Teaching and Technology to Develop College Skills

According to a new report by BlackBoard and Project Tomorrow, two-thirds of parents report that effective classroom technology use provides an opportunity for their children to develop college and career skills. Meanwhile, motivating teachers to change their instructional practices is the biggest challenge to adopting digital learning or deploying new technology, according to school and district technology leaders. This report also provides a unique lens for examining the current state of teacher capacity for transforming education using digital tools, and identifying promising new practices that can serve as guideposts for this journey.

Key findings include:

·       Over half of teachers in blended classrooms said that technology helps them to better differentiate instruction.

·       Responding teachers said they need planning time, access to technology, tech support, professional development and reliable and high quality internet connectivity to effectively integrate digital content and tools;

·       Over half of parents reported that they are concerned their children will not learn the right skills in school for success in college or their careers;

·       Most parents were likely to say that critical thinking and problem solving are important skills for their child's future.

·       Teachers in blended or virtual classrooms were more likely to rate technology as important in myriad ways, from improved differentiation to better self-directed professional development to developing student creativity.

Blackboard (2017). Building teachers’ capacity and competency to create new learning experiences for students. Washington, D.C.: BlackBoard. http://images.email.blackboard.com/Web/BlackboardInc/%7B6651397a-eb7d-4088-8471-3eac0140990a%7D_K12_2017_Report_TrendsInDigitalLearning.pdf

Well-being in a Future Full of Technology

In a Pew Research Center study, many of respondents who argued that human well-being will be harmed also acknowledged that digital tools will continue to enhance various aspects of life. They also note there is no turning back. At the same time, many of them suggested interventions in the coming years they feel could mitigate the problems and emphasize the benefits. Moreover, many of the hopeful respondents also agreed that some harm will arise in the future, especially to those who are vulnerable. Findings also showed three types of themes emerged: those tied to expert views that people will be more helped than harmed when it comes to well-being; those tied to potential harms; and those tied to remedies these experts proposed to mitigate foreseeable problems.

Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2018). The future of well-being in a tech-saturated world. Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center. http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2018/04/20114508/PI_2018.04.17_Future-of-Well-Being_FINAL.pdf

Tech in Learning

The 2011 Speak Up Project results show how K-12 students tap into a wide range of tech tools for personalized learning — both in and out of school. Parents support digital learning to prepare their children for the future. See how technology enables new and customized learning that is socially-based, un-tethered and digitally-rich.

Key findings include:

-       Over 1 in 3 parents would recommend online classes to improve student performance.

-       Roughly half of high school students have used Facebook as a collaborative learning tool.

-       Two thirds of administrators are unlikely to allow personal mobile devices for learning.

-       Two thirds of parents would buy a mobile device for their child if the school used them for learning.

-       Over half of 6th-12th graders Reluctance want to use their own mobile device for school.

Speak Up (2011). Speak Up 2011 national research project. Irvine, CA: https://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/Infographic_PersonalizedLearning2012.pdf