2008 Speak Up Survey Focuses on 21st Century Learning

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Project Tomorrow recently kicked off Speak Up 2008, the latest annual survey focused on the national discussion about 21st century education. Since opening last week, the survey has received more than 12,000 responses, an increase of about 37 percent over the same time period in last year's survey.

According to Project Tomorrow, since 2003, some 1.2 million K-12 students, teachers, school leaders, and parents from more than 10,000 schools have participated in the survey. Last year was the first time the survey was opened up to school administrators, and it also added new topic areas, including the use of Web 2.0 in education, emerging technologies, and STEM subjects. This year's survey also adds questions for students on their interest in pursuing science and math careers and their views on "how [they] think schools could help all kids be successful and what [they] know about finding factual information on the Internet," according to Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow.

"While we have heard from more than one million students since 2003, we hope even more will participate this year and share their opinions with the policymakers, school leaders and decision-makers who trust Speak Up to help improve education," Evans said in a statement released last week. "In addition to the students, we survey parents, teachers, administrators, after-school instructors and others interested in K-12 education to add their voice to the education debates that will continue with a new administration and a new Congress."

Compiled survey results are shared each year with state and federal policy leaders.

This year's Speak Up survey is open through Dec. 19. It's open to students, teachers, parents, and administrators from all public, private, parochial, and charter schools in the United States and Canada. Individual information is kept confidential.

Further information about the survey can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


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