The 21st annual report findings include a desire for active learning to foster discovery and critical analysis of information to prepare students for the technology-driven world
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Project Tomorrow, one of the nation’s leading education nonprofit organizations, today announces new insights from its latest Speak Up research about the use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms and school districts nationwide. The Speak Up research project works with several local stakeholders to collect municipal data, informing district level decisions. Findings were collected from over 100,000 K-12 students, educators, administrators, and parents across the country.
“The report’s findings extend more than two decades of nationwide survey data, offering deeper insights and highlighting previously unexplored emerging trends,” says Dr. Julie Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow.
Key insights from the Speak Up research include:
61% of middle and high school teachers report engaging students in weekly active learning experiences using classroom technology, however the majority of students report more passive uses of technology than active learning in their classrooms.Currently, only 3 in 10 students say they have learning experiences in school that enable them to develop new content using multi-media digital tools to substantiate learning or explore new ideas.45% of students in grades 6-12 use AI tools as study guides, and there is substantial demand from students for more AI tools that support personalized learning.
“The report’s findings extend more than two decades of nationwide survey data, offering deeper insights and highlighting previously unexplored emerging trends,” says Dr. Julie Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow. “This year, the data underscores a miscommunication about active versus passive learning experiences. It’s no longer about having technology in the classroom; it’s about how teachers use it to connect with students, develop future-ready skills, and create active learning experiences. We must move beyond checking the box on technology and focus on how it drives real student growth.”
The national report will be released in three installments, highlighting new data findings and takeaways for districts to implement in policies and curriculums. The themes and release dates for each chapter are as follows:
Chapter 1: Active vs. Passive Learning Using Digital Tools and Resources was released October 17, 2024Chapter 2: The Value Proposition for Technology-Enabled Active Learning will be released October 24, 2024Chapter 3: Closing the Gap between Aspirations and Practices to Create More Active Learning Experiences will be released on October 31, 2024
Research detailed in Speak Up’s 2023-2024 data reflects and extends on The National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), published in January 2024 by the US Department of Education. The NETP report, supported by Speak Up research, defines active use of technology as tools used “to discover, analyze and apply learning rather than passively receiving information.” However, according to Speak Up research, 75% of high school students and 66% of middle school students say their primary use of technology is to complete an online quiz or assessment. While this is beneficial to educators and schools it does not help students develop critical thinking or teamwork skills.
The first chapter of research, along with an infographic, was unveiled at the 2024 Congressional Briefing, hosted on edWeb, where Dr. Evans discussed the data with a panel of high school students and district leaders from across the country. Together, they shared recommendations for how district leaders can improve learning experiences with technology innovations to inform strategic planning initiatives.
To view the full Speak Up survey results, visit THIS webpage.
Suzanne Lacey, Superintendent of Talladega, Alabama County Schools, has worked with Speak Up to discover district stakeholders’ views to influence strategic planning processes. The district has found the combination of local and national data to be a game-changer in determining how to adopt new classroom technologies.
“This data was instrumental in determining short term as well as long term goals and resources that would have the greatest impact on student learning,” said Lacey. “Speak Up data is especially important to district level leaders to gauge both the time spent utilizing technology in classrooms and also the types of technology being utilized by teachers to enhance learning. For example, I was pleased to see how frequently elementary teachers relied on online reading sites or subscriptions to increase the volume of reading for their students.”
Districts that value stakeholder voices and want to transform teaching and learning to be more innovative so that every student is well prepared for future success should participate in Speak Up surveys. To join the Speak Up research initiative, visit THIS webpage.
The Speak Up Research Project is generously supported by Advanced Learning Partnerships, Agile Education Marketing, edWeb, iboss, and Spectrum Enterprise.
About Project Tomorrow & Speak Up
The Speak Up Research Project is a national initiative of Project Tomorrow, an internationally recognized education nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all students are prepared to become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and engaged citizens of the world. Each year, the Speak Up Research Project polls K–12 students, parents, and educators about the role of technology for learning in and out of school and the impact of new learning models on student outcomes and teacher effectiveness. The Speak Up dataset represents the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder voices on digital learning. Since the fall of 2003, more than 6.3 million K–12 students, parents, teachers, librarians, principals, technology leaders, district administrators, communications officers and members of the community have shared their views and ideas through Speak Up. Education, business, and policy leaders report that they regularly use the Speak Up data to inform federal, state and local education programs, policies and initiatives. Learn more at https://www.tomorrow.org/speakup.
Media Contact
Madeleine Martin, Project Tomorrow, 2244365267, madeleine.martin@finnpartners.com, https://www.tomorrow.org/
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SOURCE Project Tomorrow
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