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William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Resource Library

ATR Stakeholder Convening: Connecting Research and Practice Highlights and Key Takeaways

This report summarizes key discussions from the convening and identifies program strengths and challenges generated during breakout and whole-group sessions.

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Instructional Design Principles for Remote Teaching and Learning

The Instructional Principles for Remote Teaching & Learning provide guidance to schools and districts during the COVID-19 crisis.

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Educators’ Perspectives on Generative AI in K-12: Informing AI in Education Guidance

The rapid development of generative AI is transforming the educational landscape. Educators from the classroom to the district office are confronted with new challenges and uncertainties regarding safe, equitable and effective implementation. This study explored education leaders’ perceptions and experiences with AI integration in K-12 education through interview and focus group data collection during the Friday Institute’s AI in K-12 Education Convening. At the culmination of the 2023-24 school year, the study’s findings are compared against guidance for AI in K-12 education published by 12 state education agencies.

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Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes Toward STEM (T-STEM) Survey: Development and Psychometric Properties

Five versions of the T-STEM survey have been developed: one for each teaching area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and one for elementary teachers.

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School Technology Needs Assessment for Students (STNA-S)

The School Technology Needs Assessment for Students (STNA-S) is a survey tool that collects student perceptions of: the type and amount of digital technology resources in their school; the ways in which students use digital technology; the ways in which teachers use digital technology; the students’ own digital technology skills; and the benefits of digital technology use. Eight constructs are measured: resource availability; infrastructure; technology support; teacher technology use; student technology use; student technology skills; impacts of technology; and development of 21st century skills.

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Recommendations for Instructional Leaders

The Instructional Principles for Remote Teaching & Learning provide guidance for remote learning across NC during COVID-19.

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Student Attitudes Toward STEM (S-STEM) Survey: Development and Psychometric Properties

The S-STEM survey invites students to give information about their attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects, post-secondary pathways and career interests. Two versions have been developed: one for 4-5th graders (the “Upper Elementary S-STEM”), and one for 6-12th graders (the “Middle/High School S-STEM”).

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Student Attitudes Toward STEM (S-STEM) Survey Instrument & Codebook – Middle/High School (6-12th)

The Middle/High School (6-12th) S-STEM Survey is intended to measure changes in students’ confidence and efficacy in STEM subjects, 21st century learning skills and interest in STEM careers. The survey is available to help program coordinators make decisions about possible improvements to their program.

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Quality Review Tools for Digital Learning Resources

The quality review checklist and rubric presented in this document are designed to support educators in evaluating digital learning resources intended for classroom use.

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Student Attitudes Toward STEM (S-STEM) Survey Instrument & Codebook – Upper Elementary School (4-5th)

The Upper Elementary School (4-5th) S-STEM Survey is intended to measure changes in students’ confidence and efficacy in STEM subjects, 21st century learning skills and interest in STEM careers.

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Student Attitudes Toward STEM (S-STEM) Survey: Tips for Using Your Data

These five steps are a useful process by which individuals/teams can organize efforts to learn about the impact of their program on participating students.

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Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes Toward STEM (T-STEM) Survey – Elementary Teachers

The Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes Toward STEM (T-STEM) Survey for Elementary Teachers is intended to measure changes in elementary teachers’ confidence and self-efficacy in STEM subject content and teaching, use of technology in the classroom, 21st century learning skills, leadership attitudes and STEM career awareness.

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Teacher Beliefs and Attitudes Toward STEM (T-STEM) Survey: Tips for Using Your Data

These five steps are a useful process by which individuals/teams can organize efforts to learn about the impact of their program on participating teachers.

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Digital Learning Progress Rubric For Schools

The North Carolina Digital Learning Progress Rubric for Schools is a strategic planning tool, or “roadmap,” intended to support North Carolina’s educators, schools, districts, and communities in the transition to digital-age teaching and learning. The rubric describes a vision for a high quality, digital-age school and is designed especially to help school teams reflect on the current stage of their transition, create sustainable plans, experiment with innovations, determine next steps and track their progress.

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Is Read to Achieve Making the Grade? An Assessment of North Carolina’s Elementary Reading Proficiency Initiative

In 2012, in an effort to increase elementary reading achievement in North Carolina, and to end a de facto policy of “social promotion” that places more emphasis on age than on demonstrated proficiency, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation that required the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to develop and implement a program to support on-grade reading mastery for all 3rd grade students. The initiative is commonly referred to as Read to Achieve (RtA).

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Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes Toward STEM (T-STEM) Survey – Science Teachers

The Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes Toward STEM (T-STEM) Survey – Science Teachers is intended to measure changes in science teachers’ confidence and self-efficacy in STEM subject content and teaching, use of technology in the classroom, 21st century learning skills, leadership attitudes and STEM career awareness.

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Rocky River Elementary School Case Study – An Implementation of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum and Sensory Integration Tools for All Students

There is growing attention to the positive impacts of implementing social and emotional learning and sensory integration techniques in schools. The authors intend for this case study to showcase the design thinking and continuous improvement process at Rocky River Elementary school and the keys to success.

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Improving Professional Learning Opportunities in Rural Schools

Due to high rates of poverty, low levels of educational attainment and unemployment, many rural school districts face significantly different challenges in educating students than their suburban and urban counterparts. The Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative at the Friday Institute has worked with and across rural communities to address the needs of schools and districts. In this brief, the authors share practical suggestions for improving professional learning opportunities at a school.

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The North Carolina Digital Learning Plan: Policy Recommendations and Action Steps -June 2021

In this Friday Institute Education Brief, the authors break down current recommendations and distinct action steps to continue work on the six key areas of the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan.

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Middle School Girls and STEM: Using Digital Tools to Close the Gender Gap

Although female and male students perform equally well on standardized math and science tests, the middle school years prove to be a pivotal time when girls lose confidence and interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Nevertheless, these challenges present middle schools with an opportunity to intentionally change the tide and promote STEM to middle school girls in newfound ways.

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Digital Learning Progress Rubric For Districts

The North Carolina Digital Learning Progress Rubric is a strategic planning tool, or “roadmap,” intended to support North Carolina’s educators and communities in the transition to digital-age teaching and learning. The rubric is designed to help school district teams reflect on the current stage of their transition, plan next steps and track their progress moving forward.

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