The Impact of the Homework Gap on STEAM Education

Presented by: Dr. Julie A. Evans
CEO, Project Tomorrow
@JulieEvans_PT
The Impact of the Homework Gap
on STEAM Education

Today’s Discussion
▪ About Project Tomorrow and Speak Up Research Project
▪ Defining the Homework Gap
▪ STEAM learning and career exploration trends
▪ Considerations and implications
▪ Other resources from Project Tomorrow
▪ Your questions, comments, ideas – let’s discuss!

Tweet with us!
@JulieEvans_PT @SpeakUpEd #FETC2018 #FETC18 #FETC

@Project Tomorrow 2017
Getting to know you!

About Project Tomorrow
▪ Nonprofit education organization supporting K-12 education since
1996
▪ Mission is to ensure today’s students are well prepared for the future
▪ Programs and research focus on role of digital tools within the
education ecosystem
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

About the Speak Up Project
▪ Annual research project since 2003
▪ Uses online surveys + focus groups
▪ Facilitated through schools and districts
▪ Online surveys for: K-12 Students,
Teachers, Parents, Administrators, and
Community Members
▪ All K-12 schools – public, private,
parochial, charter, virtual - are eligible to
participate

▪ Participating schools and districts get
access to all locally collected data + state
and national data for benchmarks
▪ National data is reported via white
papers and infographics – and used
regularly by edu orgs & policymakers
▪ 100% free service for schools/districts
Since 2003,
5 million
Speak Up
surveys
submitted

Topics covered include:
✓ Use of technology to support learning – formal and informal
✓ School climate for innovation
✓ College and career ready skill development
✓ Leadership challenges
✓ Teachers’ needs and professional learning experiences
✓ Valuations of different stakeholders on digital learning
✓ Emerging trends with digital tools, content and resources
✓ New classroom models
✓ School to home communications
✓ Designing the ultimate school

National participation in Speak Up 2016: 514,085
Survey Audience # of Surveys Submitted
K-12 Students 435,510
Teachers & Librarians 38,512
Parents 29,670
Administrators 4,592
Community Members 5,801
About schools and districts: 2,445 districts, 7,123 schools
26% urban, 36% rural, 38% suburban, 57% title 1 eligible

Introducing the Speak Up Project to inform new
discussions and better decision-making around
digital learning plans
“Without data, you are
just another person with
an opinion …”

Homework Gap + STEAM Education –
why is this topic important today?

District Administrators: What has the greatest potential to enhance student achievement
in your district?
#1 response: Enhancing teacher effectiveness through professional learning
(62% of district administrators chose this response)
Other responses include:
o Integrating college and career ready skills into instruction (52%)
o Providing students with STEM career exploration opportunities (44%)
o Leveraging digital tools and resources more effectively (43%)

What are those “right skills?”
Workplace skills Parents District
Administrators
Critical thinking and problem solving 85% 94%
Working with diverse groups of people 75% 91%
Creativity 75% 78%
Teamwork 74% 87%
Work independently 72% 78%
Use of technology tools 70% 78%
Leadership 68% 68%
Communications 65% 73%

Parents: what worries you about your child’s
future?
My child is not learning the
right skills in school needed to
be successful in the future
Elementary school parents – 58%
Middle school parents – 58%
High school parents – 54%

District Administrators & Parents: What is the best way for your students/your children to
develop these college and career ready skills?
Skill development approaches Parents District
Administrators
Use technology in their classes at school 63% 76%
Engage with problem based learning and maker spaces 55% 80%
Take coding and/or advanced math and science classes 50% 47%
Take career technical ed classes 45% 49%
Learn about how to use technology effectively 44% 45%
Do scientific experiments or research 39% 37%

Reality Check:
17% of students in grade 6-12 report that they
sometimes cannot do homework because of a
lack of reliable access to technology and Internet
connectivity outside of school

Defining the Homework Gap
Access to the Internet
and digital tools outside
of school
In the beginning …

Re-defining the Homework Gap
Access to the
Internet and
digital tools
Access to the Internet and
digital tools that has these
characteristics:
✓ Safe for students
✓ Consistent access
✓ High quality speed and
bandwidth
✓ Appropriate for schoolwork

Who is affected by the “Homework Gap?”
Gr 6-8 students:
• 17% say they sometimes cannot do homework or school work due to lack of access
• Of that group, majority are girls
• 19% have a school provided tablet that they could potentially use at home
Gr 9-12 students:
• 17% say they sometimes cannot do homework or school work due to lack of access
• Of that group, majority are girls
• 20% have a school provided tablet that they could potentially use at home

So, where are these students getting online?
30%
37%
57%
52%
70%
80%
28%
32%
47%
48%
71%
77%
At a public library
At a fast food/coffee shop
On campus after school
On campus before school
At home
In class
Gr 6-8 students Gr 9-12 students

What technology challenges are most
perplexing for school and district
administrators?
48% of school administrators and
technology leaders said:
Digital equity – student access to
technology and the Internet
outside of school
➢ In 2007 only 12% of administrators had this as a concern.

Growing challenge of the Homework Gap
Technology leaders predict high
growth for :
✓ Cloud applications
✓ Blended learning models
✓ Flipped learning models

Growing challenge of the Homework Gap
Technology leaders predict high growth
for :
✓ Cloud applications
✓ Blended learning models
✓ Flipped learning models
RESULT:
Increased dependency on digital
tools for learning requires
students have access outside of
school that is:
✓ Safe for students
✓ Consistent access
✓ High quality speed and
bandwidth
✓ Appropriate for
schoolwork

What is your
school or
district doing
to address the
Homework
Gap?
Potential solutions
Allowing students on campus before/after school
Encouraging public libraries to give students priority
Telling students to download assignments to USB sticks
Discouraging homework that is digital or online
Providing wifi in parking lots
Working with fast food restaurants to provide a safe space
for students
Putting wifi hotspots on school buses
Loaning familes mobile WiFi hotspots
Paying for home Internet access
Setting up the district as an ISP
Not addressing it

*** Speak Up 2017 Research Findings: preliminary data
How are districts addressing the Homework Gap?
Solutions Doing this Considering
this
No plans
Allowing students on campus before/after school 64% 20% 16%
Encouraging public libraries to give students priority 50% 23% 26%
Telling students to download assignments to USB sticks 53% 17% 29%
Discouraging homework that is digital or online 43% 19% 38%
Providing wifi in parking lots 43% 16% 41%
Working with fast food restaurants to provide a safe space
for students
17% 26% 57%
Putting wifi hotspots on school buses 4% 31% 65%

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/technology/fcc-internet-access-school.html
Bridging a Digital Divide That Leaves Schoolchildren Behind – Feb 2016

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/04/the_cleveland_homework_gap_whe.html
The Cleveland homework gap when there's no Internet at home – April 2016

STEAM Learning & Career
Exploration Trends

Key trends in STEAM learning research …
• Greater emphasis on students’ global skill preparation
• New expectations from parents for skill development & digital learning
• Value of personalized learning on the rise with new learning models
• Students as content creators, not just consumers
• Increasing criticality for connectivity at school and home
• Learning as a 24/7 enterprise for students
• Getting beyond assumptions & myths on career exploration

What are the key drivers for STEAM education today?
▪ Administrators’ desire to close the achievement gap and level
the education playing field
▪ Parents’ concerns about their child’s future
▪ Need to better integrate the development of college and
career ready skills into everyday curriculum
▪ STEAM education as the means to increase the effectiveness
of technology within the learning experience

Case study type perspective from STEAM teachers
Teacher subject assignment # of teachers in the 2016
Speak Up data set
All classroom teachers 37,018
Math teachers 4,039
Science teachers 2,558
Arts teachers 1,629

What digital content are STEAM teachers using in their classrooms?
12%
26%
26%
36%
50%
64%
65%
17%
29%
37%
40%
54%
62%
61%
16%
25%
33%
33%
57%
77%
72%
25%
21%
32%
21%
28%
69%
62%
Videos I create
Animations/Simulations
Tutorials
Online curriculum
Games
Videos I find
Google Apps
Arts teachers Science teachers Math teachers All teachers

How does the use of technology impact STEAM teacher effectiveness?
As a result of how I have integrated technology within my practice, I am now ….
Better able to differentiate instruction 52%
Creating more interactive lessons 46%
Better organized 44%
Giving my students more personalized attention 37%
Facilitating more student self-directed learning 35%

How does the use of technology impact student outcomes?
STEAM teachers say: my students are ….
Outcomes Math
teachers
Science
teachers
Arts
teachers
Gaining a better understanding of
class materials
49% 56% 46%
Developing creativity 27% 40% 55%
Developing critical thinking and
problem solving skills
35% 42% 36%
Collaborating more with classmates 41% 51% 33%
More motivated to learn 40% 36% 38%
Taking ownership of their own
learning
35% 34% 33%

Students in STEM Academies are self-directing learning using digital tools
o Research websites on topics of interest (82%)
o Learn how to do something by watching a video (79%)
o Playing online games and virtual simulations (54%)
o Using social media to identify people who share interests or topics they
want to know more about (54%)
o Watching TEDTalks or short videos about ideas (48%)
o Finding experts online to answer questions (48%)
How do you use technology to learn a skill or know more about something
educational that interests you (but not just because it was an assignment or
homework)?

What is the level of interest in a STEM career field?
17%
29%
16%
26%
18%
15%
44%
43%
46%
49%
35%
42%
39%
28%
38%
25%
47%
43%
Gr 9-12 boys
Gr 9-12 girls
Gr 6-8 boys
Gr 6-8 girls
Gr 3-5 boys
Gr 3-5 girls
Levels of interest in a STEM career
Not interested Somewhat/maybe Very interested

Who is interested in a STEM career for their future?
Level of interest Students in urban
schools
Students in
suburban schools
Students in rural
schools
Very interested 35% 35% 31%
Level of interest Students w/
advanced tech
skills
Students w/
average tech skills
Students w/
beginner tech
skills
Very interested 50% 28% 24%

Who wants to learn how to code?
Yes, I am interested
in learning how to
code or program a
computer
Girls Boys
Grades 3-5 60% 67%
Grades 6-8 58% 67%
Grades 9-12 50% 65%
• Boys’ interest is
higher even in
elementary
school
• Girls’ interest
declines while
boys’ interest is
sustained thru
high school

How do students want
to learn about future
careers in STEM?
Declining interest in ….
After school programs (33%)
Working w/mentors (30%)
Taking a CTE class (29%)
Going to summer camp (28%)
Participating in competitions (27%)
Rising interest in ….
Through work experience (71%)
Career pros as teachers (49%)
Field trips to companies (48%)
Teachers w/industry experience (40%)
Follow experts on social media (35%)
Watching a video about jobs (33%)
Taking an online class (33%)
Taking an online quiz re: abilities (33%)
Playing an online game (31%)

Students like the types of learning experiences typical of STEAM
I like learning about new
ideas – 56%
I like learning how to do
things – 67%
I like learning how to build
or make things – 56%

Learning how to use
technology is an
important skill for my
future – 53%
Students value the importance of STEAM learning experiences

Maker spaces in schools? Status report from school librarians
• 29% of schools report
having a maker space
available for students (3/4
are in libraries)
• 37% report no maker
spaces at all
• 23% say it is being planned

Benefits of maker spaces / project-based learning experiences for students
✓ Develops creativity skills
✓ Develops critical thinking and
problem solving skills
✓ Provides tangible way to apply
knowledge to problems
✓ Facilitates collaborations
✓ Increases student confidence in
abilities
✓ Develops ownership
✓ Appreciation that failure is
opportunity learn

I use technology more
outside of school than
during the school day –
59% of students in Gr 6-12
But even with maker spaces and project based learning, we are
still missing opportunities to engage students in STEAM.

Considerations and implications

1. Are teachers assigning homework that
helps students develop technology
competencies outside of school?

How frequently
do teachers
assign
homework that
requires Internet
access outside of
school?
48%
14%
6%
Daily
Weekly
Rarely
Which % corresponds to which level of frequency?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Rarely/never
Few times a year
Few times a month
Few times a week
Daily/almost daily
Principals Teachers
How frequently do teachers assign homework that requires Internet access
outside of school?

48%
16%
16%
14%
6%
16%
16%
24%
31%
12%
6%
4%
11%
31%
48%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Rarely/never
Few times a year
Few times a month
Few times a week
Daily/almost daily
HS Students Principals Teachers
How frequently do teachers assign homework that requires Internet access
outside of school? How frequently do students use the Internet for homework?

How frequently are students using the Internet for homework outside of school?
How frequently are teachers assigning homework that is digital or Internet
dependent?
Use Internet weekly for homework:
▪ 79% Gr 9-12 Students
Students’ usage Teachers’ assignments
Assign weekly Internet homework:
▪ 29% Gr 9-12 Teachers

2. Are the students who say they are
only “somewhat or maybe” interested
in a STEM field inherently
disadvantaged in terms of exploring
those areas?

Study group: students who say they are somewhat or maybe interested in a STEM career
▪ Less likely to have a high speed, broadband connection to the Internet at home
than students who say they are very interested in a STEM career
▪ More likely to say that they rely upon a smartphone or tablet for connecting to
the Internet at home via WiFi
▪ Less likely to say that they use the Internet at home to help with homework
▪ Less likely to say that they are interested in using digital tools to explore career
fields
Appears that a relationship exists between level of STEM career interest and
access to technology and the Internet outside of school

New areas of research for 2018 – stay tuned for these results!
▪ Attitudes regarding importance of math proficiency and how students
should develop that proficiency
▪ Students’ interests in careers in art/journalism/teaching fields – and
their desired exploration paths
▪ Do schools and districts view homework gap issues as equity in
education issues?
▪ How are schools that focus on STEAM education addressing these
equity issues? Are they doing a better job than other schools?

Today’s Discussion
▪ About Project Tomorrow and Speak Up Research Project
▪ Defining the Homework Gap
▪ STEAM learning and career exploration trends
▪ Considerations and implications
▪ Other resources from Project Tomorrow
▪ Your questions, comments, ideas

National Speak Up reports and infographics
Targeted and thematic reports
Digital learning trends
Community engagement
Mobile learning
Games in the classroom
Blended learning outcomes
Presentations, podcasts and webinars
Services: consulting, workshops, evaluation and efficacy studies
More resources available at www.tomorrow.org
New Speak Up 2017 reports to be released in Spring 2018

Plan 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 & Communications
Officers
Gain news insights in the activities, attitudes and aspirations of your stakeholders
Surveys open Oct 2018 – Jan 2019
Learn more www.tomorrow.org/speakup

Your questions,
comments,
ideas

Thank you for joining today’s discussion!
Dr. Julie A. Evans
jevans@tomorrow.org
949-609-4660 x15
Twitter: JulieEvans_PT and SpeakUpEd

The Impact of the Homework Gap on STEAM Education

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