The results of all responses on TWC’s 2018-2019 Year-End Teacher Survey and Year-End Teacher Update have been tabulated and reviewed. It is always good to get feedback from the many folks using our program. The feedback they provide and the insights they share are always helpful! Let’s see what we learned.
Some Basic Background . . .
If you recall, for this year’s Mid-Year and Year-End Teacher Surveys, we focused our attention on our new adopters — those folks who received the program and began using it within the past year. The Year-End Teacher Update went to those who’d been using the program longer. As a number of the questions appeared on both the Year-End Teacher Survey and the Year-End Teacher Update, the combined responses are included here. For the results for the questions just on the Year-End Teacher Survey, be on the lookout for another post this summer!
Who did we survey?
Of all the folks surveyed, 31% responded, and they identify themselves as below.
- 79% – classroom teachers
- 4% – afterschool/OST staff
- 4% – administrators
- 2% – resource staff
- 1.5% – curriculum coordinators
- 1% – wellness professionals
- 8.5% – other
Among the latter, parents, board members, nurses, instructional technology facilitators, library/media staff, PE teachers, and a STEM specialist are represented.
When asked how many years they had been working at their school/site, the responses were as below.
- 24% – 1 to 3 years
- 22% – 4 to 6 years
- 20% – 16 to 24 years
- 17% – 10 to 15 years
- 12% – 7 to 9 years
- 5% – more than 25 years
Using TWC . . . How, When, and Where?
Among those who responded, we learned that 84% use the program during the school day; 12% use it in an afterschool or out-of-school time setting. The remainder use it for a combination of the two, for homeschooling, or were unable to use it this year.
And . . . how long have they been using The Walking Classroom?
- 46% – less than one year
- 15% – three years
- 12% – four years
- 12% – two years
- 11% – more than five years
- 4% – one year
As far as frequency, 48% of the respondents use The Walking Classroom once a week. 35% use it twice a week. The remaining 17% use the program three or more times per week, with 6% using it every day!
And, how many listens to each podcast? We learned that 54% of the respondents listen to each podcast once, 38% listen twice, and 8% listen three or more times.
What about the Benefits?
For the first time, we asked folks on both the Mid-Year Teacher Survey and the Year-End Teacher Survey how evident they found various benefits of The Walking Classroom in their implementation of the program. The responses are listed in descending order, with those at the top receiving the highest percentage of “very” evident. Interestingly, even the benefit at the bottom was identified as “very” evident by 52% of the respondents.
- Increases physical activity – 89%
- Fosters health literacy and healthy habits – 77%
- Builds core content knowledge – 71%
- Addresses different learning styles
- Aligns with standards
- Differentiates instruction
- Enhances social-emotional learning
- Develops character values
Resources and More . . .
It’s good to see that our adopters make us of the resources we provide. We learned that 81% make use of the Teacher or Discussion Guide; 57% have completed the online training, and a significant percentage use the electronic quizzes available through our Adopter Resources page.
Speaking of the Adopter Resources page, be on the lookout for some improvements. When you log in later this summer, things will look a little different. You will see some updates that will make the page a bit more user-friendly. Even better, it will be searchable too! You will now be able to find podcasts by title, character value, health literacy message, and even by theme!
If you are an adopter and still haven’t explored the many “extras” available on the Adopter Resources page, let me know. I will provide you with the information you need to get access to the electronic quizzes, supplemental videos, and PowerPoint slide decks for each podcast!
Challenges, Anyone?
Most adopters (81%) report no challenges incorporating The Walking Classroom, but the remaining respondents cite several different obstacles. We learned that these include time, technical difficulties, content alignment, student behavior, or physical issues.
In response to these concerns, keep an eye on those shared stories on our blog! In relating their own experiences, adopters often provide some tips for triumphing over these (and other) troubles.
What Else?
What more can we do for our adopters? Most adopters (91%) did not cite a need for additional resources. Of those who shared ideas, 71% suggested additional content, with most interested in adding more grade levels, differentiation, alternate languages, or specific topics like music, math, or expanded science topics.
The remaining 29% were interested in additional resources, like alternate assessments, differentiated quizzes, question stems, additional kid-friendly resources (like worksheets or guided notebooks), or further ideas for extending the lesson beyond the podcast. If you have created any of these resources or have some ideas of your own, feel free to share. Other adopters would be thrilled!
Finally, a Great Big Thanks!
Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond and share your feedback. We appreciate it immensely, and we look forward to using it to make The Walking Classroom even better!
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