Digital shift report

 The sudden shift in digital learning in spring 2020 has resulted in increased usage of digital tools by teachers and students, according to a recent national survey. Teacher viewpoints on what platforms and features are necessary has changed greatly, with more of a need for accessibility and flexibility. Teachers also see the importance of more cross-platform digital resources and want training in gamification. The report also finds stronger appreciation by parents for the value of technology as a learning vehicle and their role in supporting their child’s education from home. Engagement is still cited by education leaders as the top reason for the use of technology in education, but students cite improved outcomes, more personalized learning, better grades, better communication, and being able to collaborate. 

Speak Up National Report. (2020). Digital learning during the pandemic. Project Tomorrow. https://tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/2020%20Speak%20Up%20National%20Report.pdf

Technology as a learning tool report

 The move to digital learning during the pandemic has resulted in a greater appreciation by parents and students for technology as a learning tool, according to a recent report.The report -- based on responses from more than 110,000 students, nearly 12,000 teachers and others --also found the increase in technology use provides more opportunities and context for defining value and rigor of resources. Some other findings were: greater appreciation by parents and students of digital learning, and student awareness of more modalities for learning.

Project Tomorrow. (2020). Digital Learning During the Pandemic: Emerging Evidence of an Education Transformation. Irvine, CA: Project Tomorrow. 

Technology’s Impact on Education – Digital Learning Tools in Classes

Education Week released a special report investigating the impact technology is having in K-12 schools as digital learning tools flood classrooms across the country. The report reveals that technology is failing to reach its full potential in K-12 schools, despite the rapid infusion of new devices and technologies into the classroom. Further, disparities in technology access and adoption, and in the ways new tools are integrated into instruction, may be fueling a new digital divide that threatens to exacerbate long-standing inequities and separate education’s haves and have-nots along new fault lines.  

Herold, B. (2017). Technology counts 2017: Classroom tech: Where schools stand. Bethesda, MD: Education Week.

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/06/14/poor-students-face-digital-divide-in-teacher-technology-training.html

Digital Learning on the Rise

This Speak Up study found that as the digital learner has emerged over the past ten years, we have noticed a significant shift in the student perspective on using technology for learning. In 2003, the students’ focus was on getting access to the Internet and the tools that would facilitate that access. Learning how to circumvent or mitigate the obstacles in their school that limited that access was also an important goal. Today, while access is still not universal for all students, for the majority of the students across all grades, their attention is on how to use a wide range of digital tools and resources to enable a highly personalized learning experience. This self-initiated evolution from access to personalization provides an interesting model for thinking about the adoption and adaption of emerging technologies within the school also. 

Speak Up (2013). From chalkboards to tablets: The emergence of the K-12 digital learner. St. Davids, PA: Speak Up.

https://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU12-Students.pdf

Increasing K-12 Student Access to Digital Learning

In 2013, only 4 million students had access to broadband that provided internet fast enough to allow for digital learning in the classroom. By 2017, that number has risen to 39.2 million, but the movement to close the connectivity gap between students and technology to assist in digital learning is far from over. According to a report by EducationSuperHighway, it is important for state and federal leaders, school districts, and service providers to work to close the connectivity gap, which still spans 6.5 million students. This report emphasizes the fact that continued action is necessary to ensure the remaining students receive access. Those students largely hail from the 1,587 rural schools that don't yet have the infrastructure necessary, the report notes. Some of the findings from the report state that some of the specific steps necessary in order to reach the goal of increasing access to digital learning for students include setting connectivity goals, engaging service providers, establishing state matching funds, making broadband affordable, and providing technical assistance when needed.

EducationSuperhighway (2017). 2017 State of the states: Fulfilling our promise to America’s students. San Francisco, CA: EducationSuperhighway. https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/esh-sots-pdfs/educationsuperhighway_2017_state_of_the_states.pdf