ABOUT
When educators foster relationships and genuinely get to know students, there is a mutual benefit – students feel more encouraged and capable of achievement, and educators better learn how to inspire their students.
How Will Students’ Perceptions Be Gathered?
How Does the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey Work?
What Are Some Sample Survey Questions?
[Video] The Real Definition: Dr. Quaglia Defines Aspirations
About the Campaign
A public interest initiative provided at no cost to participating schools, the Million Voice Project is gathering and analyzing the perceptions of one million students, grades 6 through 12, about school. This student voice project will be the largest single initiative to document and analyze student engagement and to highlight the related variations in academic performance in American schools.
The Pearson Foundation's Million Voice Project has three main components:
- The My Voice Student Aspirations Survey from the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations. My Voice is a powerful online tool for initiating innovative, meaningful, and balanced school reform. To date, over 500,000 students and more than 25,000 teachers and administrators have taken My Voice and will use the results to improve teaching and learning. The Million Voice Project offers My Voice for one million students, grades 6 through 12.
- Customized school reporting and communications. The Pearson Foundation provides support before, during, and after a school decides to take part in the Million Voice Project. Sample presentations and "Getting Started" material allow school leaders to introduce the concept of student voice in a way that engages the entire school community. Then, once the students have taken the My Voice Survey, each school receives a customized report with detail about its students and school climate. Using the customized school report and the additional resources at www.millionvoice.org helps administrators, teachers, students, and parents make the most of My Voice Survey data to improve the school climate in a way that promotes student aspirations and academic achievement.
- New research from the Aspirations Research Center. By taking part in the Million Voice Project, you add your school to the most extensive inventory of student voices in the world. This database will be available to prominent researchers, academics, and policymakers through the Aspirations Research Center, which has been created in partnership with the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations. Starting in 2011, the data gathered in the Million Voice Project will be provided as an open-source asset for the global education community, freely accessible to all, online, at all times.
How Will Students’ Perceptions Be Gathered?
The Pearson Foundation's Million Voice Project is asking one million students in grades 6 through 12 about school using the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey, a powerful tool for initiating innovative, meaningful school reform. The results from this initiative will provide educators with detailed student data, which can be used to improve teaching and learning.
How Does the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey Work?
The My Voice Student Aspirations Survey assesses student aspirations by asking students to respond to 57 statements about the 8 Conditions That Make a Difference, as well as demographic questions. Students respond to the 8 Conditions statements on a five-point Likert scale ranging from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. By asking students how they perceive their school environment, My Voice provides educators with a powerful tool for understanding both what motivates and inspires students to achieve and how well students believe their school is meeting those objectives.
Find more information on how to use the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey to improve student aspirations. Review results from previous administrations of the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey (Million Voice Project Preliminary Results: 2010; National My Voice Student Report: 2008)
The Real Definition
Dr. Quaglia defines aspirations.
What Are Some Sample My Voice Student Aspirations Survey Questions?
Students are asked to use a scale of 1 to 5 to indicate whether they disagree or agree with each statement in the survey (5 indicates strong agreement and 1 indicates strong disagreement).
Sample My Voice Student Aspirations Survey Questions:
School is a welcoming and friendly place.
I push myself to do better academically.
At school I am encouraged to be creative.
Teachers care if I am absent from school.
School inspires me to learn.
Teachers are willing to learn from students.
I work hard to reach my goals.
What I learn in school will benefit my future.
I put forth my best effort at school.
I enjoy participating in classes.
Students respect teachers.
Teachers care about me as an individual.
Why It’s Important
Student voice is essential for academic achievement. Education is all about the students – helping them to achieve in and outside school and be confident, responsible members of society. It is now time to ensure that education is not only “all about the students,” but about all students. We must ensure that each and every student has the opportunity to achieve and reach his or her full potential.
Introduction
Why are aspirations important?
Supporting Partnerships
Pearson is the world's largest education company. The Pearson Foundation extends Pearson's commitment to education in partnership with nonprofit and public interest organizations. We work together with leading businesses and civic organizations to support students and teachers and to sponsor community-based education programs around the globe.
The Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and putting into practice the conditions that foster student aspirations in schools and learning communities around the world.
