CoSN’s 8 th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference February 26, 2003

1. CoSN’s 8th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference February 26, 2003 Internet-Savvy Students and Their Schools: Firsthand Experiences from the NetDay Community Projects

2. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Agenda: • NetDay • High School Focus Group Project • Questions • Process • Findings • Call for Participation

3. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects NetDay is a national nonprofit organization. Our mission is to connect every child to a brighter future by helping educators meet educational goals through the effective use of technology. We achieve this mission through : Technology mentoring and coachingin challenged communities Modeling of best practicesto build sustainable and scalable efforts Dissemination of information and knowledge throughweb initiatives Facilitation ofleadership developmentwithin our K-12 schools

4. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects NetDay Community Initiatives Direct service, community-based programs that provide students and teachers in under-served communities with the resources, guidance and knowledge needed to impact educational outcomes through technology • Access & infrastructure development • Resources • Classroom mentoring & coaching • Leadership development

5. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects NetDay Community Initiatives • NetDay AmeriCorps Bridge projects • Oakland CA – 8 schools (K-12) • Detroit MI – 3 schools (special education, K-5) • Rio Grande Valley TX – 8 schools (K-8) • Santa Ana CA – 3 schools (K-5) • TESS Pilot Program (Teacher Development) • Mississippi Delta – 3 schools (K-12)

6. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Inspired by the American Institutes for Research study, The Digital Disconnect . . . NetDay has recently facilitated six high school focus groups in our NetDay Community Projects to get a “snapshot”of student attitudes and behavior.

7. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects NetDay Questions: • How are students in rural communities using the Internet for schoolwork? • What are the differences in attitudes and behavior between rural and urban communities regarding Internet use? • How has a NetDay Community Project influenced those attitudes and behavior?

8. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Focus Group Locations Rural communities: • Mississippi Delta – Rosedale MS • Rio Grande Valley – Mercedes TX Urban communities: • Oakland CA • Detroit MI

9. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Student demographics • All high school students (grades 9-12) • 71 students in total • 45% female, 55% male • 54% African American • 35% Hispanic • 11% Asian

10. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Focus Group Format • Small discussion groups with 10-15 students • 45 general discussion questions • Discussion was led by a NetDay staff person with facilitation by our AmeriCorps members

11. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects

12. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects General Findings: • The students have a lot to say! • Role of technology within their education • Internet assignments • Technology access • Likes/dislikes about technology • How to improve their school’s technology

13. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects General Findings: Attitudes • 100% agree that the Internet helps them with their schoolwork • Most Internet access is away from school • Frustration is high regarding these roadblocks to access • School filters • Teachers • Lack of time

14. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects General Findings: Attitudes • All had very detailed ideas on how technology should be used in the classroom • 90% of the students were not familiar with the term, “Digital Divide” • Detroit was the exception

15. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects General Findings: Behavior • 96% had at least one email account • Most students had 3+ accounts • 62% are online at least one hour every day • 87% ranked themselves as intermediate to expert level users • 33% ranked their teachers as beginners

16. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects General Findings: Behavior • 100% have used the Internet to seek information on colleges, careers and jobs • Lots of debate about what is cheating and what is plagiarism when using the Internet for schoolwork • Limited direction from their teachers

17. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Specific Findings: Rural vs. Urban? • In many areas, little or no differences. • Access opportunities • How the Internet is being used for schoolwork • Classes where technology is used • The differences we noted may be attributed to: • School leadership • Teacher support • Community support

18. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Specific Findings: NetDay Influence? • 3 high schools in Oakland, California • NetDay AmeriCorps Bridge Project • 1 high school in the Mississippi Delta • Rosedale, Mississippi • TESS Teacher Development Pilot

19. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Question: How would your schoolwork be affected if you no longer had access to the Internet anywhere? Mississippi Delta students: “We could not do any schoolwork.” “We have to have the most current, up to date information to be accurate.” “Devastated – everything would be so much harder and take so much longer to do.” “We depend upon having the Internet now.”

20. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Question: How would you describe the Internet to another student who has never heard of it or seen it? Oakland and Mississippi Delta students: “Like a map of information” “Information you can see” “TV you can control” “Connections across the world” “Everything you need at your fingertips” “Opportunities – a new world”

21. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Question: If you were designing a new high school, what technology does that new school need to have to support students like you? Oakland students: “New/more computers – one for every student” “Faster Internet connections” “Software that supports our classes” “Teachers who know how to use the technology”

22. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Question: If you were designing a new high school, what technology does that new school need to have to support students like you? Oakland students: “Palm pilots, scanners, digital cameras” “Student run technology programs” “Teachers who are creative with assignments” “After school access to the labs – Technology is our anti-drug”

23. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Call for Participation: Let’s hear from your students also! • NetDay will share with you our “how-to” guide for facilitating your own high school focus group. • Share your data with us and will aggregate it for national distribution. • Email info@netday.org to get the materials and the online data collection tool link.

24. The Internet, Students & NetDay Community Projects Thank you! Julie Evans Chief Executive Officer NetDay 949-609-4660 voice 949-609-4665 fax Julie@netday.org