2011 US + World History 2010 US + World History
4X
5X
3X

 Results:
 Met teachers’ goals
 Higher quality projects – more relevant
 Extended learning opportunities
 Opened teachers’ eyes to Gale use with projects
 Changed teacher practice

Gale resources expands learning opportunities
Case Study: Use of podcast and video in World History class
 2nd year project teacher
 Teacher goals:
o Bring real world into class
o Facilitate class discussion
o Support development of media literacy skills
 Teacher and students used Global Issues in Context

Case Study: Use of podcast and video in World History class
 Results:
 Met teacher’s goals
 Richer class discussions with increased participation
 Expanded learning opportunities
 Created memorability
 Sustained change in teacher practice

Impact of Gale resources on learning
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
To do initial research
To do indepth research
To help with homework
To learn more about a topic on my own
To better understand a school topic
All Girls Boys
How students said they used Gale

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Increase student
engagement in
learning
Improve student
research skills
Enhance quality of
student work
Students are more
self-directed learners
Teachers Students

Changing the classroom experience
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Schoolwork is more engaging
Group projects are more successful
Class is more interesting
New ideas/perspectives are introduced
Better prepared for class discussions
Boys Girls

Changing the learner
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Improved communications skills
Improved critical thinking skills
Greater confidence in sources
Better learner/student
More control of my learning
Acquired new skills for college
Boys Girls

So, did Gale make a difference in student
achievement at McKinley Tech High School?
Subject Area Average ECR
Schoolwide
World History
Classes that
used Gale
Biology Class
that used Gale
Social Studies 2.2 2.7 NA
Science 2.2 NA 2.6
All Subjects 2.2 2.7 2.6
Yes!

Key findings:
 Digital content is most effective when supporting
project based learning
 Changes in teacher practice first require a personal
value proposition with the tools
 Teachers value digital content to enhance lessons
or improve learning experiences
 Students see digital content as way to develop
workplace and college skills

Lessons learned:
o It takes time and context matters!
o Don’t overlay – but integrate
o Administrative support is critical to success
o Top down + bottom up is better strategy than
hero teacher model
o Students have great ideas – use them!
o “One size fits all” rarely does!

Your thoughts, comments, questions

National Release of Speak
Up 2013 National Findings
DC Congressional Briefing
Tuesday, Apr 8
Data release to
Speak Up
participants
Wednesday, Feb 5
Speak Up 2014 surveys open in October

National Speak Up Findings and reports
Targeted and thematic reports
Online learning trends
Mobile learning & social media
Print to digital migration
Social learning
Intelligent adaptive software
New digital parent series
Presentations, podcasts and webinars
Research reports: digital content, mobile learning, 21st century
skill development, professional development
Learn more at www.tomorrow.org

Thank you.
Let’s continue this conversation.
Julie Evans
Project Tomorrow
jevans@tomorrow.org
949-609-4660 x15

Digital Content = Better Results

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