Project Tomorrow Invites You to Attend Monday's Speak Up Congressional Briefing LIVE STREAM from Washington DC

Please join us for the release of the Speak Up 2013 National Findings for Teachers, Administrators and Parents via our live stream feed. This is the second of two Congressional Briefings on the data results from the 403,000 online Speak Up surveys submitted from education stakeholders nationwide in fall 2013. The June 2nd briefing will include a presentation of the national findings and a moderated panel discussion on the impact of digital learning tools to support college and career readiness in K-12 schools with leaders in the education field. This year’s national report, “The New Digital Learning Playbook, Advancing College and Career Ready Skill Development in K-12 Schools” will be available for download to all those tuning in.

Click here to register for the briefing live stream and to receive a follow up reminder email Monday morning before the event or go to the following link:http://bit.ly/SUCBLive Monday 6/2 at 2PM ET/11am PT!

Special Guest Speakers

Joseph South, Deputy Director, Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education

Mark Belles, Senior Vice President, K-12, Blackboard

Panelists

Dr. Katherine Bihr, Vice President and Executive Director, Tiger Woods Learning Center Foundation

Tamika V. Culbreath, Reading/ English Language Arts Teacher, Prince Georges County Public Schools

Monet Deadwyler, Rising Senior, Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy at Capitol Hill

Breck DeWitt, CTO and National Director K12 and Higher Education, EMC Corporation

Dr. Patrick Murphy, Superintendent, Arlington Public Schools, 2014 Virginia Superintendent of the Year

We encourage you to take the conversation online and live tweet during the briefing! Don't forget to mention @SpeakUpEd/@ProjectTomorrow and/or#SpeakUpBriefing so we can see what you have to say!

To download a copy of the first report on K-12 Student data, "The New Digital Learning Playbook: Understanding the Spectrum of Students’ Activities and Aspirations” please click here.

If you need additional information about Speak Up or the Congressional Briefing, please contact: Jenny Hostert on the Speak Up Team at jhostert@tomorrow.org

June 10th Webinar: Digital Tools and Personalized Learning, Today and Tomorrow

When: Tuesday, June 10th at 2PM ET

Where: register at District Administration Magazine's website for more information

What: Julie Evans & Alec Iogman's webinar, "Digital Tools and Personalized Learning, Today and Tomorrow"

Join Julie Evans and Stamford Public Schools' Elementary Math Curriculum Associate Alec Iogman for District Administration Magazine's webinar, "Digital Tools and Personalized Learning, Today and Tomorrow." The FREE webinar benefits superintendents, curriculum directors, technology directors, principals, and others involved with personalized or blended learning - however, anyone may attend.

Webinar information:

Digital tools are transforming learning and teaching, and Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up National Research Project surveys provide insights into how these tools are being used, 21st century skills and STEM instruction in classrooms today. Attend this web seminar to hear from Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow, who will share recent survey findings and discuss what the future of personalized, blending learning is expected to look like. She will be joined by a curriculum administrator who led his district’s transition to a blended learning model—a 12-school pilot with a new “Centers Approach.” 

Topics will include:

• The student vision for digitally-rich, personalized learning
• How administrators are leveraging technology solutions to decrease costs
• How technology is being used to personalize learning across the U.S.

Don't forget to register at District Administration Magazine's website in order to participate in the webinar. Be sure to mention @SpeakupEd, @ProjectTomorrow, and/or @Julie_EvansPT if you are taking the conversation to Twitter!

About District Adminsitration Magazine: District Administration is the most widely received, most regularly read publication for K12 district-level school leaders nationwide. DA provides cutting-edge coverage of education technology, news, curriculum, policy, finance, profiles and more to this exclusive audience across print, digital and in-person event platforms. Year after year, independent research has proven that no other K12 education management publication matches the reach, readership and audience engagement of District Administration.

Our 2nd Congressional Briefing is coming up!

Monday June 2, 2014

Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room

2:00 PM-3:30 PM

Please join us for the release of the Speak Up 2013 National Findings. This is the second of two Congressional Briefings on the data results from the 403,000 online Speak Up surveys submitted from education stakeholders nationwide in fall 2013.

The June 2nd briefing will include a presentation of the national findings and a moderated panel discussion with leaders in the education field. This year’s national report, “The New Digital Learning Playbook, Advancing College and Career Ready Skill Development in K-12 Schools” will be distributed to all attendees. 

Furthermore, we are honored to have the following panelists speak during the briefing:

Dr. Patrick Murphy
Superintendent, Arlington Public Schools (VA)
2014 Virginia Superintendent of the Year 

Dr. Katherine Bihr
Vice President and Executive Director, Tiger Woods Learning Center Foundation 

Breck DeWitt
CTO and National Director, K12 and Higher Education, EMC Corporation 

Mika V. Culbreath
James Madison Middle School, Prince Georges County Public Schools
Reading/ English Language Arts Teacher

Click here to RSVP to this in-person event! If you are unable to attend the briefing and would like to request a copy of the report, click here or email us with your reservation request!

To download a copy of the first report on K-12 Student data, "The New Digital Learning Playbook: Understanding the Spectrum of Students’ Activities and Aspirations” please click here.

---

If you need additional information about Speak Up or the Congressional Briefing, please feel free to contact Jenny Hostert at jhostert@tomorrow.org or 949 609-4660 ext 17.

The Evolution of Computers

While the addition of tablets, smartphones, and laptops to classrooms is increasing, these devices wouldn't be around if it weren't for other tools. PostTV took a look at technology use in classrooms throughout the years, featuring everything from the Oregon Trail to iPads. Check out the timeline video above, or click here to view the original article.

Around the Web Wednesday: Coding Edition

Happy Around the Web Wednesday: Coding Edition! This week's articles focus on coding in honor of the Hour of Code (learn more about it here). Browse all the links below for the latest news and topics trending in education and coding. Be sure to let us know which article intrigued you the most!

Be sure to check back each week for our Around the Web Wednesday series. Have a great day!

- The Project Tomorrow Team

Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and Lately, Coding - The New York Times

High school students are all about computers but get little instruction in computer science - Washington Post

Adding Coding to the Curriculum - The New York Times

A is for algorithm - The Economist

Is Coding the Language of the Digital Age? - Science Friday (NPR)

Will teaching kids to code boost math SAT scores? - Boston Globe

(When) Should Students Learn to Code? - Education Week

Ali Partovi: Why Learning to Code Is Imperative In Public Education - Mind/Shift

Speak Up featured on Education Week!

Digital or print? While some educators are pushing the use of digital tools in the classroom to promote reading, others have chosen to stick to the traditional use of textbooks and paper handouts - some have even combined the two and have opted for lesson plans that consist of both paper handouts and e-books. Benjamin Herold from Education Week addresses reading comprehension and reading tools in his article, "Digital Reading Poses Learning Challenges for Students," citing studies regarding the use of reading tools - notably data from Speak Up 2013. He writes,

Schools have experienced a huge influx of digital learning tools in recent years, with nearly 1 in 3 public and private school students in the United States now using a school-issued mobile computing device, such as a laptop or digital tablet, according to a recent survey from Project Tomorrow, an Irvine, Calif.-based nonprofit group.

To learn more about digital reading, check out Herold's article here.

Editorial Projects in Education Is the independent, nonprofit publisher of Education Week and other high-quality print and online products on K-12 education. EPE's mission is to raise awareness and understanding of critical issues facing American schools. It is a 501(c)(3) organization. 

The Project Tomorrow Innovation in Education Awards

Project Tomorrow, in partnership with the OC Tech Alliance, is calling for nominations from the Orange County community to recognize outstanding education programs, educators and students for their innovative uses of science, math and technology.  The Annual Innovation in Education Awards process is open to all public and private schools in Orange County, CA and nomination forms are available on Project Tomorrow’s website, http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/innovationawards.html. The 2014 Innovation in Education Award recipients will be announced at the 21^th Annual High-Tech Innovation Awards Dinner on Thursday, October 9^th, 2014 at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. This year’s event also represents the 9^th annual education focused segment, a partnership between Project Tomorrow and corporate sponsors, Emulex Corporation and Microsemi Corporation.

Project Tomorrow is seeking nominations in three categories this year:

• Innovative Schoolwide Program of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – distinguishing a public, private, or parochial school that demonstrates innovation with an outstanding, results-based schoolwide program

• High Impact Teacher of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – acknowledging the influence of a great teacher in his/her use of science, math or technology to significantly impact  student academic achievement

• Emerging Student Innovator of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – recognizing current eighth grade or freshman, sophomore, and junior high school students who are creatively using science, math and technology resources to solve a school or community problem

“With the aim of creating a career-ready workforce and improving education, this awards process provides a unique opportunity to celebrate and showcase Orange County school programs and teachers which are cultivating 21st-century skills as well as the students who are putting these essential skills to use by developing innovative solutions to real problems,” says Julie Evans, Project Tomorrow’s CEO.  

Nominations for the 2014 Project Tomorrow Innovation in Education awards may be self-submitted or submitted by a district and/or school staff person. Organizations such as a PTA unit, parent advisory committee, or any youth based organization(s) are also eligible to nominate.  An independent review panel of local education and business leaders will select this year’s award recipients.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30, 2014. Nomination may be submitted through the online application forms found at http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/innovationawards.html.

Speak Up News - May 2014

RSVP to attend the June 2nd Speak Up Congressional Briefing In this newsletter, you will find information regarding... ▪ RSVP to attend the June 2nd in-person event! Register to attend the 2nd Congressional Briefing on the Speak Up 2013 National Findings taking place next month on June 2nd in Washington DC! ▪ $1,000 Grant Opportunity for Orange County, CA educators and students!Place a nomination today, to recognize outstanding education programs, educators and students for their innovative uses of science, math and technology.  ▪ Get a head start on Speak Up 2014! Registration now open, surveys will be available October 6th- December 19th, 2014 ▪ Future Teachers, we want to hear from you! The Speak Up For Higher Education surveys will be extended though the end of the year! Find out how to get your institution involved today! ▪ Speak Up on the Go! Upcoming presentations with our CEO, Julie Evans. Happy Reading! Feel free to share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter, and our Blog. -The Project Tomorrow team

National Release of Speak Up 2013 K-12 Educator and Parent Findings - Washington, DC. RSVP today to attend this in person event on June 2, 2014 OR click here to reserve a copy of the report! Please join us for our second briefing on June 2nd for the release of the Speak Up 2013 National Findings from Teachers, Administrators and Parents. The briefing will include a presentation of the national findings and a moderated panel discussion on the impact of digital learning tools to support college and career readiness with leaders in the education field. This year’s national report, “The New Digital Learning Playbook, Advancing College and Career Ready Skill Development in K-12 Schools” will be distributed to all attendees. Please visit our website athttp://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_congressEd.html to RSVP or reply to this email to confirm your attendance. We also encourage you to share this invite with any additional colleagues that may be interested in attending.

The Project Tomorrow Innovation in Education Awards Project Tomorrow, in partnership with the OC Tech Alliance, is calling for nominations from the Orange County community to recognize outstanding education programs, educators and students for their innovative uses of science, math and technology. The Annual Innovation in Education Awards process is open to all public and private schools in Orange County, CA and nomination forms are available on Project Tomorrow’s website,http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/innovationawards.html. Project Tomorrow is seeking nominations in three categories this year: ▪ Innovative Schoolwide Program of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – distinguishing a public, private, or parochial school that demonstrates innovation with an outstanding, results-based schoolwide program ▪ High Impact Teacher of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – acknowledging the influence of a great teacher in his/her use of science, math or technology to significantly impact student academic achievement ▪ Emerging Student Innovator of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – recognizing current eighth grade or freshman, sophomore, and junior high school students who are creatively using science, math and technology resources to solve a school or community problem Nominations for the 2014 Project Tomorrow Innovation in Education awards may be self-submitted or submitted by a district and/or school staff person. Organizations such as a PTA unit, parent advisory committee, or any youth based organization(s) are also eligible to nominate. An independent review panel of local education and business leaders will select this year’s award recipients. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30, 2014. Nomination may be submitted through the online application forms found at http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/innovationawards.html.

We are excited to announce that the Speak Up 2014 surveys for students, parents and educators will be open for input October 6th through December 19th! With Speak Up 2014 just around the corner, it's not too early to start making plans to take the survey. Get a head start and update your school or district profile for the 2014 surveys at: http://www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2014/. Each year a school or district primary contact will need to re-register with a new district profile (contact info, passwords) to gain access to their Speak Up information both during and after the survey process.

Calling all Schools of Education! Participate in Speak Up for Higher Educationand share your ideas about how to leverage technology in schools to promote better learning! Teacher Educators and aspiring teachers we want to hear from you, join the conversation about the use of technology for learning through Speak Up for Higher Education, a National Research Project. Since 2003, over 3.4 million K-12 education stakeholders have participated in the annual online surveys. This year, for the first time will be offering a special survey just for Teacher Educators. As a companion to our other Speak Up for Higher Education survey, “Tomorrow’s Teachers Speak Up!”, your input will help complete the picture of what’s required to effectively support the use of technology for learning for the next generation of teachers’ in their future classrooms. In 2012, over 1,300 college students in teacher preparation programs participated in Speak Up for Higher Education. Now's your chance to get involved! Be a part of the conversation and share your ideas about how to leverage technology in schools to promote better learning. School of Education Leaders—here is how you can get involved with Speak Up for Higher Education this year: 1.) Take the survey today athttp://www.speakup4highered.org/speakup2014/. Survey is open to all School of Education faculty. 2.) Promote the surveys to your students. Start spreading the word about Speak Up to your students currently enrolled in your teacher preparation programs. To assist with any outreach to your members and hopefully make it easy to share information about the survey, we have a variety of sample emails, tweets and flyers available on our promotional material webpage:http://www.tomorrow.org/SU4HigherEd/promo_higher.html. To learn more about how your institution can get involved with Speak Up for Higher Education, please contact Jenny Hostert at (949) 609-4660 x17 /jhostert@tomorrow.org or visit our website athttp://www.tomorrow.org/SU4HigherEd/index.html.

Speak Up on the Go! Upcoming Presentations Will you be attending ISTE this year? If yes, stop by one of Julie's Speak Up sessions! Measuring teachers' readiness to leverage digital content: Are you ready? Sunday, 06/29/14, 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. ISTE 2014 Atlanta, GA Empowering student and educator voice through the Speak Up surveys (Birds of a feather session) Monday, 06/30/14, 5:15 p.m.–6:30 p.m. ISTE 2014 Atlanta, GA The emergence of the self-directed digital learner Tuesday, 07/01/14, 1:15 p.m.–2:15 p.m. ISTE 2014 Atlanta, GA Are you attending ISTE with student attendees or K-12 school aged children? We want to talk with you! On Tuesday, July 1st Julie will be hosting a student panel and we would love to have your student/child participate! If interested, please contact Jenny Hostert at jhostert@tomorrow.org. Past Presentations Engage, Enable, Empower: How math & science teachers are transforming learning with digital tools 100Kin10 May 12, 2014 Students Speak Up: what everyone should know about students and digital learning Learning Impact Leadership Institute IMS Global Learning May 6, 2014 Speak Up 2013 National Findings: Students Congressional Briefing Washington DC April 8, 2014

Thank you for your interest and continued support of Speak Up! Be sure to stay updated on all things Speak Up by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our Blog. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our Speak Up Operations Manager, Jenny Hostert, at jhostert@tomorrow.org or via phone at 949/609-4660 ext. 17.

Around the Web Wednesday

Happy Around the Web Wednesday! Browse all the links below for the latest news and topics trending in education and technology. Be sure to let us know which article intrigued you the most!

Be sure to check back each week for our Around the Web Wednesday series. Have a great day!

- The Project Tomorrow Team

Further education's future 'lies online' - Virtual College

Apex Learning Introduces Digital Curriculum for Middle Schools - Digital Journal

How Are Teachers and Students Using Khan Academy? - Mind/Shift

Reasons for Hope While Applying to College - The New York Times

3 ways to boost students’ STEM interest - eSchool News

May: 4 education grants you don’t want to miss - eSchool News

Together Again: Community Colleges and Industry - EdTech Magazine

Why Extra Curricular Activities Are Not Extra - Mind/Shift

Stem Integration in K-12 Education

What is STEM? Is it isolated or integrated? While K-12 students usually study science and mathematics separately, all four disciplines within STEM are actually intertwined in the real world. The National Academies Press draws a picture of the outcomes that may occur if students were taught about these connections.

The National Academies' full report, "STEM Integration in K-12 Education," makes recommendations for designers of integrated STEM experiences, assessment developers, and researchers to design and document effective integrated STEM education in hopes that STEM education will make a positive difference in student learning and interest in STEM careers.

The full report is available for free online. Check it out here and let us know what you think!

The National Academies Press (NAP) was created by the National Academy of Sciences to publish the reports of the National Academy of Sciences,National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council, all operating under a charter granted by the Congress of the United States. The NAP publishes more than 200 books a year on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and medicine, providing authoritative information on important matters in science and health policy. The institutions served by the NAP are unique in their ability to attract leading experts in many fields to join panels and committees charged with providing policy advice on some of the nation’s most pressing scientific, technical, and health-related issues.