 Engaging and Educating Tomorrow’s Digital Learners …  University of New Hampshire  June 2006  Don Knezek - ISTE CEO - 1

The Millennials: Who are these guys and what are they thinking? 1)A bit of context 2)A little from the researchers 3)More from the mouths of babes 4)Examples & experiences from preK-12 5)What it means for higher education Engaging Digital Learners 2

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin 3

Ready or Not... The World is Different Work is different... Tools are different... Communication is different... Information is different... Kids are different... Learning is different … And Teaching must be different! 4

Ready or Not... The World is Different Work is different... 5

 The Florida Virtual School (with 50K students) contracts with a group from Nova Scotia for first- line technical assistance … 6

90% 85% Doing Science in the 21st Century Percentage of worktime in a digital environment. 7

90% 85% Molecular Chemist Doing Science in the 21st Century Percentage of worktime in a digital environment. 8

90% 85% Molecular Chemist * Neuroscience Researcher Doing Science in the 21st Century Percentage of worktime in a digital environment. 9

 Fifty percent of all computer software developed in the world today is written in India … 10

Ready or Not... The World is Different Work is different... Tools are different... Communication is different... Information is different... ** 11

Ready or Not... The World is Different Work is different... Tools are different... Communication is different... Information is different... ** Kids are different... 15

 Students bring different experiences … 16

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting CONNECTED TO THE FUTURE (U.S. 2003) √ Internet use exceeds television watching √ Children’s internet use is up 59% in 2 years √ Usage among 2-5 year olds is growing fastest Grunwald Associates A Study by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting 17

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Largest generation (36% of total population). 31% are minorities; more diverse than the adult population. Have come of age along with the Internet. Information has been universally available and free to them; community is a digital place of common interest, not just a shared physical space. Who Are Our Students? 18

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 91% of students felt they have at least one family member they can confide in. If they could, 50% of students would spend more time with their family. 74% get along with their parents extremely or very well. When picking one person as a role model, 44% of students pick a family member. Family is Important 19

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 91% of students have a teacher/administrator who personally cares about their success. 60% of students report that standardized tests are a good measure of progress. 96% say doing well in school is important in their lives. 88% of students report that attending college is critical or very important to future success. Education Beliefs 20

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 76% of students would like to learn more about the world. 28% of high school students use a foreign news source to learn about current events. 75% still look toward a future with optimism and hope. 70% of students report volunteering or participating in community service. Interested in World and Community 21

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting In 2002, teens (ages 12-19) spent $170 billion million college students (ages 18-30) spend almost $200 billion annually. Two out of three students report influencing their parents’ buying decisions. 20% of teens own stock. Have Substantial Purchasing Power 22

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 72% of all first graders used a home computer during the summer on a weekly basis. Over 85% of young children with home computers used them for educational purposes. By 1999, 97% of kindergartners (now middle- schoolers) had access to a computer at school or home. 35% of children ages 2-5 use the Internet from some location. Even Young Children 23

 Students bring different expectations … 24

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 43% of middle class homes in the U.S. have a broadband network in the home Represents a 68% increase in home broadband networks in one year 98% of all PreK-12 schools and 90%+ of all classrooms in the U.S. have fast internet connections. Broadband 25

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 71% of online teens say they relied mostly on Internet sources for the last big project they did for school. 94% of online teens report using the Internet for school- related research. 74% of online teens use instant messaging. 24% of online teens have created their own Web pages. The number of children ages 4 to 18 who own at least one wireless device (e.g. cell phones, PDAs) grew from 32% in 2002 to 43% in % of those age 7 and under own a wireless device Online Teens 26

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Students in New England (Grades 6-12) : Prefer instant messaging over talking on their cell phones (opposite of national results) Expect to check a grade electronically far less (28%) than students across the country (50%) Are significantly (25%) less likely to a teacher than are their colleagues nationally Continue to experience a digital divide based on school and individual wealth (as do students across the nation) Are likely to attend school in a state with a below average State Educational Technology Rating (Education Week) State, Regional, Individual Differences 28

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting 2006 State Education Technology Report Card: National Average … C+ Maine … B- New York … C+ Connecticut … C- New Hampshire … C- Massachusetts … D+ Technology Counts - Education Week 29

Among 12th Graders - 35% 29% 23% 21% Perceptions About School 30

Among 12th Graders - 35% % % % Courses are quite or very interesting Perceptions About School 31

Perceptions About School (US) High School Courses Interesting (Grade 12 - Age 18) 32

Among 12th Graders in the U.S. - 35% % % % % % % % Study Interesting Students Graduating Perceptions About School (US) 33

Among 8th Graders in the U.S. About 90% expect to continue their schooling after graduating from high school Overwhelming indicate importance of education for life success Expectations for Higher Education 34

Among Students in the U.S. About 1 in 3 fails to graduate on schedule Only 27% complete as much as 2 years of College (or 73% “drop out”) Over 80% of dropouts could have graduated Expectations for Higher Education 35

Ready or Not... The World is Different Work is different... Tools are different... Communication is different... Information is different... Kids are different... Learning is different … 36

Emerging Trends Over 60% of IHEs offer courses online Core faculty are teaching online 72% of 2-year colleges plan for significant online programs long-term Growth in enrollment continues strong; up 400,000 in 2 years Online Learning in Higher Education Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the U.S., Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 37

 South Korea has 800,000 students in online learning with SCORM-compliant learning objects … 38

 New environments enable more effective strategies … 39

A Report on Children’s Internet Use From The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Wireless access enables anytime, anywhere connectivity One-to-one computing supports ubiquitous access Virtual schools exploit online learning Personal wireless devices facilitate communications and collaborative learning Hottest Trends Put Kids Online 40

Traditional Incorporating New Environments New Strategies Teacher-centered instruction Learner-centered environments Single sense stimulation Multisensory stimulation Single path progression Multipath progression Single media Multimedia; Hypermedia Isolated work Collaborative work Information delivery Information exchange, publication, creation Passive learning Active/exploratory/inquiry-based learning Factual/literal thinking Critical thinking, informed decision-making Reactive response Proactive/planned action Isolated, artificial context Authentic, real world context Establishing New Learning Environments 41

Learning and Educational Technology Technology can be used in many ways to change and improve learning experiences. Student projects (video for example) can motivate engagement in an activity which might otherwise not be particularly motivating. Project-based learning can also cause reflection and “communications” about learning for much deeper understanding. (Supported with a video of project-based student work.) 42

Ready or Not... The World is Different Work is different... Tools are different... Communication is different... Information is different... Kids are different... Learning is different … And Teaching must be different! 44

Teachers report: Fewer than one in four are confident with technology in learning While 70% receive technology training, almost all is one-day or less per year New teachers are prepared to use technology but often only personally Capable Technology-Using Teachers? 45

 A central issue is curriculum … 46

90% 85% Molecular Chemist * Neuroscience Researcher Getting Real (World) with Science Percentage of worktime in a digital environment. 47

 Engaging Instructional Materials are important … 48

“Maybe I’m wrong, but I should say that in ten years textbooks as the principle medium of teaching will be as obsolete as the horse and carriage are now.” Diaries of Thomas Edison, 1925 Technology and Change 49

Mission "Providing leadership and service to improve teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in education." ISTE International Society for Technology in Education ISTE 50

improve teaching and learningMission Statement: ISTE provides leadership and service to improve teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in K–12 and teacher education. education technologyThe trusted source in education technology for professional development, knowledge generation, and advocacy. ISTE represents over 85,000 teachers, teacher educators, administrators, and decision makers. A nonprofit membership organization International Society for Technology in Education 51

Affiliates 76 regional and national Affiliates in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, China, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United States – CUE (California) – TCEA (Texas) Corporate Program ISTE 100 Program providers of ed tech, services, curriculum, professional development, other resources Special Interest Groups –SIGAdmin (Administrators) –SIGCS (Computer Science Educators) –HyperSIG (Hypermedia and Multimedia) –SIGMS (Media Specialists) –SETSIG (Special Education Technology) –SIGTE (Teacher Educators) –SIGTC (Technology Coordinators) –SIGTel (Telelearning) –SIGDE (Digital Equity) –SIGHC (Handheld Computing) –SIGILT (Innovative Learning Technologies) –SIGIVC (Interactive Video Conferencing) Who are Our Members? 52

 It is worth it … 54

Research shows “Students whose teachers were high level users of technology in the classroom scored significantly better than did students whose teachers were low level users of technology in the classroom.” Middleton and Murray,

Don Knezek C.A.R.E.T. CARET ISTE’s Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology 56

In the new era of school reform, change is: 1.Based on the realization that reform is a highly contextualized phenomenon. 2.Characterized by a heavy emphasis on data. 3.Approached on an incremental basis. … What Works In Schools: Translating Research into Action Robert Marzano, 2003 ASCD New Era of School Reform 57

 It is systemic and it is about leadership … 58

 New environments enable more effective strategies … 59

Traditional Incorporating New Environments New Strategies Teacher-centered instruction Learner-centered environments Single sense stimulation Multisensory stimulation Single path progression Multipath progression Single media Multimedia; Hypermedia Isolated work Collaborative work Information delivery Information exchange, publication, creation Passive learning Active/exploratory/inquiry-based learning Factual/literal thinking Critical thinking, informed decision-making Reactive response Proactive/planned action Isolated, artificial context Authentic, real world context Establishing New Learning Environments 60

Don Knezek Educating the Net Generation NETGEN Important Resource from Educause 61

 Essential conditions are essential … 62

Essential Conditions for Effective Use of ICT Shared Vision Equitable Access Skilled Personnel Professional Learning Technical Assistance Content Standards and Resources 63

Essential Conditions for Effective Use of ICT Student-Centered Teaching Assessment and Accountability Community Support Internal Support Policies External Policy 64

National Boundaries Do Not Matter: Expectations for Technology are Global A Shared Vision is Critical Knowledgeable Leadership is Key Essential Conditions are Essential Skilled Teachers are Necessary Measurement Must Inform Transformation Technology for Transforming Schools 65

 If you want to see a nation that has done ICT right, check out Singapore … 66

Thank you For more information go to or contact me at Don Knezek, Contact Information 67