Data Analysis Reveals Increased K-12 Digital Engagement

A news release from CatchOn, a data analytics and application monitoring solution used by K-12 schools, reveals that digital engagement among students has increased during the pandemic. A comprehensive data analysis suggests that even if districts saw a sharp dip during the beginning of remote learning, the level of engagement has since spiked above normal, pre-pandemic standards.

The Student Level Data Engagement Analysis report comes from app usage and device data from 47 school districts collected between January 2020 and January 2021. Before the pandemic, student users saw an average of 18 unique digital engagements per day. By fall 2020, this number had increased to an average of 35 per day. Likewise, on weeknights and weekends, the average number of digital engagements increased during fall 2020 as compared to the previous winter.

“What this data shows us is that despite the many obstacles and challenges thrown at our school districts this past year, educators and staff worked together to leverage the power of technology and keep students engaged and learning,” said CatchOn Manager of Strategic Relationships and Initiatives, Monica Cougan. “At a time when so much is being reported on the detrimental impact this pandemic has had on learning, and while it certainly has, this data paints a picture of hope and demonstrates the tenacity, commitment, and innovation of our educators, parents, and students in their pursuit of excellence.”

The aggregate data is intended to provide a wide-lens view of digital learning patterns—what apps students are using, when they’re using them, and how frequently.

“As education enters a new, truly digital era, having insight into application usage and engagement data at the student level is going to become increasingly important to promoting student achievement and ensuring fiscal accountability,” said Cougan.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Texas A&M Opens First Building at Fort Worth Campus, Breaks Ground on Research Facility

    The Texas A&M University System marked a major milestone in the development of its Fort Worth campus by opening its first completed academic building and breaking ground on a second facility designed to expand research and industry collaboration.

  • Carnegie Mellon University Receives $3B Gift to Launch New Campus

    Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently announced that it has received $3 billion—the largest individual gift in higher education history—from Citadel CEO and founder Ken Griffin, according to a news release.

  • Esports are Growing in Popularity

    Video games and esports are a popular social hobby, and it’s one that’s accessible to a wide variety of physical ability levels. Some esport student-athletes have started to earn scholarship opportunities, and high schools are beginning to form teams equipped with the same degree of resources as their physical sports teams. However, the two have very different needs.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.