The document discusses the emergence of the "free agent learner" - a student who is self-directed, un-tethered from traditional education models, and expert at aggregating personal data. It highlights key trends from a national student technology use survey, including a growing "digital disconnect" and students' desire for personalized, experiential, and mobile learning. Schools are urged to listen to student recommendations and create learning experiences that are enabled, engaging, and empowered to prepare for these independent, technology-empowered learners.

1. Coming Soon to Campus: The New “Free Agent” Learner Are You Ready? Julie Evans Project Tomorrow CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY 09 Boston, Massachusetts July 27 – 30, 2009

2. Coming Soon to Campus: The New “Free Agent” Learner Today’s Discussion Research about K-12 Students & Technology Use: Speak Up Project The Top Trends We Are Watching Introducing the “Free Agent Learner” What does this mean for your institution?

3. “ We want technology to be almost a thoughtless, seamless process. When you go to a classroom, you pick up a piece of chalk. Technology should be as automatic as picking up the chalk. The newer teachers are expecting it and our students are expecting it when they come into the classroom.” Irving (Nick) Nicholson Director of eLearning Programs Chicago Public Schools

6. Inviting all K-12 Districts and Schools of Education to participate in Speak Up 2009 Speak Up 2009 Oct 12 – Dec 18 New online surveys for: K-12 Students Teachers Parents Administrators Pre-Service Teachers All institutions get a free report with complete data No fee to participate No limit on # of surveys

9. Research about K-12 Students & Technology Use Speak Up 2008 Selected Data Findings

10. Speak Up 2008 Data Findings Who am I? Warm Up Exercise

11. Who am I? Self – Assessment of Tech Skills (Advanced, Average, Beginner) Role Gender

16. Audience Response: Who am I?

17. Who am I? 3 rd Grade Girl – Average Tech Skills

19. Introducing the “Digital Advance Team” Today’s K-12 Students Adopting/adapting technologies for learning Tech trend setters Their use predicts widespread acceptance Out of school use drives in school use Pace car for others Teachers ultimately catch up

20. Introducing the “Digital Advance Team” Case Study: Use of technology for communications

22. Introducing the “Digital Advance Team” So, what are the next emerging technologies to be paced by the “Digital Advance Team?”

23. Introducing the “Digital Advance Team” Let’s listen in and learn! What we are hearing: K-12 districts are using Speak Up data as input for decisions on how to effectively leverage the historic stimulus funds

29. Digital Disconnect – in perceptions 22% - Advanced

31. Let’s add some context:

32. Let’s add some context:

33. Let’s add some context: Thinking about your students: How did they use technology within learning and instruction in their K-12 lives? Based upon those experiences, what are their expectations for your classrooms?

34. Let’s think about your students: Class of 2009 – just graduated seniors Class of 2011 – your current 3rd year students Class of 2013 – your current incoming freshman

35. What grade where they in . . . when we reached the 90% Internet access in K12 classrooms? Class of 2009 – just graduated seniors 10th grade in high school Class of 2011 – your current 3rd year students 8th grade in middle school Class of 2013 – your current incoming freshman 6th grade in middle school

36. What grade where they in . . . when we reached 90% Internet access in K12 classrooms? Class of 2009 – just graduated seniors 10th grade in high school Class of 2011 – your current 3rd year students 8th grade in middle school Class of 2013 – your current incoming freshman 6th grade in middle school Are they really “digital natives?”

37. Let’s think about your future students: Class of 2015 – incoming to 11th grade Class of 2017 – incoming to 9th grade Class of 2019 – incoming to 7th grade How digitally native are these students? What are their expectations for learning?

38. What grade where they in . . . when we reached 90% Internet access in K12 classrooms? Class of 2015 – incoming to 11th grade 4th grade in elementary school Class of 2017 – incoming to 9th grade 2nd grade Class of 2019 – incoming to 7th grade Kindergarten

39. What grade where they in . . . when we reached 90% Internet access in K12 classrooms? Class of 2015 – incoming to 11th grade 4th grade in elementary school Class of 2017 – incoming to 9th grade 2nd grade Class of 2019 – incoming to 7th grade Kindergarten Are you ready for these students and their expectations for you?

40. How are students using technology for schoolwork?

41. How satisfied are today’s K-12 students with technology use at their school?

42. How satisfied are today’s K-12 students with technology use at their school? Students say: Not very!

47. The Mobile Learner

51. Web 2.0 Applications

52. Web 2.0 Applications

53. How are students using Web 2.0 tools for schoolwork? Significant changes from 2007: Email/IM/Text Using social networking site to collaborate with classmates 150% 27%

55. Students: Have you taken or researched an online class? 20% of high school students 26% of middle school students

56. Is there interest in taking online classes? Yes! Interest in taking an online class: + 40% of high school students + 35% of middle school students + 15% of students grades 3-5

57. Is there interest in taking online classes? Yes! Interest in taking an online class: + 40% of high school students + 35% of middle school students 21% 46%

59. What is the #1 reason middle school students want to take an online class?

65. Students: Exploring STEM Careers

70. What if you could design the ultimate school or classroom . . . . what technologies would have the greatest impact on your learning? Many districts are looking at this data to inform stimulus funding decisions

74. What if you could design the ultimate school?

82. What is the impact of this Free Agent Learner on your institution? What is the impact of these other emerging trends? What are the tough questions we need to be discussing today?

84. Students: If you were the school principal . . . what is the #1 thing you would do? Listen to students’ ideas (59%) Make sure students feel safe at school (58%) Treat all students equally (57%) Get teachers interested in student success (56%) Let student earn college credits (53%)

85. Recommendations from the “ Digital Advance Team” Are we listening?

89. The Future Voice of Education? It is here today . . .

90. The Future Voice of Education? It is here today . . . I believe that "the purpose of education is not to make men carpenters, but to make carpenters men." To be competitive in a workplace that is changing and will change continuously throughout our careers, my peers and I need to be able to read and understand new information at a level never before prevalent. This should be, however, a familiar aim for the forces of academia, however, since what we must learn, in essence, is to learn. I would ensure a broad and balanced education that exposes every student to rigorous inquiry in every discipline, from physics to pottery and makes them active participants in the process of inquiry and learning. (11 th grader, Pittsburgh PA)

93. Inviting all K-12 Districts and Schools of Education to participate in Speak Up 2009 Speak Up 2009 Oct 12 – Dec 18 New online surveys for: K-12 Students Teachers Parents Administrators Pre-Service Teachers All institutions get a free report with complete data No fee to participate No limit on # of surveys

94. More data and reports are available on our website: www.tomorrow.org Julie Evans Project Tomorrow [email_address] 949-609-4660 x15 Copyright Project Tomorrow 2009. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. Thank you!