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When I first thought about juggling teaching, meetings, AND interviewing students, I started to get a bit overwhelmed. How could I make sure I had enough time to do it all?

Luckily, I the power of TECHNOLOGY at my fingertips! If we learned anything from "Having Our Say," it's that teachers should meet students where they are as 21st Century Learners. I decided to:
1) Turn the interview questions I wanted to ask into a Google Form (check it out here: tinyurl.com/didyagetdigital)
and
2) Send it to students via Remind

Voila! Instant participation, and instant data collection and analysis.

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As I started to review and analyze the student responses, I realized that I would need to divide the data into a few categories. I wanted the results to be useful to me as a teacher and my students as learners, and I also needed to think about how technology may or may not play a part in both since I work at a school where devices (like laptops or iPad) are not always available or certain applications for the devices might be too expensive (which meant I also had to consider how this might affect the way teachers and students used technology in classroom learning)

Here are the categories I decided to use to examine and group my data:
1) What can teachers do to help students learn best?
2) What can be detrimental to student learning?
3) How can technology aid in student learning?

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Wonder(Woman)ing About How Students Learn:

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Wonder(Woman)ing About How Students Learn:

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The Teacher as the Hero:
1) What can teachers do to help students learn best?

Based on survey data, students found that are most excited about learning or that they learn best from visual or hands-on experiences, notes supported by examples or anedotes, and discussions that allowed them to process course information or texts

Over 70% of the 40 students who responded voiced that they learned best visually or from hands-on experiences:
"My teacher put a tub of clear tap water in the front of the class and gave each of the students a plastic cup of an unknown substance. Each of the cups was labeled with a title, from "homeowner" to "power plant" to "construction site." She began reading us a story that featured each of our cup's "characters," and when our name was called, we would approach the tub and pour our substance in. Some reacted with the water to turn in a different color, some fizzled, some coagulated at the bottom, etc.[..'] She explained that this was how urbanization impacts bodies of water every day, and asked us to think of solutions concerning how we might return the water to its original state (we couldn't efficiently think of any). To watch an actual demonstration of what WE are actively doing to the environment was crazy." - Anne P., 16

Many students expressed that they learn best from notes that are well-explained by the teacher and that are supported by examples:
"I'm almost always excited to learn, but one of the most exciting moments was when our history class was studying the causes of the civil war. The way that the lecture was based was so interesting and as someone who has always had a lack of knowledge in History, finally being able to tie all of the pieces together was such a great moment that made me really excited to learn what happened next." - Rachel G., 17

Additionally, over 60% of students expressed that discussions, both in small groups and as a class, were helpful in learning new concepts or analyzing texts:
"This year in TOK we listened to a podcast about afrofuturism and a story of an actress portraying a slave at mount Vernon and I found the topic really interesting and currently relevant. When we came to class we discussed openly and shared favorite lines and opinions and I enjoyed hearing what my classmates had to say."
- Laura C., 17

The Teacher as the Villan:
2) What can be detrimental to student learning?

Students were also prompted to share what would make school more interesting; students shared that they struggle to learn when only one perspective is considered, when the objective or purpose of a task is not clear, or if a lesson is not interactive

Almost every student who expressed that his or her most memorable learning experience involved something hands-on or a discussion also suggested that a particular course might be improved if other perspectives were considered or if texts were from more contemporary voices:
"In general, my classes are all pretty interesting. The only one that isn't interesting is history and what could make that more interesting for me is if we literally learned about a person's point of view, other than that of a white man, in depth." - Maddie S., 17

Roughly 50% of students responded that they wanted a clear understanding of the learning outcomes or lesson objective:
"[School would be more interesting if there was an] explanation of why we are doing certain tasks and work because it can often seem like boondoggle." - Ben R., 17

Finally, 80% students voiced that lessons might be improved with the use of movement or peer interaction, which parallels what many students pointed out as how they learn best.
"Learning could be more interesting if there could be more class discussion and review of topics learned, that way all students could be on the same page and have input and insight from their peers." - Hannah S., 16

3) How can technology aid student learning?

Technology as the Villian:
Some students expressed concern that they felt that technology was sometimes used by teachers simply for the sake of using technology, and that the use of technology did not actually help them learn better:
" I don't think it makes it more interesting in the sense that the subject of learning becomes more interesting. It doesn't make a difference, since you're learning the same material." - Sara V., 16

Also, one student pointed out that she noticed that the use of technology hindered teachers using face-to-face discussions in class:
"I don't think it makes it any MORE interesting but it can be fun and engaging at times. However, I've found it includes less communication and bouncing of ideas, which I typically enjoy less." - Hope F., 16

Technology as the Hero:
Overwhelmingly, all students cited that they use laptops and SMART phones daily for assignments in and out of school. Most students used these forms of technology to complete assignments and/or to check teacher websites:
"I use my computer and phone to keep up with everything!"
- Susanna V., 16

Students also included apps or websites that they use to study, and pointed out that teachers were supporting student-use of technology both in and out of the classroom:
"A lot of my teachers have encouraged their students to download different apps to help study or make life easier in general. I use Quizlet, Duolingo, Google "G Suite", etc. Laptops and phones are used in almost all of my classes to achieve work or learn new information. Outside of school, I use my phone and laptop extensively to complete work using many of the apps that I use inside of the classroom such as Quizlet, G Suite, Duolingo, etc. Quizlet and Duolingo are used to study Spanish vocabulary and the Google G Suite are all Google apps such as Google Docs, Gmail, Google Drive, etc. and their purposes are pretty self explanatory." - Hannah S., 16

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So What's My Overall Under-Stan(Lee)-ding?

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So What's My Overall Under-Stan(Lee)-ding?

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Technology should be used to by teachers to aid student learning if it is used:

purposeful, with clearly stated objectives or outcomes

helps students communicate and collaborate

encourages or allows visual or hands-on experiences, or augments or expands what is available in a classroom setting

relevantly, or in a way that allows students to explore new ideas or perspectives that are not found in a classroom setting

Want to see what else my students shared when it comes to their learning and use of technology? Check it out!
http://tinyurl.com/digitalstudentinterviewdata