Closing the digital usage gap with active and engaging learning

Key points:

When it comes to the use of educational technology in the classroom, digital tools have a drastically different impact when used actively rather than passively, a critical difference examined in the 2023-2024 Speak Up Research by Tomorrow Project.

Active learning with technology involves the use of educational technology tools and digital resources to discover, analyze and apply learning. Passive learning, on the other hand, means that students receive information passively; For example, students can use a Chromebook to take a test or submit assignments in a learning management system. Passive learning does not help students develop future-ready skills, such as critical thinking or creativity, in the same way that active learning does.

While teachers' comfort with using educational technology tools and digital resources has improved dramatically in recent years, the focus must now be on how to use digital resources such as artificial intelligence and learning simulations to offer new and greater opportunities for active learning experiences for all students.

Notably, the Speak Up report should help educational leaders and policymakers who want to better understand the gap in digital use and who aim to close the gap between the status quo in many classrooms and the more effective and engaging learning experiences that students say they prefer.

Most teachers report engaging students in active learning with classroom technology. Thirty percent of K-5 teachers, 29 percent of 6-8 teachers, and 29 percent of 9-12 teachers reported daily or near-daily active learning experiences with technology in the classroom . Twenty-five percent of K-5 teachers report weekly use, along with 30 percent of 6-8 teachers and 31 percent of 9-12 teachers.

However, students reported more instances of passive technology use.

Passive uses of technology that primarily support adult goals:

• Take an online test (weekly): 75 percent of high school students and 66 percent of high school students
• Using a learning management system for the organization (weekly): 72 percent of high school students and 67 percent of high school students

Active uses of technology that support students in developing future-ready skills:

• Troubleshooting with coding resources (weekly): 21 percent of high school students and 27 percent of high school students
• Use of multimedia tools to create content (weekly): 25 percent of high school students and 23 percent of high school students

Students identified what schools can do to create more effective and engaging learning environments:

• Provide access to trusted devices and powerful Internet.
• Allow students to make more decisions about how they want to learn.
• Create opportunities for students to participate in solving real-world problems.
• Allow students to have more control over the learning processes.

Students also described their ideal active learning technologies:

• Collaboration tools to support projects
• Student-teacher communication tools
• Online databases for self-directed research
• Multimedia tools to create new content.
• Online and digital games.
• ai tools to support personalized learning
• Computer programming and coding resources.
• Online animations, simulations and virtual laboratories.
• Virtual reality equipment and content.

Laura Ascione is the editorial director of eSchool Media. He graduated from the prestigious Philip Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

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