World’s Largest Lesson Gives Voices to Students in One of The Largest Global Education Surveys Ever
March 15th 2023. The World’s Largest Lesson – an initiative led by Project Everyone and UNICEF – and NetApp a cloud-led, data-centric software company, today announce the findings from one of the largest global surveys of education ever which garnered 37k responses from young people in 150+ countries, many sharing their views for the first time.
The gamified survey revealed an overwhelming call for a modernization of curricula to mirror more closely the realities, skill sets and demands of today’s society and the future.
The Reality
When students were asked what they believe the purpose of school should be 48% of responses related to gaining practical skills for the real world. However, the reality of their education does not reflect this.
“We’re in the middle of a global learning crisis, ” says Alison Bellwood, Executive Director of World’s Largest Lesson. “Students are imagining a future that is very different from the one their current curriculums were developed for. They want to be ready to thrive in new, green economies and to help build a sustainable world. Children have spoken. It’s the responsibility of education policy makers to listen to them.”
The good news is that 77% of students are happy to be back at school after COVID-19, and they’ve shared thousands of ideas about what they want to see changed in education.
The Future of The Education is Practical Skills
When asked whether they were learning enough about a range of topics, 61% of students worldwide said they feel they are learning not enough or not at all about digital skills like programming and coding. A close second with almost 59% calling for financial literacy or how to make a budget with 55% wanting to understand how to analyse and use data.
“In today’s world, it has never been more critical for data literacy skills to be taught in classrooms,” Michelle Mann, Director, Social Impact at NetApp. “Data is, increasingly, the foundation for informed decision making around so many important social, technological, and environmental issues—including a child’s own education. NetApp is committed to helping empower student voices and ensure leaders make room for them in educational discussions so they can share data-informed insights on how they would like to learn.”
To address the need for data science learning experiences, NetApp created a global social impact program call Data Explorers. It’s a hands-on afterschool program focusing on reaching under-represented students in under-resourced communities.
Understanding Mental Health, other Cultures and the Environment
While being prepared for jobs and the future were top of mind, a further 44% wanted to learn more about how to look after their mental health and wellbeing, with 33% reporting they feel anxious to be back at school after COVID-19. 42% of students reported wanting to understand different cultures, and a further 42% wanted to learn more about how to protect the planet.
Tanishi, 14, a member of the World’s Largest Lesson Student Advisory Panel member based in India, said “Asking what young people want from their education is the first step of change. It is similar to what the marketing division of a business does when they research what their customers want… If the customers here are students, to make their education more efficient and helpful, asking students about what they want from education is essential.”
Global Voices, Shared Needs
When asked for ideas on how to change education, the most common global theme was practical skills attainment, at 33% and a further 21% mentioned being more informed on key issues. As one student put it “It is important to study the past, I know, but now we are living in the present and I want to know how to live in this world”.
Nearly 20% talked about changing how they learn, for example reducing pressure to succeed in exams or allowing students more individual choice. One student said “This egg-carton model impedes professional growth and change”. Another said “I would reinvent the relationship with my teachers: today they act as they were ’superior’ while they should act as our mentor”.
Call to Action
While we’ve heard calls to modernize education before, this survey has allowed children themselves to speak up and add their voices, many for the first time. Together they’ve shared more than 25 thousand ideas of their own to transform education, from “allow students to choose the subjects they want to study” and “study in nature” to “being able to experiment” and experience “life learning lessons”.
Could this be the tipping point to a bold redirection of education? If so, the report argues that governments must consult and include children in their decision-making, so that education reflects those that it serves. As Matilda, 12, World’s Largest Lesson Student Advisory Panel member in Australia put it, “We are the future, and we need to decide what we want the future of the world to look like”.
Read the Transforming Education Survey report: https://playverto.com/transformingeducation
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Notes to Editors
For more information please contact:
Kinvara Jardine Paterson, Director – World’s Largest Lesson lesson@project-everyone.org
Casey Stickles, Director – Stickles PR sticklespr@gmail.com
About the Transforming Education Survey
In 2022, World’s Largest Lesson and NetApp launched the Transforming Education Survey globally. They worked with Play Verto, experts in designing playful interactive data experiences, in the creation of the survey.
The survey invited children and young people aged 10-18 around the world to share their views and ideas on education. It asked questions about how they felt COVID-19 had impacted their learning, what they like about their education and what they’d like to change. The survey is one element of World’s Largest Lesson 2022 created to help children and young people, aged 10 and above, become activists for SDG4: Quality Education.
Methodology
- The survey ran publicly from 16th August 2022 until 24th January 2023, International Day of Education.
- They survey was completed by more than 37,000 students in 150 countries.
- The survey was gamified, available online and offline for those without internet access.
- The survey was available in English, French, Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, Portuguese and Korean. It was completely anonymous.
- The survey received equal representation in responses from children in the Global South and the Global North.
- The top 5 countries with the highest number of responses were: India, Nigeria, USA, UK and Mexico.
About World’s Largest Lesson
The World’s Largest Lesson is committed to introducing children and young people everywhere to the Global Goals, or SDGs. World’s Largest Lesson is delivered in partnership with UNICEF, with the support of UNESCO, along with many other NGOs, private sector organizations and foundations. Learn more here.
About NetApp and Data Explorers
NetApp is a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company that empowers organizations to lead with data in the age of accelerated digital transformation. The company provides systems, software and cloud services that enable them to run their applications optimally from data center to cloud, whether they are developing in the cloud, moving to the cloud, or creating their own cloudlike experiences on premises. With solutions that perform across diverse environments, NetApp helps organizations build their own data fabric and securely deliver the right data, services, and applications to the right people—anytime, anywhere. Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn,Facebook, and Instagram.
NetApp Data Explorers is a global social impact program with a mission to empower teens to discover and develop critical data science skills, preparing them to thrive and take action in a data-driven world. Learn more about Data Explorers.
NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
About the partnership
In 2022 the World’s Largest Lesson joined forces with NetApp to empower children to act for education (SDG 4) using the power of data.
About the Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and signed by all 193 member states. They are intended to be achieved by 2030. Learn more here.
About Global Goal 4: Quality Education
Sustainable Development Goal 4 is about quality education and is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in September 2015. The full title of SDG 4 is “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
