As the use of computing and networking technologies in schools grows, educators increasingly incorporate online tools and resources into their curricula – some even replace traditional classroom interactions with “virtual” courses that take place entirely online. At the same time, administrators are concerned with helping students develop 21st century skills while bridging the digital disconnect between students and adults.
To address emerging trends in education, Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit group, and Blackboard have joined together to bring you Education in the 21st Century: a series of reports, using data from the SpeakUp Survey, that shed light on issues related to learning and leading in K-12 education.
Leadership in the 21st Century: The New Visionary Administrator
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In fall 2007, Project Tomorrow surveyed administrators, for the first time, on their attitudes about technology and learning. Through this, they found a group of visionary administrators who are bridging the digital disconnect. Surprisingly, these visionary administrators have more in common with students than with fellow administrators in terms of technology use and priorities for technology in instruction. They share a common concern about helping students develop 21st century skills and believe that seamless, ubiquitous technology, when effectively integrated into learning, has the potential to expand classroom walls, transform pedagogy, and help students better prepare for life in a global economy.
The report Leadership in the 21st Century: The New Visionary Administrator highlights how tech visionaries are creating 21st century schools. Key findings include:
- Almost all visionary administrators (93 percent) believe that using technology improves student achievement.
- Over half of all visionary adminis¬trators say that they would provide or expand online courses to keep students engaged in school. Seventy-three percent of visionary administrators report that integrating mobile devices will increase student engagement.
- On average, visionary administrators are 40 percent more likely than their peers to select student response systems, Web 2.0 tools, school portals and games/virtual simulations as important features of a 21st century classroom.
(Report released on October 29th) |
Learning in the 21st Century: A National Report of Online Learning
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In October 2007, a national report was released that examined student, teacher and parent attitudes and aspirations for online learning. This groundbreaking publication, Learning in the 21st Century: A National Report of Online Learning, provides valuable input into the national conversation about how to ensure that every student has access to a 21st century education.
A National Report of Online Learning also contains interviews with administrators and teachers in school districts which use a range of innovative online learning models, providing additional insight into the integration of online learning into curricula and the benefits experienced by teachers and students.
(Released October 2007) |
Learning in the 21st Century: A Trends Update
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Recent SpeakUp survey data revealed prevalent trends in online learning, compelling the release of Learning in the 21st Century: A Trends Update. This report provides new and timely data on the growth of online learning in America’s schools for both student learning and teacher professional development, and examines the challenges faced by school and district leaders in regards to technology and learning.
A sampling of key findings in the trends update:
- While only 7% of teachers in 2006 identified online classes as their preferred methodology for their own professional development, over 26% of teachers in 2007 chose online learning as their first choice for training.
- Over 41% of students believe that online classes will have the greatest positive impact on their learning, a growth of over 20% from the 2006 data findings.
- More than 88% of education leaders say that the effective implementation of instructional technology is core to their mission, and 84% believe that technology use does indeed enhance student achievement.
(Released July 2008) |