What Students Think: Pearson Announces Results of Largest National Student Survey

400,000-Student Survey Points the Way to Improving Student Academic Success

This survey is a powerful tool for helping school teachers and administrators gauge how students perceive their current school learning environment, and determine what conditions need to be created to foster greater academic success and accomplishment.

It is good news that such a large percentage of students feel accepted for who they are at school, however, it is troubling that less than half (44 percent) believe their teachers care about their problems and feelings

While I expect most teachers care deeply about their students, it is critical they express such care in ways that are meaningful.

What these results illustrate is that while teachers have the potential to inspire students, they are not doing so in ways that students recognize

Most troubling is the fact that over half the students in this country don't think teachers care if they even show up.

It is encouraging that a good number of students believe learning can be fun

However, all educators should be concerned that students don't perceive teachers as enjoying their work in the classroom. If students don't think their own teachers are engaged in the learning process, how can we expect them to be?

Students don't see school as relevant to their current lives but believe it is meaningful for their future

We must narrow this gap to ensure learning is relevant to students now - today - to ensure they remain engaged in their education.

We must help students understand that learning from failure is as essential as succeeding in the learning process

I encourage all students and educators to pose My Voice Survey questions to themselves. 'Are you proud of your school? How about your accomplishments as a student? Do you have fun teaching your students and make school an exciting place to learn?'

It's not until we pose such questions, take a closer look at ourselves, those around us, and the learning environment and find answers that we can truly understand and appreciate the opportunities that are possible to succeed in both our personal and professional aspirations.

San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) November 13, 2008 -- Based on an in-depth assessment of students' opinions about their education, the My Voice Aspiration Survey offers unique insight into what motivates and inspires students to achieve and how well students think America's school systems meet their educational needs. Conducted by the Educational Assessment group of Pearson and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations, the survey represents the largest study to date of student perceptions from grades 6 to 12 of the current academic environment.

Conducted between Fall 2006 and Spring 2008, the comprehensive, 69-question survey assesses students' engagement and perceptions of the educational system based on the responses of more than 414,000 students within 569 schools in 32 states from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

Key survey findings include:

More specifically, the survey looked at a wide variety of student opinions ranging from peer acceptance to teacher performance and academic motivation.

Seventy-seven percent of students feel accepted for who they are at school, and 62 percent view school as a welcoming and friendly place. Twenty-nine percent, however, don't feel comfortable going to their own cafeteria for lunch and a third of survey respondents (33 percent) believe bullying is a problem in their school.

"It is good news that such a large percentage of students feel accepted for who they are at school, however, it is troubling that less than half (44 percent) believe their teachers care about their problems and feelings," said Quaglia. "While I expect most teachers care deeply about their students, it is critical they express such care in ways that are meaningful."

ROLE MODELS AND RESPECT
The My Voice survey also found that 65 percent of students say they have a teacher who is a positive role model, yet just 48 percent felt teachers care about them as an individual and even less - 45 percent - felt teachers cared if they were absent from school. A mere thirty percent of students respect their fellow students.

"What these results illustrate is that while teachers have the potential to inspire students, they are not doing so in ways that students recognize," said Quaglia. "Most troubling is the fact that over half the students in this country don't think teachers care if they even show up."

When questioned about academic accomplishment, 84 percent of students agreed that getting good grades is important, and 69 percent feel testing is an important part of their education. Yet close to one-fifth (18 percent) give up when they encounter difficult schoolwork, and just over half (57 percent) feel teachers recognize them when they do their best.

Forty-nine percent of students taking the My Voice survey also enjoy being at school, 54 percent enjoy their classes and 64 percent believe learning can be fun. Yet, in contrast 47 percent felt school is boring and only 31 percent feel teachers make school an exciting place to learn. Just 38 percent felt teachers have fun at school.

"It is encouraging that a good number of students believe learning can be fun," said Quaglia. "However, all educators should be concerned that students don't perceive teachers as enjoying their work in the classroom. If students don't think their own teachers are engaged in the learning process, how can we expect them to be?"

MAKING LEARNING RELEVANT
Survey findings revealed that 75 percent of students enjoy learning new things, and that same percentage felt that what they learn will benefit them in the future. Yet just 38 percent felt their classes help them understand what is happening in their everyday lives.

"Students don't see school as relevant to their current lives but believe it is meaningful for their future," said Quaglia. "We must narrow this gap to ensure learning is relevant to students now - today - to ensure they remain engaged in their education."

These findings also revealed students' desire to try new things and positively step out of comfort zones into challenge zones. Students face two obstacles when this happens: the fear of success and the fear of failure. In the My Voice Survey, 24 percent of students reported they are afraid to try something if they might fail, yet, should they succeed, nearly half (43 percent) would not be excited to tell their friends when they get good grades, and 10 percent felt their friends would not like them if they did well in school. Just over half of students (56 percent) agree that teachers help them learn from their mistakes.

"We must help students understand that learning from failure is as essential as succeeding in the learning process," said Quaglia. "I encourage all students and educators to pose My Voice Survey questions to themselves. 'Are you proud of your school? How about your accomplishments as a student? Do you have fun teaching your students and make school an exciting place to learn?'"

"It's not until we pose such questions, take a closer look at ourselves, those around us, and the learning environment and find answers that we can truly understand and appreciate the opportunities that are possible to succeed in both our personal and professional aspirations."

For more information on My Voice and comprehensive survey results please go to www.MyVoiceSurvey.com.

About Pearson:
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today's digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company's investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. The company's respected brands include Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley, Benjamin Cummings, PEMSolutions, Stanford 10, SuccessNet, MyLabs, PowerSchool, SuccessMaker, and many others. Pearson's comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student at every level of education. Pearson's commitment to education for all is supported by the global philanthropic initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson's other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to www.pearson.com.

About Aspirations Unlimited and Quaglia Institute of Student Aspirations (QISA):
Aspirations Unlimited develops, based on QISA research, innovative resources using the most current information about the state of student aspirations in today's schools. Surveys for staff, students and parents and associated support materials for students, teachers, school leaders, parents, school board members and coaches are available for schools that wish to measure and improve the "8 Conditions" that affect student and staff aspirations and success in schools.

QISA's mission and commitment to schools are based on more than two decades of ground-breaking research. Data is collected annually from hundreds of thousands of students, providing QISA with an unprecedented database on student aspirations. Results from this database are used to inform educational policy at the international, national, and local levels. QISA takes great pride in presenting its research findings at academic conferences and publishing their results in leading professional journals.

Dr. Russell Quaglia is the founder of My Voice, Aspirations Unlimited and QISA).

Contact:
Adam Gaber
Pearson
Adam.gaber @ pearson.com
212.641.6118

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myvoice aspirations survey what students think pearson myvoice survey quaglia institute for student aspirations educational assessment

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