The Apple and Connected Initiative: Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys

Executive Summary

August 2018 Authors Corinne Singleton, Linda Shear, Emi Iwatani, Natalie Nielsen, Ann House, Sara Vasquez, Tallie Wetzel, Sarah Gerard

This report was developed by SRI Education, based on research funded by Apple. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Apple.

Suggested Citation Singleton, C., Shear, L., Iwatani, E., Nielsen, N., House, A., Vasquez, S., Wetzel, T., Gerard, S. (2018). The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary. Menlo Park, VA: SRI Education.

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: b Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys Introduction Launched in 2014, the Apple and ConnectED initiative represents a substantial corporate investment in the goal of improving opportunities, in learning and in life, for students in some of the most underserved communities in the country. While the potential of technology to help prepare students for the future is widely celebrated, persistent gaps in the frequency and character of its use in low-income schools threaten to exacerbate existing academic inequalities. The initiative seeks to address this issue by bringing not just technology but also comprehensive support that includes planning, professional learning, and ongoing guidance to 114 underserved schools across the nation. The goal is to promote more personalized and student-centered educational experiences that support critical thinking and conceptual understanding and, in turn, improve learning outcomes for students.

This report is the first in a series from initiative reached schools serving economically a rigorous evaluation of the Apple and disadvantaged populations; school selection ConnectED initiative conducted by SRI was also based on demonstration of strong International (SRI). The full study combines leadership capacity and a compelling school surveys, case studies, achievement data, vision. Apple sought to leverage insights from and examination of learning opportunities to decades of experience bringing technology offer a well-rounded picture of what it takes to to classrooms to design a suite of offerings leverage technology to dramatically improve that would give the selected schools the learning opportunities, particularly in schools support they needed to reach their goals for and communities that have had limited access the students. This comprehensive initiative to equitable opportunities in the past. The includes devices (including an iPad for every current report summarizes results from surveys student and an iPad and MacBook for every of teachers, school leaders, and students in teacher); infrastructure upgrades; a dedicated the first two years of the initiative. team to provide sustained support for leadership development, teacher professional The Apple and ConnectED initiative offers an learning, technology and project management; unparalleled testbed for such a study. The and access to an ecosystem of apps and initiative required that schools have a minimum other digital learning resources. Recognizing of 96% students who quality for free and the diversity of the participating schools, the reduced lunch in order to apply, ensuring the initiative customized both implementation

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 1 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary timelines and support to meet the unique This report focuses on data from principal, needs of each school setting. teacher, and student surveys. To date, two rounds of principal surveys (spring 2015, Overall, a total of 114 schools are participating spring 2017) and teacher surveys (fall 2015, in the initiative, including 72% elementary, spring 2017) have been conducted in 101 12% middle, 10% high schools, and 6% that participating schools. In addition, 13 schools span these grade ranges. These schools are participated in a student survey (winter of geographically and demographically diverse 2016-17 school year). Because schools and serve a wide range of disadvantaged received their technology according to their communities. Compared with other high-poverty readiness rather than all at once, at the time of schools, these schools experienced roughly the spring 2017 teacher and principal surveys similar rates of principal turnover (approximately participating schools had been using their 41% over two years), but they had higher- Apple resources between 5 and 17 months; at than-average numbers of new teachers the time of the student survey, between 3 and (approximately 22% of teachers had less than 17 months. This variation in time spent with the 4 years of experience). Technology access was devices is important, as the findings reported often limited within the communities served by here are averaged across this range of schools these schools, with 55% of principals estimating and thus reflect different amounts of time and in 2015 that at least 75% of their students lacked maturity for the technology integration. home access to the internet.

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 2 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary Early Findings

Survey reports demonstrate increases in Teachers also increased their use of technology use and some initial evidence technology in searching for instructional of more student-centered pedagogies as materials and presenting information to the Apple and ConnectED initiative got students, although these activities were underway. The results summarized below already common at baseline. suggest that the early path of the initiative Students are using technology more is consistent with the typical trajectory of frequently and for varied learning change for technology-related initiatives, activities. Expanding access and in terms of the types of changes that tend increasing student use of technology in the to emerge first. The initiative is thus well context of high-quality learning activities are positioned to realize its intended goals in important first steps toward the larger goal these high-poverty settings. of digital equity. Students indeed increased their use of technology, with the percentage Changes in Technology Use of teachers reporting daily student use Apple provided technology infrastructure in their classroom growing from 31% in upgrades and devices for all principals, 2015 to 75% in 2017. The most common teachers, and students, along with a activities reported by students were finding sustained program of coaching and information (e.g., 70% of student survey consulting. The influx of technology was respondents looked up information at least an important, but by no means singular, weekly) and creating products such as component of the initiative. presentations. Further, 75% of teachers reported that their students used learning Teachers began using technology more games at least weekly, with students at frequently than at baseline, especially elementary grades playing more learning for differentiating instruction. By spring games than older students. 2017, teachers were using technology more frequently, for a greater portion of Teachers whose students tend to class time each day, and in more varied increase technology use have certain ways, than they had been at baseline. The shared characteristics, and in turn report largest increases in teacher technology using technology in more innovative use were for activities related to monitoring ways. Of the teachers whose students students’ learning and adapting instruction used technology infrequently prior to the to individual students’ needs, highlighting initiative, a few striking differences exist the value of technology for offering insight between those whose students’ use grew into student progress and understanding. substantially during the initiative and those who did not. The teachers whose

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 3 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary students became more active users of was a major barrier in 2017 than in 2015 technology tended to use more technology (15% vs 35%), suggesting that when access themselves and had somewhat more becomes smoother, technology use demands positive initial attitudes toward technology. less instructional time than it might otherwise. In contrast, teachers whose students used An important concern that remained constant technology less frequently reported less over time across principals, teachers, and initial confidence and more challenges students was the issue of student behavior managing workflow and finding appropriate associated with using technology, confirming digital content. Teachers whose students that school-wide technology policy and increased their use of technology also classroom management strategies need reported higher rates of using technology attention in order for technology integration to in innovative ways—that is, for activities be productive. that would not have been possible without it. These findings suggest teacher comfort Deeper Learning and confidence with educational technology influences uptake and instructional Opportunities for Students innovation. Varying levels of support are The Apple and ConnectED initiative is required to meet teachers where they are predicated on the belief that instruction and support them in meaningful technology supported by digital resources can help integration. students to develop the skills and mindsets Perceived challenges to using technology needed to learn academic content more in instruction decreased greatly deeply and thrive in the 21st Century. The compared to baseline. Prior to the Apple initiative defines “deeper learning” in five and ConnectED initiative, teachers in these dimensions: teamwork; communication high-poverty schools faced a number of and creation; personalization of learning; barriers to implementing technology in critical thinking; and real-world engagement. the classroom, each of which diminished Of these, the first four were included on drastically as the initiative got underway. both 2015 and 2017 surveys; real-world The initiative appears to have successfully engagement was added to the survey in resolved the issue of adequate and reliable 2017 based on evolving definitions. technology access for students: In 2015, The overall frequency of deeper learning many teachers had major concerns about opportunities increased slightly over internet reliability or malfunctioning devices time. All four deeper learning dimensions (44% and 40%, respectively). By 2017, the that were measured at both baseline number of teachers with similar concerns (2015) and the spring of 2017 increased in dropped precipitously to just 15% and 6% frequency. These changes were relatively respectively. In addition, fewer teachers small in magnitude, but they are nonetheless believed that insufficient instructional time statistically significant. The greatest gains

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 4 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary were seen in personalized learning and by the nature of learning opportunities correlated with technology use: teachers that can support test proficiency at each who used technology more frequently also level. For example, elementary schools reported offering more personalized learning commonly used adaptive learning games opportunities for students. The smallest (which drove the increase in personalized overall gains were in communication and learning across levels). These learning creation. At a basic level, students were games focused on reading and mathematics more often using newly available tools and were regarded as helpful for basic such as iMovie and GarageBand to create skills development and therefore enhanced products that communicated their ideas. test performance. In contrast, at the high However, most of these opportunities for school level, teachers reported struggling to communication and creation did not reflect introduce digital learning activities without advanced requirements such as attending detracting from lessons they believed would to the needs of an audience or applying more directly support test performance. principles of design. In general, first steps toward deeper learning opportunities were Apple Support for evident in classrooms; at the same time, more support may be needed for teachers Technology Integration to craft increasingly strong opportunities Among the members of the dedicated for critical thinking, teamwork, and other support team that came as part of the Apple elements of deeper learning. and ConnectED initiative, each school Elementary school teachers were had an Apple Development Executive responsible for most of the increase in (DE) who worked closely with the school deeper learning opportunities. Elementary principal around strategic planning and teachers increased the frequency of instructional leadership, and a designated deeper learning opportunities for teamwork, Apple Professional Learning Specialist (APL communication and creation, personalization Specialist) who devoted a total of 17 days of learning, and critical thinking in their onsite working with teachers during the first classrooms between 2015 and 2017. High year of implementation. All Apple DEs and school teachers, in contrast, stayed at the APL Specialists have extensive backgrounds same levels across all deeper learning in education, including education training dimensions, and middle school teachers and classroom experience. Survey questions increased opportunities for personalized were designed to help assess how this learning but not for collaboration, critical support aided leadership development and thinking, or communication and creation. teacher professional learning. This variation may be partly explained

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 5 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary Teachers described the support they Principal and Teacher received from Apple Professional Learning Specialists (APL Specialists) as both Attitudes and Beliefs distinct in nature and more impactful Beliefs about pedagogy and educational than other professional development (PD) technology form a spectrum, from a more they had received. In contrast to PD they curriculum-focused orientation to a more had received prior to the initiative, teachers student-centered orientation, and from reported that the professional learning from skepticism about educational technology their APL Specialist (including trainings and to enthusiasm. While a curriculum-focused informal interactions) focused more directly orientation emphasizes the role of the teacher on their needs; was more hands-on and less in delivering established content to students, lecture-based; and had more follow-up than a student-centered orientation focuses on PD from other sources. They indicated that engaging students in critical thinking and support from their APL Specialist was more sense-making in a manner responsive to the impactful than other PD in the degree to which needs and abilities of the students themselves. they used new lessons in their teaching and For teachers to make a transition toward more improved their comfort in allowing students to student-centered pedagogies and deeper take initiative. Over 90% of teachers agreed technology integration, beliefs that support that the professional learning bolstered their these transitions are important. confidence around using technology for teaching and learning and gave them concrete Teachers’ pedagogical beliefs shifted skills for selecting digital content and using slightly toward student-centered pedagogy, technology to support student learning. while principals’ beliefs remained unchanged. Overall, participating teachers Principals were also enthusiastic about the started out with pedagogical beliefs that leadership development they received from trended slightly toward a student-centered Apple. Of the 82 principals responding to the orientation (i.e., emphasizing personalization survey, more than 90% reported that working and students’ sense-making and engagement with their DE was valuable for a range of over more structured content and classroom leadership activities, from clarifying a vision for management), and they moved a bit more in the school that specified what it would mean this direction over the course of the initiative. to integrate technology into learning, to gaining The change was statistically significant, and implementing new ideas for leadership, implying that some teachers are becoming to supporting the practical management more open to the student-centered orientation of implementing a school-wide technology the initiative seeks to promote and that is initiative. Perhaps not surprisingly, existing supported by research (NRC, 2000; Sawyer, practices proved most difficult to change, with 2006). Principals started out with a stronger only 35% of principals stating that the Apple student-centered orientation than teachers leadership support had changed existing and that did not change over this timeframe. leadership practices to a great extent.

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 6 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary Teachers’ views of educational technology engagement and technology skills, with remained strongly positive overall, but relatively strong growth in reports of students’ some—especially high school teachers— 21st century skills as well. However, principals expressed new reservations about reported that the initiative had not yet had educational technology. Participating as much impact on teacher pedagogy and teachers had strongly positive views of traditional academic outcomes such as educational technology at the outset: they school accountability metrics. These reports generally believed that educational technology align with the expected change trajectory, could support student learning and had which anticipates that technology use and few drawbacks in terms of added work or confidence emerge first as teachers begin distractions. By 2017, these beliefs remained incorporating technology into their work, and fairly strong, though they dipped somewhat that more traditional measures of academic from the baseline. Consistent with prior success are slower to change. findings about differences across schooling Teachers reported that the initiative levels, these dips in enthusiasm were more supported student engagement and skills. pronounced for high school teachers than for Teachers agreed almost unanimously (98%) elementary or middle school teachers. that the initiative has been valuable for their schools. Specifically, teachers reported that Outcomes for Teachers the initiative benefited students in terms of and Students engagement, learning, and preparation for future success. Regarding engagement, The Apple and ConnectED initiative aims to teacher-reported levels of student engagement meaningfully improve learning experiences grew slightly from 2015 to 2017; the change for some of the nation’s most underserved was statistically significant. In particular, students. Beyond traditional measures of basic aspects of engagement (e.g., paying academic success, the hope is that the attention) started high and remained high, initiative will improve the school experience for while deeper forms of engagement (e.g., going these students, making learning more relevant beyond expectations) increased over baseline to their lives, offering more opportunities for measures. These signs of deeper engagement students to express themselves, and building are important because they suggest that their skills for work and life. students are not merely on task, but that they are becoming more invested in their Principals reported that the Apple and work. Regarding learning, teachers reported ConnectED initiative benefited their small but statistically higher levels of student schools and teachers. By 2017, most proficiency across most deeper-learning- principals agreed that the initiative was related skills (e.g., figuring out something showing strongly positive outcomes in terms new; working collaboratively; creating strong of technology access, teacher confidence products) since the initiative began. The ability around teaching with technology, and student

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 7 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary to solve open-ended problems remained iPads, with elementary students (like their stable over time. These findings also align with teachers) showing even stronger enthusiasm what we know about the technology use and for the initiative than middle and high-school the deeper learning opportunities that students students. Students were also very positive are experiencing: classroom experiences at about how the iPads have changed learning, this early stage in the initiative have typically with majorities reporting the technology helped featured the use of technology to create them to stay engaged, collaborate, and learn. products and collaborate with peers. Learning Many students also believed that iPads helped activities that demand open-ended problem teachers know them better, both because they solving and critical thinking are in evidence in gave students more opportunities to express some classrooms, but these opportunities are themselves and their personal interests and not yet common. because the technology gave teachers more opportunities to see how their students were Students were enthusiastic about their doing academically. These student reports experiences with the Apple and ConnectED mirror those from teachers, who indicated that initiative, with positive reviews about the iPad enables them to personalize their how the iPad impacted their engagement instruction more than they could previously. and learning at school. Students were very positive about their overall experience with

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 8 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary Conclusion

The scale and the comprehensive design of suggest the strength of the initiative’s the Apple and ConnectED initiative, along comprehensive support model and the with its focus on schools serving high- power of personal support for teachers as poverty communities, make it noteworthy they navigate what is often an overwhelming among technology integration efforts. It goes process of change. far beyond many technology initiatives to At the same time, these changes follow a include in-depth strategic planning, ongoing relatively common trajectory for educational technology support, and personalized, initiatives: technology use and deeper professional learning for school leaders and learning have increased first in ways that teachers. Further, it abandons a one-size- take advantage of tools and practices that fits-all approach in favor of supporting each are ripe for implementation right out of school on its own unique journey to improve the gate, laying important groundwork for student experiences and outcomes. These deeper changes to teaching and learning features make the initiative particularly that might emerge. The initiative is now fruitful for research as well, providing an entering a new stage, transitioning to a more opportunity to study the interplay of different explicit focus on the deep integration of design elements and how they influence technology to support critical thinking and implementation paths and ultimate success. conceptual understanding, and evolving new Early findings from the research suggest ways to help schools to sustain their positive that these design features have helped trajectory amidst inevitable turnover of key principals and teachers take important first staff and other unavoidable interruptions. steps toward achieving their goals. For others who may be considering The changes documented thus far, from technology integration initiatives, the Apple broad increases in technology use to deeper and ConnectED initiative offers both lessons student engagement to more frequent and new questions to pursue. The initiative opportunities for certain types of deeper highlights the importance of comprehensive learning, represent significant advances and personalized support for technology toward the types of teaching and learning integration and instructional change. As envisioned by Apple and by participating these implementations mature, on their own schools. While an influx of technology paths and within their own local settings, of this magnitude would be expected to they can continue to instantiate models promote excitement and new opportunities, of what is possible within these diverse immediate widespread use is by no means contexts and to inform important questions guaranteed, and these initial advances

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 9 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary about the most essential forms of support, In this next phase of the initiative, schools the variety of paths to meaningful change, face the challenge of deepening the and mechanisms for promoting sustainability changes they have made thus far: using and scalability beyond initial investments. technology in ways that allow students to visualize complex concepts, connect with the world around them, and build their skills for the future. With these continued advances, schools have the opportunity to make an increasingly profound difference in the education and lives of their students.

The Apple and ConnectED Initiative: 10 Baseline and Year 2 Findings from Principal, Teacher, and Student Surveys: Executive Summary SRI Education, a division of SRI International, is tackling the most complex issues in education to identify trends, understand outcomes, and guide policy and practice. We work with federal and state agencies, school districts, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to provide research-based solutions to challenges posed by rapid social, technological and economic change. SRI International is a nonprofit research institute whose innovations have created new industries, extraordinary marketplace value, and lasting benefits to society.

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