Julie Evans of Project Tomorrow discussed developing stakeholder responsive vision statements for new digital environments. She examined research from the Speak Up survey showing parents want schools to teach skills for college and careers but have concerns about too much screen time. Evans presented a case study approach to craft vision statements that address these inconsistencies by focusing on parents. Participants worked in pairs to develop 35-word statements appreciating parent views while explaining digital vision values. Evans recommended messaging emphasizing skill development, personalized learning, and extended learning beyond textbooks.

1. Julie A. Evans, Ed.D.
Chief Executive Officer, Project Tomorrow
@JulieEvans_PT
Developing Stakeholder Responsive Vision
Statements for your New Digital Environments
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 @ 4 pm

2. Today’s discussion
▪ Introduction to Project Tomorrow and the Speak Up Research Project
▪ Case Study Approach: how to craft stakeholder responsive digital vision
statements
o Issue: “personalized learning vs. too much screen time”
o Stakeholder audience: parents of school-aged children
▪ Examine research on parents’ views using the Speak Up data
▪ Your turn! Developing your own stakeholder responsive digital vision
statements
▪ Additional recommendations and resources for you

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4. Getting to know you!

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6. About Project Tomorrow (www.tomorrow.org)
▪ Nonprofit education organization supporting K-12 education since 1996
▪ Mission is to ensure all of today’s students are well prepared for the future
▪ Programs and research focus on role of digital tools within the education
ecosystem – believe in power of STEAM to support student preparation for
college and career success
o Speak Up Research Project on Digital Learning: collecting & reporting
on the authentic feedback of K-12 stakeholders to inform federal, state
& local programs and policies

7. About the Speak Up Project (www.tomorrow.org/speakup)
▪ Annual research project since 2003
▪ Uses online surveys + focus groups
▪ Facilitated 100% through schools and districts
▪ We design online surveys to collect feedback from
your K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators
and Community Members
▪ All K-12 schools – public, private, parochial, charter,
virtual - are eligible to participate
▪ Project Tomorrow manages all data collection and
reporting for you - 100% free service
▪ Schools get summary report with all locally collected
data + state and national data for benchmarks
We share national data with federal, state and local policymakers to inform programs and funding

8. About the Speak Up Project (www.tomorrow.org/speakup)
Standard survey question topics include:
✓ Use of technology to support learning
✓ School climate for innovation
✓ College and career ready skill development/interest
✓ Leadership challenges and capacities
✓ Teachers’ needs for professional learning
✓ How do different stakeholders value digital learning
✓ Emerging trends w/digital tools, content and resources
✓ New classroom models: mobile, blended, flipped
✓ School to home communications
✓ Student safety online & digital citizenship
✓ Designing the ultimate school
Since 2003, over 5.4 million K-12 stakeholders have submitted a Speak Up survey

9. Key trends from the Speak Up Research
• Greater emphasis on linking technology to students’ global skill preparation
• Interest, acceptance and implementation of new learning models
• Students’ self-directed digital learning influencing expectations for school
• Meet the new digital parent – new demands, higher aspirations
• Thinking beyond engagement to understand outcomes from digital learning
• Increasing criticality for Internet connectivity – at school and at home
• Digital learning is a metaphor today for education transformation
• The strong connection between leadership and effectiveness

10. @Project Tomorrow 2017

11. What do you see?
Are we all seeing the
same thing?
What do students,
parents and educators
see?

12. Creating stakeholder responsive vision statements:
▪ Focus on parents as a key stakeholder
▪ Focus on the inherent inconsistencies between the “value for
personalized learning” and “concerns about too much screen
time”
▪ How do we successfully message our digital vision statements
to a particular audience knowing their concern points?
Case study approach to our work today

13. What do parents
really think about
digital initiatives and
the use of technology
within their child’s
education?
Case study approach to our work today

14. Survey Audience National
K-12 Students 340,927
Teachers & Librarians 34,833
Parents 23,159
Administrators 3,249
Community Members 4,611
About schools and districts: 3,641 districts, 10,619 schools
29% urban, 34% rural, 37% suburban, 68% title 1 eligible
National participation in Speak Up 2017: 406,779

15. What do parents really think . . .
What concerns you about your child’s future?
1. Not learning the right skills in school to be successful in the future
▪ 56% of all parents – no difference by grade of child, family income or
community type
2. Needing more education than a college degree to get a good job
▪ 45% of all parents
3. Having to compete with better educated workers around the globe for jobs
▪ 36% of all parents

16. What do parents really think . . .
What are those “right skills?”
Besides strong subject area knowledge, what college/workplace skills are most
important for students to acquire to be successful in the future?
1. Critical thinking and problem solving skills (87% of parents)
2. Teamwork and collaboration skills (77%)
3. Ability to work with diverse groups of people (76%)
4. Financial literacy (75%)
5. Creativity (74%)
6. Technology skills (73%)

17. What do parents really think . . .
What is the best ways for your child to develop those “right skills?”
✓ Getting work experience (78% of parents)
✓ Using technology within his/her classes at school (66%)
✓ Participating on a sports team or academic group (66%)
✓ Participating in school leadership activities (63%)
✓ Project based learning experiences at school (59%)
✓ Working on group projects with classmates (59%)

18. What do parents really think . . .
How important is the effective use of instructional
technology to students’ success?
2%
13%
36%
48%
2%
13%
35%
49%
2%
14%
36%
47%
Not important
Somewhat important
Important
Extremely important
HS Parents MS Parents ES Parents
83% of
parents say
tech use in
school is
important for
student
success

19. What do parents really think . . .
Mobile device use in school
o Only 3% of parents say students should not use devices at all
o Only 13% say usage should be limited to a computer lab or media center
o 83% say students should use mobile devices regularly in class
o 18% - say BYOD is best
o 11% - prefer classroom carts as needed
o 51% - endorse 1:1 assignments of devices

20. What do parents really think . . .
New learning models
✓ 50% of parents say a blended learning environment would be best for
their child
Blended learning class: a formalized structure where the teacher provides instruction
part of the time in a physical classroom with a class of students, and part of the time the
students follow an online curriculum at their own pace at home or at school
✓ 24% would choose a flipped learning class as best for their child
Flipped class: the teacher assigns online videos of lessons, labs, and lectures for students
to watch as homework, and then the in-school class period is used for doing projects, in-
depth discussions, remediation, and individualized schoolwork help

21. What do parents really think . . .
Imagine you are designing a dream school for today’s students.
What digital tools will increase student achievement and success?
▪ Dashboard/portal for visibility into student progress (60%)
▪ Laptop or Chromebook for every child (56%)
▪ Access to cloud based tools (48%)
▪ Online organizing tools (49%)
▪ Online tutors (49%)
▪ Digital media creation tools (45%)
▪ Online textbooks (44%)

22. What do parents really think . . .
As a result of how technology is used in school to support
learning, my child is …
▪ Applying knowledge to practice problems
▪ Developing creativity and critical thinking
skills
▪ Collaborating with other students more
▪ Communicating with his/her teacher
more
▪ Taking ownership of his/her learning

24. “Parents are
concerned about too
much screen time for
their child”
Myth or Reality?

25. What do parents really think . . .
Concerns about child’s technology use in
general
All
parents
Parents of
K-5
students
Parents of
Gr 6-8
students
Parents of
Gr 9-12
students
Too much screen time 61% 61% 62% 62%
Seeing inappropriate content on websites 57% 64% 60% 48%
Being contacted by strangers online 56% 61% 58% 48%
Sharing too much personal information
online
52% 53% 55% 53%
Cyber-bullying 48% 52% 51% 41%
Texting inappropriate messages 47% 49% 51% 43%
Photos of my child being shared online
without permission
38% 42% 38% 32%

26. What do parents really think . . .
40%
59%
Parents
2006 2017
What factors are
driving this
increasing concern
for parents about
technology use?
“I’m concerned about too much screen time for my child”

27. Factor: Negative media stories and inappropriate research?

28. Factor: Parents don’t view school as that different from their own experiences
So, why is technology use important at all?

29. Factor: How we are communicating value of digital learning
Educators see this:

30. Factor: How we are communicating value of digital learning
Educators see this:
Parents fear this:

31. The Great Digital Learning Debate
Is it personalized learning
OR
Is it too much screen time?

32. Factor: How we are communicating value of digital learning
What messages are we transmitting
when we are talking about our new
digital initiatives or investments?
Are we seeing the
opportunities/challenges through
the eyes of our students’ parents?
What can we adjust to address the
“Great Digital Learning Debate?”

33. Creating stakeholder responsive vision statements:
▪ Focus on parents as a key stakeholder
▪ Focus on the inherent inconsistencies between the “value for
personalized learning” and “concerns about too much screen
time”
▪ How do we successfully message our digital vision statements
to a particular audience knowing their concern points?
Case study approach to our work today

34. Working with an elbow partner, craft a
stakeholder response digital vision
statement that:
Appreciates the views of parents per
the Speak Up data and explains the
value of your digital vision in terms that
will resonate positively with parents
Includes characteristics of an effective
vision statement:
▪ Brevity – keep to 35 words max
▪ Clarity
▪ Abstract but challenging goal
▪ Future-focused
▪ Matches your success metrics

35. Post your stakeholder responsive
vision statement to:

36. What are your thoughts about creating stakeholder
responsive digital vision statements?

37. Today’s discussion
▪ Introduction to Project Tomorrow and the Speak Up Research Project
▪ Case Study Approach: how to craft stakeholder responsive digital vision
statements
o Issue: “personalized learning vs. too much screen time”
o Stakeholder audience: parents of school-aged children
▪ Examine research on parents’ views using the Speak Up data
▪ Your turn! Developing your own stakeholder responsive digital vision
statements
▪ Additional recommendations and resources for you

38. Recommendations: Messaging points about digital content and tool use that
takes into account parental goals and concerns
1. Use of digital resources promotes workplace skill development (56% of parents worry
that their children are not learning workplace skills in school)
2. One size learning does not fit anyone – every child learns differently and digital tools
help adjust and balance learning to fit your child’s specific needs and strengths
3. Increased motivation to learn results in greater student ownership of learning – no
more homework fights!
4. Teachers can use information derived from digital tools to address your child’s
individual needs and provide just in time support when they need it
5. Digital tools enable students to become creators of content, not just consumers
6. Extends learning beyond the physical world – demystifies what we cannot see in ways
that a textbook or even a lab cannot do

39. Source: Project Tomorrow’s recent 3 year evaluation of the tangible outcomes of blended
learning within 9 parochial schools in Los Angeles
School messaging about blended learning – what worked & what did not:
“every child will have a Chromebook to use all day at school”
“we are now a technology school”
“teachers will provide your child with personalized attention”
“your child will learn skills to help them in high school”
Recommendations: Messaging points about digital content and tool use that
takes into account parental goals and concerns

40. Navigating the tricky world of creating stakeholder responsive digital
vision statements – summary regarding parents
1. Getting beyond mythology and
assumptions and really understand
the factors driving parents’ views
2. Re-calibrate your digital learning
value statements to align with
parents’ values and concerns
3. Encourage ongoing discussions
within your community about the
value of digital learning in ways that
resonate positively

41. More resources available at www.tomorrow.org
National Speak Up reports and infographics
Targeted and thematic reports
Educational Equity
Digital learning trends
School communications
Mobile learning
Blended learning outcomes
Presentations, podcasts and webinars
Services: consulting, workshops, evaluation and efficacy studies
✓ We have expertise in the evaluation of mobile implementations, new
classroom models and digital content usage

42. Invitation for your school or district to participate in Speak Up 2018
Online surveys for:
o K-12 students – individual + group
o Parents – English and Spanish
o Teachers
o Librarians/Media Specialists
o School Site & District Administrators
o Technology Leaders
o Community Members
Surveys open now through June 28, 2019
Learn more www.tomorrow.org/speakup
100% free service to all schools and districts – including reports with comparison data

43. Sign up to get a copy of today’s presentation!
1. Sign up on the table sheets
2. Sign up on the Google form
http://bit.ly/2FIYW0V

44. Developing Stakeholder Responsive Vision
Statements for your New Digital Environments
1/29/19 @ 4 pm – C187
Thank you for joining me today!
Please review this session on the mobile app.
Julie A. Evans, Ed.D.
Chief Executive Officer, Project Tomorrow
@JulieEvans_PT
jevans@tomorrow.org