Digital Tools and Learning in Schools

A new report from the Speak Up 2013 survey of students, teachers, administrators and parents revealed that:

- Girls outpace boys in use of many digital tools for learning, particularly the socially based tools like texting and collaborating online.

- A third of high school boys say that they are very interested in a job or career in a STEM field, but only a fifth of girls say the same.

- One-quarter of students in grades 3-5 and nearly one-third of students in grades 6-12 say that they are using a mobile device provided by their school to support schoolwork.

- In four years, the percentage of middle school students taking tests online increased.

- Only one-third of middle school students say that for schoolwork reading, they prefer to read digital materials rather than printed materials.

- Digital equity, including student access to the Internet outside of school, is a growing concern among district technology leaders.

Speak Up (2014). Speak Up 2013 national research project findings. St. Davids: PA: Speak Up. http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU13SurveyResultsFlippedLearning.pdf