1. FETC 2022:
Quick Review of
Speak Up Research Findings
Featured in FETC Sessions
January 2022
Julie A. Evans, Ed.D., CEO, Project Tomorrow
2. Speak Up at FETC 2022
This slide deck is a compilation of selected
Speak Up Research Findings shared in
multiple sessions at FETC 2022 by
Project Tomorrow’s CEO, Dr. Julie A. Evans.
All insights and data is derived from the
Speak Up Research Project.
For more information about the research
findings or to learn more about how your
school or district can participate in
Speak Up, please contact Dr. Evans at
jevans@tomorrow.org.
3. Quick Review of Speak Up Research Findings
Featured in FETC Sessions
Table of Contents:
▪ About Project Tomorrow and the Speak Up Research Project
▪ Impact of the pandemic on K-12 education
▪ Top priorities for District Administrators
▪ Evolution of mobile learning 2014 to 2021
▪ Students’ views on the benefits of using technology within learning
▪ Teachers’ wish list for professional learning this year
▪ Parents’ concerns about their child’s future success
▪ Key insights about K-12 cybersecurity awareness and preparation
▪ Additional resources and new reports
4. About Project Tomorrow
(www.tomorrow.org)
▪ Nonprofit education organization supporting K-12
education since 1996 through research, professional
learning and school-based programs
▪ Mission is to support the development of new capacities
and better decisions within the K-12 ecosystem
▪ Programs and research focus on role of innovation and
new learning models within education, notably around
digital learning. We believe in the power of
transformational teaching and learning to support
students’ preparation for future success.
5. About the Speak Up Research Project
▪ Annual research project since 2003
▪ We provide education leaders with a suite of normed
online surveys to collect valid feedback from their
stakeholders
▪ All preK-12 schools – public, private, parochial,
charter, virtual - are eligible to use the Speak Up tools
▪ Participating entities get summary reports with all
locally collected data + state and national data for
benchmarks
▪ Turnkey service provided by Project Tomorrow with no
charge/fee to participating districts
▪ National reports inform education, business and
policy decisions on K-12 education
6. Big picture insights from the Speak Up Research this year:
What has been the impact of the pandemic on K-12 education?
▪ Virtual learning exposed why innovation is so hard in education
▪ New momentum is growing for a broader definition of what constitutes effective learning
▪ Increased awareness of social justice issues – especially in education
▪ Heightened focus on social, emotional and mental health considerations
▪ The role of the school in the community is evolving to meet new, unprecedented local needs
▪ Parents have new demands and expectations for education
▪ Understanding equity is about much more than access to a Chromebook and hotspot
▪ New vulnerabilities to cyberattacks in our education systems
7. What issues are “waking up”
K-12 District Administrators in the
middle of the night today?
8. Superintendents & District Administrators
say these are the top “wake up” issues:
1. Student learning loss/recovery
2. Staff morale and motivation
3. Mental/emotional supports for students
4. Effective use of technology
5. Adequate funding
What issues are “waking up” K-12 District Administrators
in the middle of the night today?
9. New learning models: students’ use of mobile devices in
school and at home
Evolution of mobile learning:
77%
40%
16% 17%
2020-21 SY 2019-20 SY
(during remote
learning)
2019-2020 SY
(pre-remote
learning)
2014-15 SY
Schools assign 1:1 mobile devices to
students to use in school and at home
Principals identify positive impact of
mobile learning on their students:
▪ Increased student access to online
content (87%)
▪ Increased student engagement
(85%)
▪ Students developing
information/media skills (85%)
▪ Learning is more personalized
(81%)
▪ Preparation for college or
workplace (80%)
10. What students say are the benefits of technology use within
learning
Benefits of using technology to support learning % of students in Grades 6
who agree
✓ Improved academic outcomes
Better grades and test scores 61%
Stronger understanding of class content 55%
More likely to complete homework assignments 51%
✓ Future-ready skill development outcomes
Creativity skill development 57%
Application of knowledge to practical problems 48%
Critical thinking skill development 48%
Collaboration skill development 47%
✓ Personalized learning outcomes
Learning at one’s own pace 58%
In control of the learning process 50%
Fits personal learning goals and style 50%
11. But what about increased
engagement in learning ….?
Doesn’t make the student top 10 list:
only 45% of 6th graders identify
increased engagement as a
key outcome of using technology to
support schoolwork
What students say are the benefits of technology use within
learning
12. What we may see as the
“student engagement”
the students themselves see as the
“process of developing creativity
skills and being in control of their
own learning.”
What students say are the benefits of technology use within
learning
13. What teachers say is on their wish list for professional learning
this year – top 5 topics
1. How to use technology to differentiate learning
2. How to create project based learning experiences for their students
3. How to personalize learning to meet individual student needs
4. How to effectively engage with students in online learning environments
5. How to implement an SEL program in my classroom
14. 1. How to use technology to differentiate learning
2. How to create project based learning experiences for their students
▪ 50% of Gr 6-8 teachers, 38% of K-5 teachers
▪ 65% of first year teachers, 40% of teachers with 16+ years of experience
▪ 52% of teachers in urban schools, 41% of teachers in rural schools
3. How to personalize learning to meet individual student needs
4. How to effectively engage with students in online learning environments
5. How to implement an SEL program in my classroom
What teachers say is on their wish list for professional learning
this year – top 5 topics with disaggregation
15. 1. How to use technology to differentiate learning
2. How to create project based learning experiences for their students
3. How to personalize learning to meet individual student needs
4. How to effectively engage with students in online learning environments
▪ No difference based upon community type – urban, rural or suburban
5. How to implement an SEL program in my classroom
What teachers say is on their wish list for professional learning
this year – top 5 topics with disaggregation
16. 1. How to use technology to differentiate learning
2. How to create project based learning experiences for their students
3. How to personalize learning to meet individual student needs
4. How to effectively engage with students in online learning environments
5. How to implement an SEL program in my classroom
▪ 37% of K-5 teachers, 29% of Gr 9-12 teachers
What teachers say is on their wish list for professional learning
this year – top 5 topics with disaggregation
17. Parents’ top concerns about their child’s future
Parents’ top concerns:
1. Impact of COVID and school closures on my
child’s social and emotional well-being (67%)
2. Impact of COVID and school closures on my
child’s academic achievement (61%)
3. My child’s lack of engagement in school (50%)
4. My child is not learning the right skills in school to
be successful in the future (43%)
5. Taking on too much student tuition debt for
college or job training (32%)
18. Insights from the new national report on cybersecurity
Cybersecurity preparation begins with an understanding of the need
to walk the talk with increased funding to support both readiness
and mitigation efforts.
24%
24%
18%
47%
Anticipated budget increase in 2021-22
Anticipated no change in 2021-22 budget
Budget increased in 2020-21
No change in the 2020-21 budget
Do our district budgets for cybersecurity reflect the reality of the situation?
19. The new technology dependence in K-12 education demands that
district leaders re-assess their approach to the management of their
technology assets, both human and digital. This has huge
implications for cybersecurity readiness and preparations.
Are IT department staffing levels adequate to support cybersecurity?
Nearly 6 in 10 technology leaders say that their current staffing
for cybersecurity is not adequate to meet the needs of their district
to protect information assets and resources.
Insights from the new national report on cybersecurity
20. An effective cybersecurity plan must be rooted in a shared and
realistic sense of concern, responsibility, and accountability within
the district.
What is your current level of concern regarding a potential cyber attack in your district?
13%
39%
46%
21%
44%
22%
Low concern
Moderate concern
High concern
District Administrators Technology Leaders
Insights from the new national report on cybersecurity
21. More resources at Project Tomorrow
www.tomorrow.org
Additional resources
▪ Speak Up Research report and infographics
▪ Evaluation and efficacy reports and infographics from
special projects
▪ Information if your school or district would like to use the
Speak Up tools and be part of the larger Speak Up
movement
▪ Engage with us to further explore how to support the more
effective use of mobile devices within both K-12 schools
and colleges of education
22. More resources at Project Tomorrow
www.tomorrow.org
New national reports and infographics:
