Project Test Drive: Students and Teachers "Speak Up" About NSDL

Project TestDrive: Students and Teachers “Speak Up” about NSDL NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Washington DC October 1, 2008 Julie Evans and Laurie Smith Project Tomorrow

Our discussion today: About Project TestDrive National Project Results and Findings Recommendations Next Steps Discussion – what do you think? NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

About Project Tomorrow Our Vision Preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders and engaged citizens Our Mission To support the development of critical thinking, problem solving and creativity skills in K-12 students through innovative, research-based uses of science, math and technology resources . NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

About Project Tomorrow NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL Our strengths: Provide national leadership to improve K-12 education Incubate and replicate school based science, math & technology programs that engage students & teachers Leverage online tools, resources and events to build local capacities for reform and innovation Conduct national research to inform and stimulate new discussions around education topics

About Speak Up

Annual national research project

Online surveys - Open for all K-12 schools

Schools/districts get back their own data for planning and budgeting

Collect data ↔ Stimulate conversations

K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents and Administrators

Inform policies & programs

Analysis and reporting – national reports, state reports, district reports

Services: custom reports, consulting with districts and state agencies

NCES back end database – provide statistically significant samplings from the data

5 years of empowering authentic voices – since 2003:

1.1 million K-12 students

74,000 teachers

34,000 parents

3,200 school leaders

14,000 schools – from all 50 states, DC, American military base schools, Canada, Mexico, Australia

NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL 1.2 million respondents

What is Project TestDrive?

National research project on the classroom effectiveness

of K-12 STEM resources in the National Science Digital

Library - Supplemental to Digital Libraries go to School

Goals

Evaluate the relevance and quality of existing resources, accessibility and impact in the classroom

Develop rubrics for evaluating current and future NSDL content

Develop recommendations for promoting NSDL to K-12 educators

NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Why Project TestDrive?

Wealth of resources have been developed for NSDL

Who is using them?

How are they being used?

Extends DLgtS by…

Modifying workshop curriculum to create JIT training for teachers on NSDL and IA

Additional rubrics and evaluation instruments to implement with DLgtS workshop curriculum

Advertises DLgtS workshops with more audiences

Project TestDrive Methodology Promotion to participate: + 50,000 teachers Teacher application – screened for school diversity/mix MOU with teachers – informed consent with students Evaluation rubrics developed for the resources Just in time training provided Recommended list of resources identified Teachers select and use 7-10 resources in classroom Teacher and student feedback via surveys and focus groups NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL Link to documents on our website http:// www.tomorrow.org/programs/testdrive.html

Project TestDrive Participation

2007/08 School Year:

78 teacher applications approved

29 teachers used 111 resources in their classroom

86% used at least 7 different resources

20 teachers completed online surveys

2697 students completed online surveys

11 teachers participated in focus groups

Project TestDrive Participation 2007/08 School Year: NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Project TestDrive Key Findings Strategy: Outreach and Awareness Building Strategy: Developing the Value Proposition NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Outreach and Awareness Building How did you find the resource? What is the most effective way to use the resource? How would you like to learn about resources? How to encourage more classroom usage? NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Outreach and Awareness Building NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Outreach and Awareness Building Preference for finding and learning about resources – look at who and what did not make the list! Administrators Students District Technology Staff TV / Radio Ads NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Outreach and Awareness Building Recommendations to encourage classroom usage: “ Inside and outside” recommendations NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Outreach and Awareness Building

Recommendations to encourage classroom usage:

“ Inside” recommendations:

Increase access to school technology

Increase time to learn about and use resources

Require as part of school projects – science fairs

Funding for teachers to purchase supplies and resources

Outreach and Awareness Building

Recommendations to encourage classroom usage:

“ Outside” recommendations:

Increase awareness – advertising, listservs

Push only selected resources – targeted approach

Bundle with textbooks and other resources

Identify key people as advocates - librarians

Project TestDrive Key Findings Strategy: Outreach and Awareness Building Strategy: Developing the Value Proposition NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition Resource characteristics Effectiveness for classroom use Professional impact of using the resources What do you like most/least about resources? What should be improved? NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition How would you characterize the resource? Top responses: NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition How would you characterize the resource? Top responses: Age appropriate – 70% Enhances curriculum – 68% Easy to use – 63% Relevant and useful – 61% Classroom ready / supports curriculum – 58% Easy to integrate into curriculum – 57% Accurate / teacher friendly – 54% NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition How would you characterize the resource? Other responses: Student friendly – 52% Visually appealing – 49% Credibility – 48% Interactive – 45% Clear instructions – 45% Supports multiple learning styles – 31% NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL Key: Very Effective Effective Not Effective

Developing the Value Proposition Value statements about NSDL resources: Appropriate for classroom use 88% Content is credible 87% Enhances current curriculum 87% Alignment with state standards 80% Increased student engagement 78% NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition Value statements about NSDL resources: Appropriate for classroom use 88% Content is credible 87% Enhances current curriculum 87% Alignment with state standards 80% Increased student engagement 78% I would use the resource again 81% I would recommend the resource to others 79% NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition Student Views NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition Student Views Value statements about NSDL resources: Often + Always Subject is more interesting 58% Enjoyed class participation 57% Greater understanding of content 56% Learned more 52% Remember more about content 49% More interested in subject 48% NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition Student Views Value statements about NSDL resources: Often + Always I would recommend resource to a friend 52% I would like to use the resource again 59% I would like to use NSDL again 60% NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition What did you like most about the resource? NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition What did you like most about the resource? Site dependent but overall comments: Interactivity – use of animations/engaging graphics Easy to understand and use – teacher friendly Students could direct their own learning NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition What did you like least about the resource? Site dependent but one general overall comment: Depth of site content – either too much or too little NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Developing the Value Proposition Recommendations for improving the resources Site dependent but overall comments: Better grade level alignment with age appropriate activities and content More animations/visualizations More content OR less content NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Project TestDrive Next Steps

Further analysis of the data findings

Such as:

by contributor by resource

by contributor by grade level standard

changes in student views after increased usage

effectiveness by resource, by contributor

classroom utilization by resource

selection pathways with more exposure

Project TestDrive Next Steps Final report – to be published in January 2009 Marketing and outreach recommendations Rubrics for resource evaluations Additional data findings Also available: Resource specific data findings for the pathways and contributors NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL

Want more information?

Speak Up teacher data on digital resources

what characteristics are most important to you when choosing online resources?

how have you used online resources in the past 12 months?

what factors influence your inclusion of 21 st century tools in your science classroom?

More Speak Up?

www.tomorrow.org

Webinars – new series

Podcasts

Speak Up Blog

Facebook

Sign up for news alerts

Customized reports and consulting services

Conference presentations/workshops

Speak Up 2008

More Speak Up findings?

Visit www.tomorrow.org

Student, Teacher, Parent & Administrator Data Findings

Reports such as:

Learning in the 21 st Century:

A National Report of

Online Learning

(Oct 2007, Updated Jun 2008)

Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators

Students, Teachers and Parents Speak Up about

Science Education

(June 2008)

More Speak Up?

Upcoming Presentations and Events:

Innovative Learning Conference 2008

October 14-16, 2008

San Jose

Presentation: Speak Up data on mobile devices

NSBA T+L 2008

October 28-30, 2008

Seattle

Presentation: Administrator data from Speak Up

Release of new report: “New Visionary Administrator”

Surveys for K-12 students, teachers, parents and administrators

Survey for parents in English and Spanish

No fee or charge to participate

100% online – each survey only takes 20 minutes

100% confidential; password protected

Questions regarding:

teaching and learning with technology, 21 st century skills, professional development, science instruction, STEM careers, emerging technologies and online learning

New question themes

Broadband access/issues – home and at school

Digital content

Media and information literacy

Surveys open from Oct 20 thru Dec 19

Schools/districts get data back in February

National data findings released in Washington DC in spring 2009

NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up 2008

Thanks! If you have any questions, please contact: Julie Evans [email_address] 949-609-4660 x15 Laurie Smith [email_address] 949-609-4660 x17 NSDL Annual Meeting 2008 Speak Up about NSDL