The vision of Project Tomorrow is to ensure that today’s students are well prepared to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders and engaged citizens of the world. We believe that by supporting the innovative uses of science, math and technology resources in our K-12 schools and communities, students will develop the critical thinking, problem solving and creativity skills needed to compete and thrive in the 21st century.
“This is a great way for our generation to learn based on technology.”
Southwest High School Student, Project K-Nect participant, Fall 2011
Project K-Nect, developed by Digital Millennial Consulting and funded in part through Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative, is designed to increase student achievement in math and close the digital access gap for students in Onslow County School System in North Carolina. This latest report (April 2012) highlights the evaluation findings from both spring 2011 and fall 2012 and serves as a continuation of Project Tomorrow’s annual program evaluation of Project K-Nect, a project first started with spring semester 2008.
The evaluation findings in this report are especially significant for three primary reasons:
Participating Project K-Nect teachers use many of the standard features of the mobile devices, as well as algebraic problem sets and a mobile-enabled suite of tools for sharing student work, facilitating collaboration between students, and assessing student activity and growth. To help students master math concepts, teachers are encouraged to create problem-based lessons and activities that utilize the features and functionality of the devices as well as the Project K-Nect environment. Teachers have the flexibility to select the Project K-Nect components that best meet their instructional needs in the classroom and, as such, students have a variety of experiences and utilize the mobile devices and tools to varying degrees. During their participation in the Project K-Nect classes, students were initially given a smart phone with a 24/7 data plan for access to the internet; that was subsequently replaced with a tablet computer in fall 2011 that included 3G/4G connectivity options. The Project K-Nect environment enabled the students to be online and connected with their teacher and other students anytime in or out of school. This report highlights the power and promise of mobile learning initiatives where students can be connected anywhere, anytime to internet resources, their teacher and classmates, and how that personalized learning environment supports enhanced student achievement and teacher productivity.
Click here to download the report. Additional information about Project K-Nect is on the website for Digital Millennial Consulting.
For additional information about evaluation services provided by Project Tomorrow, contact:
Dr. Julie A.Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Project Tomorrow
949.609.4660 ext 15
jevans@tomorrow.org