The document summarizes key findings from Project Tomorrow's national research on blended learning outcomes. It discusses trends identified in the research including that learning is now a 24/7 endeavor for students and self-directed collaborative learning is preferred. A case study on Poudre School District Global Academy finds improved student achievement, growth, and teacher effectiveness with their blended model. Lawrence Public Schools' implementation focuses on student achievement, engagement, teacher effectiveness, and parental support.

1. 1-2-3-4 New Ways to Examine
Blended Learning Outcomes
Julie Evans
Project Tomorrow
@JulieEvans_PT

2. “Innovating is a process, not an
event.”
Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation
to Improve Schools
by Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker

3. Thinking differently about blended learning
outcomes
o National research results on blended
learning
o Findings from new case study
o Analysis of a successful district
implementation
Plan for our conversation today

4. Be part of the discussion!
#NDLA16 @SpeakUpEd

5. Project Tomorrow, a national
education nonprofit organization
Programs:
• Research & evaluation studies
• STEM education programs
• Advocacy for digital learning
Mission: To ensure that today’s
students are prepared to become
tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and
engaged citizens of the world.

6. Annual research project
 Using online surveys + focus groups
 Surveys for: K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents,
Administrators, Community Members
 Special: Pre-Service Teachers in Schools of
Education
 Open for all K-12 schools and schools of education
 Schools, districts & colleges receive free report
with their own data
 Questions about how eLearning = 21c education
Speak Up Research Project
4.5 million
surveys
since 2003
Data informs: policies,
programs, funding at
local, state and federal
levels

7.  Learning & Teaching with Technology
 College and career ready skills
 Students’ Career Interests in STEM
 Professional Development / Teacher Preparation
 Internet Safety / Data Privacy Issues
 Administrators’ Challenges / Bandwidth Capacity
 Emerging Technologies both in & out of the Classroom
 Mobile Devices, Online Learning, Digital Content, E-texts
 Educational Games, Social Media tools and applications
 New Classroom Models, Print to Digital, Online
Assessments
 Designing the Ultimate School/Classroom
Speak Up survey question themes

8. What have we learned in 13 years
about students, teachers and digital
learning?

9. • Connecting digital learning with global skill
development
• New classroom models gaining acceptance
• Criticality of connectivity – in school and at
home
• Changing ideals for measuring outcomes and
results
• New approaches to developing teacher capacity
• Evolving culture for professional development
Key trends from our research:

10. • Learning is a 24/7 enterprise for students
• Blurring of informal and formal arenas for
learning
• Students as content producers not just
consumers, especially in the arts
• Game-based learning is changing classroom
dynamics
• Self-directed, collaborative learning is
preferred
• Desire for greater personalization
Key trends from our research:

11. Key trends from our research:
• Learning is a 24/7
enterprise for students
• Blurring of informal and
formal arenas for
learning
• Students as content
producers not just
consumers, especially in
the arts
• Game-based learning is
changing classroom
dynamics
• Self-directed,
collaborative learning is
preferred
• Desire for greater
personalization
• Connecting digital
learning with global skill
development
• New classroom models
gaining acceptance
• Criticality of connectivity
– in school and at home
• Changing ideals for
measuring outcomes
and results
• New approaches to
developing teacher
capacity
• Evolving culture for
professional
development
New sense of
urgency to get it
right

12. Key finding from our research:
Students, educators and parents agree –
we need a different kind of learning
experience to prepare students for the future

13. “Knowing it and
seeing it are two
different things.”
Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

15. “Without data, you are just another
person with an opinion …
Introducing
data results to inform your
blended learning plans and
opportunities

17. Setting the context
o Selected Speak Up 2014 and 2015
national results
o Case study from Poudre School
District Global Academy
o Analysis of articulated outcomes from
Lawrence Public Schools

18. K-12 Students
415,686
Teachers & Librarians 38,613
Parents (in English & Spanish) 40,218
School/District Administrators/Tech Leaders
4,536
Community Members 6,623
About the participating schools & districts
o 7,825 schools and 2,676 districts
Speak Up 2015 national participation:
505,676

19. Adequate funding 59%
Staff morale/motivation 48%
Closing the achievement gap 46%
Recruitment and retention of
highly qualified teachers
39%
Achievement measured by test
scores
38%
Use of technology & student
data within instruction
35%
What is waking you up at night?
Litmus test for administrators’ concerns

20. Education Initiatives
District
Admin - 2013
District
Admin - 2014
Enhancing teacher
effectiveness through PD
58% 65%
Leveraging technology
more effectively
46% 51%
Integrating college and career
ready skills into curriculum
49% 47%
Developing leadership skills of
administrators
35% 40%
Aligning curriculum to
standards
33% 32%
Engaging parents as co-
teachers
30% 32%
What has greatest potential to impact student
achievement?

21. 1. Not learning the right
skills in school to be
successful
2. Needing more than a
college degree to get a
good job
3. Competing with better
educated workers
around the globe
4. Not doing as well
financially as us
Parents’ concerns about their child’s future

22. o Gaining work experience 78%
o Using technology in classes
75%
o Participating in leadership activities 65%
o Participating in sports/academic teams 64%
o Learning a second language 62%
o Taking advanced math/science classes 60%
Parents: best way for your child to develop those
“right skills”

23. 1. Apps/software to help my
child with learning at home
2. Technology use at my child’s
school
3. Student data privacy
concerns
4. Internet safety at school
5. Different types of classroom
models
6. Online classes available for
Parents: what topics do you want to know more
about?

24. 43%
60%
42%
32%
54%
36%
58%
67%
Parents
Teachers
Principals
District Administrators
Not important Important Extremely important
How important is tech use to student achievement and
preparation?

25. Where are districts seeing positive outcomes from
digital initiatives?
Digital Solutions Implemented
– positive
results
Implemented
– too early for
results
Considering
Using student data to inform
instruction
69% 23% 2%
Use of digital content in the
classroom
51% 31% 7%
Online classes for students 36% 25% 10%
Blended learning
implementations
27% 33% 17%
Use of digital textbooks rather
than print textbooks
24% 30% 17%
Competency based learning 24% 24% 14%

26. Principals: Benefits of blended learning
Benefits Principals
Extends learning beyond class time 68%
Increased student engagement 62%
Personalized learning 58%
Students take more responsibility for learning 52%
Enhanced relevancy of curriculum 44%
Improved student outcomes 40%
Technology is used effectively 37%

27. Principals: Challenges with blended learning
Challenges Principals
Educating parents on their role 61%
Developing culture of student responsibility
for learning
57%
Securing funding to support plans 49%
Ensuring students have safe, consistent
Internet access away from school
48%
Identifying best practices for teachers 47%
Metrics for evaluating program success 45%

28. Blended learning teachers are leading the pack in
the use of digital content
6%
10%
20%
19%
28%
25%
32%
14%
20%
27%
29%
32%
37%
49%
Virtual labs
Teacher self-created videos
Real time data
Animations
Games
Online textbooks
Online curriculum
Blended Classroom Teachers Traditional Classroom Teachers

29. Connecting the dots between blended learning and
student outcomes: teacher perspective
Teachers’ beliefs about student
outcomes
Teachers in
traditional
classrooms
Teachers in
blended
classrooms
Students are working together more
often
32% 52%
Students are developing problem
solving and critical thinking skills
34% 50%
Students are more motivated to
learn
50% 53%
Students are taking ownership of
their learning
33% 50%
Students are developing their
creativity skills
34% 47%

30. Students in blended learning classrooms: As a result of
using technology to support my learning…
• I collaborate more with my classmates (61%)
• I am developing critical thinking and problem solving
skills (54%)
• I am able to learn at my own pace (61%)
• I am developing my creativity skills (63%)
• I am more interested in what I am learning in class (48%)
Connecting the dots between blended learning and
student outcomes: student perspective

31. What metrics are district administrators using
to evaluate their digital learning initiatives?
Evaluation metric % of district
administrators
Student engagement 71%
Teacher buy-in 58%
Classroom observations 58%
Student feedback 54%
Teacher feedback 53%
Student achievement results 52%
Student skill development 45%
Teacher interest in more PD 44%

32. Student engagement in learning
Teacher effectiveness
Parental support
Student achievement/growth
1-2-3-4 New Ways to Examine
Blended Learning Outcomes

33. Case Study:
Poudre School District Global Academy

34. About Poudre School District Global Academy
o Located in Fort Collins, Colorado
o Opened in August 2009 as a fully virtual
school
o Switch to a fully blended school:
• Students attend “school” 2-3 days a
week
• Students work thru online curriculum
rest of time
• Parent as learning coach

35. About Poudre School District Global Academy
o 4 key student outcomes:
• Application of knowledge to practical
problems
• Development of critical thinking and
problem solving skills
• Taking greater self ownership of
learning
• Development of a growth mindset

36. Case Study:
Poudre School District Global Academy
Data study to examine these outcomes:
 Student proficiency
 Student growth
 Teacher effectiveness

37. Poudre School District Global Academy
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
4th Grade Social
Studies
5th Grade
Science
7th Grade Social
Studies
8th Grade
Science
PGA School Average District Average State Average
Proficiency: Colorado Measures of Academic Success
% of students scoring at strong and/or distinguished command
achievement level

38. Poudre School District Global Academy
Proficiency: NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Scores –
Reading
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Gr 2
Gr 3
Gr 4
Gr 5
Gr 6
Gr 7
Gr 8
PGA Spring Scores National Spring Cut Score - Proficiency Level

39. Poudre School District Global Academy
Proficiency: NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
Scores – Math
0 50 100 150 200 250
Gr 2
Gr 3
Gr 4
Gr 5
Gr 6
Gr 7
Gr 8
PGA Spring Scores National Spring Cut Score - Proficiency Level

40. Poudre School District Global Academy
School goal – 1 year growth for every student
Targeted interventions to meet that growth
goal
Increasing
importance of
growth metrics in
school self-
evaluation

41. Poudre School District Global Academy
2012 2013 2014
PSD Global - Reading 51 61 70
PSD Global - Writing 50 62 81
PSD Global - Math 15 44 52
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Student
annual
growth
data
Growth: Transitional CO Assessment Program

42. Changing learning
environment
• Creating more
interactive, relevant
lessons
• Facilitating more
collaborative learning
experiences
• Supporting student
self-directed learning
Transforming
practice
• Providing more
individualized,
personalized attention
• More time to
differentiate instruction
• Easier to assess
student progress
(c) Project Tomorrow 2015
Poudre School District Global Academy
Teacher Effectiveness

43. (c) Project Tomorrow 2015
Poudre School District Global Academy
Why is the blended learning model
successful?
The principal says:
1. Parents are treated as paraprofessionals
2. Relationships matter and failure is a call to
action for improved relationships
3. One size does not fit all with blended learning
4. Individualized learning is at the heart of their
approach
5. Leveraging the right digital tools/resources for
the right tasks is a critical component for the
model to work

44. Student engagement in learning
Teacher effectiveness
Parental support
Student achievement/growth
1-2-3-4 New Ways to Examine
Blended Learning Outcomes

45. Lawrence Public Schools
Disrupting the Factory Model with Blended Learning
Analysis of a successful district implementation
Applying the 1-2-3-4 metrics

46. How do the Lawrence administrators, teachers, parents and
students define their outcomes?
Analysis of a successful district implementation
Applying the 1-2-3-4 metrics

47. How do the Lawrence administrators, teachers, parents and
students define their outcomes?
Analysis of a successful district implementation
Applying the 1-2-3-4 blended learning metrics
Student achievement & growth
• “Self-directed learning”
• “Higher accountability”
• “Self remediation as needed”
• “Defining own success”
Teacher effectiveness
• “Multiple self by 10”
• “Know students better”
• “Differentiating learning”
• “No front of classroom”
Student engagement in
learning
• “Work at own pace”
• “More interaction with teacher”
• “Learning this way is fun”
• “Confidence in engagement”
Parental support
• “Sees student engagement”
• “Recognizes differentiated learning”
• “Child’s happiness”

48. Looking beyond traditional metrics to see new
ways of examining blended learning outcomes

49. National Speak Up reports and infographics
Targeted and thematic reports
Digital learning trends
Mobile learning & social media
Games in the classroom
Blended learning outcomes
Presentations, podcasts and webinars
Services: consulting, workshops, evaluation
and efficacy studies
More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org
Plan to participate in Speak Up 2016
Surveys open in early October

50. Other resources:
www.getfueled.com/resources-results/psd-global-academy-co

51. Other resources:
Trends in Digital
Learning Report:
Empowering
Innovative
Classroom Models
for Learning
www.tomorrow.org/speakup/2015_ClassroomModels.html
bbbb.blackboard.com/project-tomorrow-2015?s=web

52. “Innovating is a process, not an
event.”
Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation
to Improve Schools
by Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker

53. Thank you for today’s discussion!
Julie Evans
jevans@tomorrow.org
949-609-4660 x15
Twitter: JulieEvans_PT and SpeakUpEd
Copyright Project Tomorrow 2016
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.