Sixty-five percent of educators use AI to bridge resource gaps, even as platform fatigue and a lack of system integration threaten productivity, according to Jotform‘s EdTech Trends 2026 report.
Based on a survey of 50 K-12 and higher education professionals, the report reveals a resilient workforce looking for ways to combat the effects of significant budget cuts and burnout. The respondents were teachers, instructors, and professors split about equally between higher education and K-12.
While 56 percent of educators are “very concerned” over recent cuts to U.S. education infrastructure, 65 percent are now actively using AI. Of those using AI, nearly half (48 percent) use it for both student learning and administrative tasks, such as summarizing long documents and automating feedback.
“We conducted this survey to better understand the pain points educators have with technology,” says Lainie Johnson, director of enterprise marketing at Jotform. “We were surprised that our respondents like their tech tools so much. Because while the tools themselves are great, their inability to work together causes a problem.”
Key findings from the EdTech Trends 2026 report include:
The integration gap: Although 77 percent of educators say their current digital tools work well, 73 percent cite a “lack of integration between systems” as their primary difficulty. “The No. 1 thing I would like for my digital tools to do is to talk to each other,” one respondent noted. “I feel like often we have to jump from one platform to another just to get work done.”
Platform fatigue: Educators are managing an average of eight different digital tools, with 50 percent reporting they are overwhelmed by “too many platforms.”
The burden of manual tasks: Despite the many digital tools they use, educators spend an average of seven hours per week on manual tasks.
AI for productivity: Fifty-eight percent of respondents use AI most frequently as a productivity tool for research, brainstorming, and writing.
Data security and ethics: Ethical implications and data security are the top concerns for educators when implementing AI.
eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
Imagine trying to teach a student how to navigate the city of New York in 2026 using a map from 1950. The streets have changed names, new bridges have been built, and the traffic patterns have completely changed and are unrecognizable. The student fails not because they lack intelligence, but because the data provided is obsolete.
Sadly, that’s exactly how we teach kids about money in American high schools today.
In high schools across the country, we give students older resources like textbooks printed three years ago or PDFs from 2022, and we expect them to navigate a financial landscape that is dynamic and always changing. We teach them about 2 percent mortgage rates when they are really around 6-7 percent and talk about tax rules that haven’t been valid for years.
We are not teaching financial literacy–rather we are teaching financial history. The latency is costing the next generation their economic future. This must change.
The latency problem
The fundamental flaw in traditional edtech is that it treats finance like literature or a history class where things do not change. For example, the American revolution in 1776 is the same whether you learn it in 2001 or 2025–but in finance and money, things like interest rates, contribution limits and rules are always changing.
When the Federal Reserve changes the federal funds rate, rates on student loans or savings accounts also changes. A paper textbook can’t keep up with that, nor can a pre-recorded video module capture this change. By the time an old-fashioned curriculum is approved, printed, and distributed, things might even change again, which leads to outdated information regarding financial realities.
This delay gap creates a disconnect between the classroom and the real world. Students learn definitions for a test, but when they open a real brokerage app or apply for their first credit card, they realize what they learned in class doesn’t match what’s happening, which makes them find connecting the classroom to the real world difficult.
The Live-State solution
Some might argue that the solution is better or fancier textbooks, but I say we retire the static finance textbook completely and move to the future of money education: something called Live-State Logic. This is a big change from old, static content to systems that use live data.
With Live-State Logic, school curriculum will function like a living thing. Instead of fixed printed lessons, the educational platform will act like a bridge that connects the classroom to the real world. For example, updated financial info would feed straight to the software, so that when the IRS changes the standard deduction, the platform receives that data and automatically updates the lesson on tax filing for our young students. Also, if the Fed hints at a rate hike, the ‘Buying Your First Car’ module and the interest rate part instantly adjust the monthly payment calculations for students. I truly believe this is a necessary evolution of education, especially personal finance education for young students. We see this technology in high-frequency trading and institutional accounting, so why isn’t it in our classrooms?
From memorization to simulation
When we link real-word data with education, we unlock a very powerful pedagogical tool I call “True Simulation.” No one has been able to learn to swim by reading a book about water or without getting into the water. You must get wet. Similarly, you cannot learn to manage risk by reading a definition of “volatility”–you must experience it to really understand it.
Live-State architecture lets us build safe practice areas where students can deal with today’s reality. They can build or wreck their credit using live credit simulation. They can manage a budget against current inflation numbers and make critical decisions before they use their own money. They can even try out a sample investment portfolio against live market conditions.
This way, they see the results of their choices right away, in a safe place, before making mistakes that cost them real money later.
The equity imperative
Critics might say this technology is too complex for high schoolers. I say we have a moral duty to provide it
As a professional who also works in finance, I know wealthy families have always had access to Live-State logic–it’s called a private wealth manager or a CPA who navigates the changing rules for them. Low-income students rely entirely on the school system. If the school system gives them old info, we’re putting these students, who need high-quality financial tools the most to succeed today, at a disadvantage.
Democratizing financial intelligence means democratizing the technology that delivers it. We must stop giving our students maps from the 1950s if we want them to succeed in 2026. It’s time to build a bridge to the present and give our future leaders the tools they need in our modern, tech-driven world.
MY BIO:
Isaac Lamptey, Piggy Investors
Isaac Lamptey is an Investment Accountant and the Founder/Chief Architect of Piggy Investors, an edtech company. He holds a patent-pending status for the “Regulatory Bridge,” an AI-driven architecture designed to integrate real-time financial compliance into educational simulations for financial education for middle and high schools in the United States.
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AI has crossed a threshold. In 2026, it is no longer a pilot category or a differentiator you add on. It is part of the operating fabric of education, embedded in how learning experiences are created, how learners practice, how educators respond, and how outcomes are measured. That reality changes the product design standard.
The strategic question is not, “Do we have AI embedded in the learning product design or delivery?” It is, “Can we prove AI is improving outcomes reliably, safely, and at scale?”
That proof now matters to everyone. Education leaders face accountability pressure. Institutions balance outcomes and budgets. Publishers must defend program impact. CTE providers are tasked with career enablement that is real, not implied. This is the shift from hype to efficacy. Efficacy is not a slogan. It is a product discipline.
What the 2026 efficacy imperative actually means
Efficacy is the chain that connects intent to impact: mastery, progression, completion, and readiness. In CTE and career pathways, readiness includes demonstrated performance in authentic tasks such as troubleshooting, communication, procedural accuracy, decision-making, and safe execution, not just quiz scores.
The product design takeaway is simple. Treat efficacy as a first-class product requirement. That means clear success criteria, instrumentation, governance, and a continuous improvement loop. If you cannot answer what improved, for whom, and under what conditions, your AI strategy is not a strategy. It is a list of features.
Below is practical guidance you can apply immediately.
1. Start with outcomes, then design the AI
A common mistake is shipping capabilities in search of purpose. Chat interfaces, content generation, personalization, and automated feedback can all be useful. Utility is not efficacy.
Guidance Anchor your AI roadmap in a measurable outcome statement, then work backward.
Define the outcome you want to improve (mastery, progression, completion, readiness).
Define the measurable indicators that represent that outcome (signals and thresholds).
Design the AI intervention that can credibly move those indicators.
Instrument the experience so you can attribute lift to the intervention.
Iterate based on evidence, not excitement.
Takeaways for leaders If your roadmap is organized as “features shipped,” you will struggle to prove impact. A mature roadmap reads as “outcomes moved” with clarity on measurement, scope, and tradeoffs.
2. Make CTE and career enablement measurable and defensible
Career enablement is the clearest test of value in education. Learners want capability, educators want rigor with scalability, and employers want confidence that credentials represent real performance.
CTE makes this pressure visible. It is also where AI can either elevate programs or undermine trust if it inflates claims without evidence.
Guidance Focus AI on the moments that shape readiness.
Competency-based progression must be operational, not aspirational. Competencies should be explicit, observable, and assessable. Outcomes are not “covered.” They are verified.
Applied practice must be the center. Scenarios, simulations, troubleshooting, role plays, and procedural accuracy are where readiness is built.
Assessment credibility must be protected. Blueprint alignment, difficulty control, and human oversight are non-negotiable in high-stakes workflows.
Takeaways for leaders A defensible career enablement claim is simple. Learners show measurable improvement on authentic tasks aligned to explicit competencies with consistent evaluation. If your program cannot demonstrate that, it is vulnerable, regardless of how polished the AI appears.
3. Treat platform decisions as product strategy decisions
Many AI initiatives fail because the underlying platform cannot support consistency, governance, or measurement.
If AI is treated as a set of features, you can ship quickly and move on. If AI is a commitment to efficacy, your platform must standardize how AI is used, govern variability, and measure outcomes consistently.
Guidance Build a platform posture around three capabilities.
Standardize the AI patterns that matter. Define reusable primitives such as coaching, hinting, targeted practice, rubric based feedback, retrieval, summarization, and escalation to humans. Without standardization, quality varies, and outcomes cannot be compared.
Govern variability without slowing delivery. Put model and prompt versioning, policy constraints, content boundaries, confidence thresholds, and required human decision points in the platform layer.
Measure once and learn everywhere. Instrumentation should be consistent across experiences so you can compare cohorts, programs, and interventions without rebuilding analytics each time.
Takeaways for leaders Platform is no longer plumbing. In 2026, the platform is the mechanism that makes efficacy scalable and repeatable. If your platform cannot standardize, govern, and measure, your AI strategy will remain fragmented and hard to defend.
4. Build tech-assisted measurement into the daily operating loop
Efficacy cannot be a quarterly research exercise. It must be continuous, lightweight, and embedded without turning educators into data clerks.
Guidance Use a measurement architecture that supports decision-making.
Define a small learning event vocabulary you can trust. Examples include attempt, error type, hint usage, misconception flag, scenario completion, rubric criterion met, accommodation applied, and escalation triggered. Keep it small and consistent.
Use rubric-aligned evaluation for applied work. Rubrics are the bridge between learning intent and measurable performance. AI can assist by pre scoring against criteria, highlighting evidence, flagging uncertainty, and routing edge cases to human review.
Link micro signals to macro outcomes. Tie practice behavior to mastery, progression, completion, assessment performance, and readiness indicators so you can prioritize investments and retire weak interventions.
Enable safe experimentation. Use controlled rollouts, cohort selection, thresholds, and guardrails so teams can test responsibly and learn quickly without breaking trust.
Takeaways for leaders If you cannot attribute improvement to a specific intervention and measure it continuously, you will drift into reporting usage rather than proving impact. Usage is not efficacy.
5. Treat accessibility as part of efficacy, not compliance overhead
An AI system that works for only some learners is not effective. Accessibility is now a condition of efficacy and a driver of scale.
Guidance Bake accessibility into AI-supported experiences.
Ensure structure and semantics, keyboard support, captions, audio description, and high-quality alt text.
Validate compatibility with assistive technologies.
Measure efficacy across learner groups rather than averaging into a single headline.
Takeaways for leaders Inclusive design expands who benefits from AI-supported practice and feedback. It improves outcomes while reducing risk. Accessibility should be part of your efficacy evidence, not a separate track.
The 2026 Product Design and Strategy checklist
If you want AI to remain credible in your product and program strategy, use these questions as your executive filter:
Can we show measurable improvement in mastery, progression, completion, and readiness that is attributable to AI interventions, not just usage?
Are our CTE and career enablement claims traceable to explicit competencies and authentic performance tasks?
Is AI governed with clear boundaries, human oversight, and consistent quality controls?
Do we have platform level patterns that standardize experiences, reduce variance, and instrument outcomes?
Is measurement continuous and tech-assisted, built for learning loops rather than retrospective reporting?
Do we measure efficacy across learner groups to ensure accessibility and equity in impact?
Rishi Raj Gera, Magic Edtech
Rishi Raj Gera is Chief Solutions Officer at Magic Edtech. Rishi brings over two decades of experience in designing digital learning systems that sit at the intersection of accessibility, personalization, and emerging technology. His work is driven by a consistent focus on building educational systems that adapt to individual learner needs while maintaining ethical boundaries and equity in design. Rishi continues to advocate for learning environments that are as human-aware as they are data-smart, especially in a time when technology is shaping how students engage with knowledge and one another.
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It’s truly incredible how much new technology has made its way into the classroom. Where once teaching consisted primarily of whiteboards and textbooks, you can now find tablets, smart screens, AI assistants, and a trove of learning apps designed to foster inquiry and maximize student growth.
While these new tools are certainly helpful, the flood of options means that educators can struggle to discern truly useful resources from one-time gimmicks. As a result, some of the best tools for sparking curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking often go overlooked.
Personally, I believe 3D printing is one such tool that doesn’t get nearly enough consideration for the way it transforms a classroom.
3D printing is the process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many thin layers of material using a specialized printer. Using 3D printing, a teacher could make a model of a fossil to share with students, trophies for inter-class competitions, or even supplies for construction activities.
At first glance, this might not seem all that revolutionary. However, 3D printing offers three distinct educational advantages that have the potential to transform K–12 learning:
It develops success skills: 3D printing encourages students to build a variety of success skills that prepare them for challenges outside the classroom. For starters, its inclusion creates opportunities for students to practice communication, collaboration, and other social-emotional skills. The process of moving from an idea to a physical, printed prototype fosters perseverance and creativity. Meanwhile, every print–regardless of its success–builds perseverance and problem-solving confidence. This is the type of hands-on, inquiry-based learning that students remember.
It creates cross-curricular connections: 3D printing is intrinsically cross-curricular. Professional scientists, engineers, and technicians often use 3D printing to create product models or build prototypes for testing their hypotheses. This process involves documentation, symbolism, color theory, understanding of narrative, and countless other disciplines. It doesn’t take much imagination to see how these could also be beneficial to classroom learning. Students can observe for themselves how subjects connect, while teachers transform abstract concepts into tangible points of understanding.
It’s aligned with engineering and NGSS: 3D printing aligns perfectly with Next Gen Science Standards. By focusing on the engineering design process (define, imagine, plan, create, improve) students learn to think and act like real scientists to overcome obstacles. This approach also emphasizes iteration and evidence-based conclusions. What better way to facilitate student engagement, hands-on inquiry, and creative expression?
3D printing might not be the flashiest educational tool, but its potential is undeniable. This flexible resource can give students something tangible to work with while sparking wonder and pushing them to explore new horizons.
So, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the technology. Maybe try running a few experiments of your own. When used with purpose, 3D printing transforms from a common classroom tool into a launchpad for student discovery.
Jon Oosterman, Van Andel Institute for Education
Jon Oosterman is a Learning Specialist at Van Andel Institute for Education, a Michigan-based education nonprofit dedicated to creating classrooms where curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking thrive.
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Many years ago, around 2010, I attended a professional development program in Houston called Literacy Through Photography, at a time when I was searching for practical ways to strengthen comprehension, discussion, and reading fluency, particularly for students who found traditional print-based tasks challenging. As part of the program, artists visited my classroom and shared their work with students. Much of that work was abstract. There were no obvious answers and no single “correct” interpretation.
Instead, students were invited to look closely, talk together, and explain what they noticed.
What struck me was how quickly students, including those who struggled with traditional reading tasks, began to engage. They learned to slow down, describe what they saw, make inferences, and justify their thinking. They weren’t just looking at images; they were reading them. And in doing so, they were rehearsing many of the same strategies we expect when reading written texts.
At the time, this felt innovative. But it also felt deeply intuitive.
Fast forward to today.
Students are surrounded by images and videos, from photographs and diagrams to memes, screenshots, and, increasingly, AI-generated visuals. These images appear everywhere: in learning materials, on social media, and inside the tools students use daily. Many look polished, realistic, and authoritative.
At the same time, AI has made faking easier than ever.
As educators and school leaders, we now face urgent questions around misinformation, academic integrity, and critical thinking. The issue is no longer just whether students can use AI tools, but whether they can interpret, evaluate, and question what they see.
This is where visual literacy becomes a frontline defence.
Teaching students to read images critically, to see them as constructed texts rather than neutral data, strengthens the same skills we rely on for strong reading comprehension: inference, evidence-based reasoning, and metacognitive awareness.
From photography to AI: A conversation grounded in practice
Recently, I found myself returning to those early classroom experiences through ongoing professional dialogue with a former college lecturer and professional photographer, as we explored what it really means to read images in the age of AI.
A conversation that grew out of practice
Nesreen: When I shared the draft with you, you immediately focused on the language, whether I was treating images as data or as signs. Is this important?
Photographer: Yes, because signs belong to reading. Data is output. Signs are meaning. When we talk about reading media texts, we’re talking about how meaning is constructed, not just what information appears.
Nesreen: That distinction feels crucial right now. Students are surrounded by images and videos, but they’re rarely taught to read them with the same care as written texts.
Photographer: Exactly. Once students understand that photographs and AI images are made up of signs, color, framing, scale, and viewpoint, they stop treating images as neutral or factual.
Nesreen: You also asked whether the lesson would lean more towards evaluative assessment or summarizing. That made me realize the reflection mattered just as much as the image itself.
Photographer: Reflection is key. When students explain why a composition works, or what they would change next time, they’re already engaging in higher-level reading skills.
Nesreen: And whether students are analyzing a photograph, generating an AI image, or reading a paragraph, they’re practicing the same habits: slowing down, noticing, justifying, and revising their thinking.
Photographer: And once they see that connection, reading becomes less about the right answer and more about understanding how meaning is made.
Reading images is reading
One common misconception is that visual literacy sits outside “real” literacy. In practice, the opposite is true.
When students read images carefully, they:
identify what matters most
follow structure and sequence
infer meaning from clues
justify interpretations with evidence
revise first impressions
These are the habits of skilled readers.
For emerging readers, multilingual learners, and students who struggle with print, images lower the barrier to participation, without lowering the cognitive demand. Thinking comes first. Language follows.
From composition to comprehension: Mapping image reading to reading strategies
Photography offers a practical way to name what students are already doing intuitively. When teachers explicitly teach compositional elements, familiar reading strategies become visible and transferable.
What students notice in an image
What they are doing cognitively
Reading strategy practiced
Where the eye goes first
Deciding importance
Identifying main ideas
How the eye moves
Tracking structure
Understanding sequence
What is included or excluded
Considering intention
Analyzing author’s choices
Foreground and background
Sorting information
Main vs supporting details
Light and shadow
Interpreting mood
Making inferences
Symbols and colour
Reading beyond the literal
Figurative language
Scale and angle
Judging power
Perspective and viewpoint
Repetition or pattern
Spotting themes
Theme identification
Contextual clues
Using surrounding detail
Context clues
Ambiguity
Holding multiple meanings
Critical reading
Evidence from the image
Justifying interpretation
Evidence-based responses
Once students recognise these moves, teachers can say explicitly:
“You’re doing the same thing you do when you read a paragraph.”
That moment of transfer is powerful.
Making AI image generation teachable (and safe)
In my classroom work pack, students use Perchance AI to generate images. I chose this tool deliberately: It is accessible, age-appropriate, and allows students to iterate, refining prompts based on compositional choices rather than chasing novelty.
Students don’t just generate an image once. They plan, revise, and evaluate.
This shifts AI use away from shortcut behavior and toward intentional design and reflection, supporting academic integrity rather than undermining it.
The progression of a prompt: From surface to depth (WAGOLL)
One of the most effective elements of the work pack is a WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) progression, which shows students how thinking improves with precision.
Simple: A photorealistic image of a dog sitting in a park.
Secure: A photorealistic image of a dog positioned using the rule of thirds, warm colour palette, soft natural lighting, blurred background.
Greater Depth: A photorealistic image of a dog positioned using the rule of thirds, framed by tree branches, low-angle view, strong contrast, sharp focus on the subject, blurred background.
Students can see and explain how photographic language turns an image from output into meaningful signs. That explanation is where literacy lives.
When classroom talk begins to change
Over time, classroom conversations shift.
Instead of “I like it” or “It looks real,” students begin to say:
“The creator wants us to notice…”
“This detail suggests…”
“At first I thought…, but now I think…”
These are reading sentences.
Because images feel accessible, more students participate. The classroom becomes slower, quieter, and more thoughtful–exactly the conditions we want for deep comprehension.
Visual literacy as a bridge, not an add-on
Visual literacy is not an extra subject competing for time. It is a bridge, especially in the age of AI.
By teaching students how to read images, schools strengthen:
reading comprehension
inference and evaluation
evidence-based reasoning
metacognitive awarenes
Most importantly, students learn that literacy is not about rushing to answers, but about noticing, questioning, and constructing meaning.
In a world saturated with AI-generated images, teaching students how to read visually is no longer optional.
It is literacy.
Author’s note: This article grew out of classroom practice and professional dialogue with a former college lecturer and professional photographer. Their contribution informed the discussion of visual composition, semiotics, and reflective image-reading, without any involvement in publication or authorship.
Nesreen El-Baz, Bloomsbury Education Author & School Governor
Nesreen El-Baz is an ESL educator with over 20 years of experience, and is a certified bilingual teacher with a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. El-Baz is currently based in the UK, holds a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Houston Christian University, and specializes in developing in innovative strategies for English Learners and Bilingual education.
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Nesreen El-Baz, Bloomsbury Education Author & School Governor
For the last two years, conversations about AI in education have tended to fall into two camps: excitement about efficiency or fear of replacement. Teachers worry they’ll lose authenticity. Leaders worry about academic integrity. And across the country, schools are trying to make sense of a technology that feels both promising and overwhelming.
But there’s a quieter, more human-centered opportunity emerging–one that rarely makes the headlines: AI can actually strengthen empathy and improve the quality of our interactions with students and staff.
Not by automating relationships, but by helping us become more reflective, intentional, and attuned to the people we serve.
As a middle school assistant principal and a higher education instructor, I’ve found that AI is most valuable not as a productivity tool, but as a perspective-taking tool. When used thoughtfully, it supports the emotional labor of teaching and leadership–the part of our work that cannot be automated.
From efficiency to empathy
Schools do not thrive because we write faster emails or generate quicker lesson plans. They thrive because students feel known. Teachers feel supported. Families feel included.
AI can assist with the operational tasks, but the real potential lies in the way it can help us:
Reflect on tone before hitting “send” on a difficult email
Understand how a message may land for someone under stress
Role-play sensitive conversations with students or staff
Anticipate barriers that multilingual families might face
Rehearse a restorative response rather than reacting in the moment
These are human actions–ones that require situational awareness and empathy. AI can’t perform them for us, but it can help us practice and prepare for them.
A middle school use case: Preparing for the hard conversations
Middle school is an emotional ecosystem. Students are forming identity, navigating social pressures, and learning how to advocate for themselves. Staff are juggling instructional demands while building trust with young adolescents whose needs shift by the week.
Some days, the work feels like equal parts counselor, coach, and crisis navigator.
One of the ways I’ve leveraged AI is by simulating difficult conversations before they happen. For example:
A student is anxious about returning to class after an incident
A teacher feels unsupported and frustrated
A family is confused about a schedule change or intervention plan
By giving the AI a brief description and asking it to take on the perspective of the other person, I can rehearse responses that center calm, clarity, and compassion.
This has made me more intentional in real interactions–I’m less reactive, more prepared, and more attuned to the emotions beneath the surface.
Empathy improves when we get to “practice” it.
Supporting newcomers and multilingual learners
Schools like mine welcome dozens of newcomers each year, many with interrupted formal education. They bring extraordinary resilience–and significant emotional and linguistic needs.
AI tools can support staff in ways that deepen connection, not diminish it:
Drafting bilingual communication with a softer, more culturally responsive tone
Helping teachers anticipate trauma triggers based on student histories
Rewriting classroom expectations in family-friendly language
Generating gentle scripts for welcoming a student experiencing culture shock
The technology is not a substitute for bilingual staff or cultural competence. But it can serve as a bridge–helping educators reach families and students with more warmth, clarity, and accuracy.
When language becomes more accessible, relationships strengthen.
AI as a mirror for leadership
One unexpected benefit of AI is that it acts as a mirror. When I ask it to review the clarity of a communication, or identify potential ambiguities, it often highlights blind spots:
“This sentence may sound punitive.”
“This may be interpreted as dismissing the student’s perspective.”
“Consider acknowledging the parent’s concern earlier in the message.”
These are the kinds of insights reflective leaders try to surface–but in the rush of a school day, they are easy to miss.
AI doesn’t remove responsibility; it enhances accountability. It helps us lead with more emotional intelligence, not less.
What this looks like in teacher practice
For teachers, AI can support empathy in similarly grounded ways:
1. Building more inclusive lessons
Teachers can ask AI to scan a lesson for hidden barriers–assumptions about background knowledge, vocabulary loads, or unclear steps that could frustrate students.
2. Rewriting directions for struggling learners
A slight shift in wording can make all the difference for a student with anxiety or processing challenges.
3. Anticipating misconceptions before they happen
AI can run through multiple “student responses” so teachers can see where confusion might arise.
4. Practicing restorative language
Teachers can try out scripts for responding to behavioral issues in ways that preserve dignity and connection.
These aren’t shortcuts. They’re tools that elevate the craft.
Human connection is the point
The heart of education is human. AI doesn’t change that–in fact, it makes it more obvious.
When we reduce the cognitive load of planning, we free up space for attunement. When we rehearse hard conversations, we show up with more steadiness. When we write in more inclusive language, more families feel seen. When we reflect on our tone, we build trust.
The goal isn’t to create AI-enhanced classrooms. It’s to create relationship-centered classrooms where AI quietly supports the skills that matter most: empathy, clarity, and connection.
Schools don’t need more automation.
They need more humanity–and AI, used wisely, can help us get there.
Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester
Timothy Montalvo is a middle school educator and leader passionate about leveraging technology to enhance student learning. He serves as Assistant Principal at Fox Lane Middle School in Westchester, NY, and teaches education courses as an adjunct professor at Iona University and the College of Westchester. Montalvo focuses on preparing students to be informed, active citizens in a digital world and shares insights on Twitter/X @MrMontalvoEDU or on BlueSky @montalvoedu.bsky.social.
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Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester
When you need to fix your sink, learn how to use AI, or cook up a new recipe, chances are you searched on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or even Facebook–and found a video, watched it, paused it, rewound it, and successfully accomplished your goal. Why? Videos allow you to get the big picture, and then pause, rewind, and re-watch the instruction as many times as you want, at your own pace. Video-based instruction offers a hands-free, multichannel (sight and sound) learning experience. Creating educational videos isn’t an “extra” for creating instruction in today’s world; it’s essential.
As an educator, over the past 30 years, I’ve created thousands of instructional videos. I started creating videos at Bloomsburg University early in my career so I could reinforce key concepts, visually present ideas, and provide step-by-step instruction on software functionality to my students. Since those early beginnings, I’ve had the chance to create video-based courses for Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) and for my YouTube channel.
Creating instructional videos has saved me time, expanded my reach, and allowed me to have more impact on my students.
Tips
Creating educational videos over the years has taught me a number of key lessons that can help you, too, to create impactful and effective instructional videos.
Be yourself and have fun
The first rule is to not overthink it. You are not giving a performance; you are connecting with your students. In your instructional video, talk directly to your students and connect with them. The video should be an extension of your personality. If you tell silly jokes in class, tell silly jokes in the video. You want your authentic voice, your expressions, and your energy in the videos you create.
And don’t worry about mistakes. When I first did Lynda.com courses, any small mistake I made meant we had to redo the take. However, over the years, the feedback I’ve received on the videos across LinkedIn Learning indicated that flawless performances were not the way to go because they didn’t feel “real.” Real people make mistakes, misspeak, and mispronounce words. Students want to connect with you, not with flawless editing. If you stumble over a word, laugh it off and keep going. The authenticity makes the student feel like you’re right there with them. If you watch some of my current LinkedIn Learning courses, you’ll notice some mistakes, and that’s okay–it’s a connection, not a distraction.
Speak with the students, don’t lecture
Video gives you the chance to have an authentic connection with the student as if you were sitting across the desk from them, having a friendly but informative chat. When filming, look directly into the camera, but don’t stare–keep it natural. In actual conversations, two people don’t stare at each other, they occasionally look away or look to the side. Keep that in mind as you are recording. Also make sure you smile, are animated, and seem excited to share your knowledge. Keep your tone conversational, not formal. Don’t slip into “lecture mode.” When you look directly into the camera and speak directly to the student, you create a sense of intimacy, presence, and connection. That simple shift from a lecture mindset to conversation will make the video far more impactful and help the learning to stick.
Record in short bursts
You don’t have to record a one-hour lecture all at once. In fact, don’t! A marathon recording session isn’t good for you. It creates fatigue, mistakes, and the dreaded “do-over” spiral where one slip-up makes you want to restart the entire video. Instead, record in short bursts, breaking your content into segments. Usually, I try to record only about four to five minutes at a time. The beauty of this technique is that if it’s completely a mess and needs a total “do over,” you only need to re-record a few minutes, not the entire lecture. This is a lifesaver. Before I began using this technique, I dreaded trying to get an entire one-hour lecture perfect for the recording, even though I was rarely perfect in delivering it in class. But the pressure, because it was recorded, was almost overwhelming.
Now, I record in small segments and either put them all together after I’ve recorded them individually or present them to students individually. The advantage of individually recorded videos for students is that it makes the content easier to learn. They can re-watch the exact piece they struggled with instead of hunting through an hour-long video to find just what they need.
Keep it moving
A word of caution: We’ve all seen those videos. You know the ones: A tiny talking head hovers in the corner, reading every bullet point like it’s the audiobook version of the slide while the same slide just sits there for 15 minutes with no movement and no animation–not even a text flying in from the left. Ugh. Don’t let your visuals sit there like wallpaper. Instead, strive for movement. About every 30 seconds, give learners something new to look at. That could mean switching to the next slide, drawing live on a whiteboard, cutting to you speaking and then back to the slide, or animating an illustration to show movement. The point is that motion grabs attention. For a video, cut down your wall-of-text slides. Use fewer words and more slides. If you have 50 words crammed on one slide, split it into three slides. Insert an image, a chart, or even a simple sketch. If you’re teaching software, demonstrate it on screen instead of describing it in words. If you’re explaining a process, illustrate the steps as you go. The more movement, the more likely you are to hold the learner’s attention.
Keep production simple
The good news about creating educational videos is that you don’t need a big budget or a film crew to get started. All you need is a camera, a good microphone, and a simple video creation tool. Now, I would advise not using your laptop’s built-in camera or microphone. They don’t do the job well. You don’t want a grainy, pixelated picture or muffled audio. They make it too hard for students to focus and even harder for them to stay engaged. For video, I recommend using an external webcam. Even a modest one is a huge step up from what’s baked into most PCs. For audio, go with an external microphone, or even a good-quality headset. For the video tool, I have not found a simpler or easier-to-use tool than Camtasia’s free online, cloud-based tool. The free version lets you record your screen, capture your voice, do slight edits, and add backgrounds. It is more than enough to create clear, useful videos that your students can actually learn from. Remember, the goal isn’t Hollywood production. You want clear, effective, and authentic instructional videos.
By using these five tips, educators can create instructional videos to save time, expand their reach, and create greater impacts on their students. Grab a good camera, a decent headset, and free video software, and create your first instructional video. Just simply start. You’ll wonder why you waited so long.
Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D., Learning and Development Mentor Academy
Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D., is a leading expert in the convergence of learning, technology, and business. A professor of instructional technology at Commonwealth University and current director of its Institute for Interactive Technologies, Kapp has spent more than 25 years helping organizations design engaging, effective learning experiences. Widely recognized as a pioneer in the gamification of learning, he is the author of multiple influential books, including Action-First Learning: Instructional Design Techniques to Engage and Inspire.
Kapp is the founder of the Learning and Development Mentor Academy and co-founder of Enterprise Game Stack, where he empowers professionals to create interactive and meaningful learning through games, technology, and innovative instructional design. A sought-after speaker, consultant, and TEDx presenter, he has worked with Fortune 100 companies and global organizations to transform traditional training into dynamic, performance-driven learning experiences. Connect with Karl on LinkedIn. For more information, please visit https://karlkapp.com/ or check out his YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/ProfKapp01.
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Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D., Learning and Development Mentor Academy
The rapid rise of generative AI has turned classrooms into a real-time experiment in technology use. Students are using AI to complete assignments, while teachers are leveraging it to design lessons, streamline grading, and manage administrative tasks.
According to new national survey data from RAND, AI use among both students and educators has grown sharply–by more than 15 percentage points in just the past one to two years. Yet, training and policy have not kept pace. Schools and districts are still developing professional development, student guidance, and clear usage policies to manage this shift.
As a result, educators, students, and parents are navigating both opportunities and concerns. Students worry about being falsely accused of cheating, and many families fear that increased reliance on AI could undermine students’ critical thinking skills.
Key findings:
During the 2024-2025 school year, AI saw rapid growth.
AI use in schools surged during the 2024-2025 academic year. By 2025, more than half of students (54 percent) and core subject teachers (53 percent) were using AI for schoolwork or instruction–up more than 15 points from just a year or two earlier. High school students were the most frequent users, and AI adoption among teachers climbed steadily from elementary to high school.
While students and parents express significant concern about the potential downsides of AI, school district leaders are far less worried.
Sixty-one percent of parents, 48 percent of middle school students, and 55 percent of high school students believe that increased use of AI could harm students’ critical-thinking skills, compared with just 22 percent of district leaders. Additionally, half of students said they worry about being falsely accused of using AI to cheat.
Training and policy development have not kept pace with AI use in schools.
By spring 2025, only 35 percent of district leaders said their schools provide students with training on how to use AI. Meanwhile, more than 80 percent of students reported that their teachers had not explicitly taught them how to use AI for schoolwork. Policy guidance also remains limited–just 45 percent of principals said their schools or districts have policies on AI use, and only 34 percent of teachers reported policies specifically addressing academic integrity and AI.
The report offers recommendations around AI use and guidance:
As AI technology continues to evolve, trusted sources–particularly state education agencies–should provide consistent, regularly updated guidance on effective AI policies and training. This guidance should help educators and students understand how to use AI as a complement to learning, not a replacement for it.
District and school leaders should clearly define what constitutes responsible AI use versus academic dishonesty and communicate these expectations to both teachers and students. In the near term, educators and students urgently need clarity on what qualifies as cheating with AI.
Elementary schools should also be included in this effort. Nearly half of elementary teachers are already experimenting with AI, and these early years are when students build foundational skills and habits. Providing age-appropriate, coherent instruction about AI at this stage can reduce misuse and confusion as students progress through school and as AI capabilities expand.
Ultimately, district leaders should develop comprehensive AI policies and training programs that equip teachers and students to use AI productively and ethically across grade levels.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
In Greenwood 50, our story began with a challenge shared by many districts: too many tools, not enough connection. With more than 8,000 students across 15 schools, our family engagement efforts felt more fractured than unified.
Each school–and often each classroom–had its own way of communicating. Some used social media, others sent home printed newsletters. Many teachers used a host of apps on their own, often with great results. But without a common system, we couldn’t guarantee that every family, especially those with multiple kids or multilingual needs, felt fully informed and included.
What we needed wasn’t more effort. It was alignment. So, we started with a simple idea: build on what was already working.
Starting with teacher momentum
When we looked closer, we found something powerful: Six of our eight elementary schools had already adopted ClassDojo–without being asked. Teachers liked its ease of use. Families liked the mobile experience and automatic translation. And everyone appreciated that it made communication feel more human.
Rather than rolling out something new, we decided to meet that momentum with support. As district leaders, we partnered across departments to unify all 15 schools using ClassDojo for Districts. Our goal was clear: one platform, one message, every family engaged.
We knew that trust isn’t built through mandates. It’s built through listening. So, our rollout respected the work our teachers were already doing well. Instead of creating a top-down plan, we focused on making it easier for schools to connect–and for families to stay informed.
From tech challenge to time saved
One of the first things we did was connect our student information system directly to the platform. That meant class rosters synced automatically. Teachers didn’t need to manually invite families or set things up from scratch.
For school leaders, this was a game-changer. As a former principal, I (Debbie) remember the long hours spent setting up communication tools each year. Now, it just happens. Teachers log in, their classes are ready, and families are connected from day one.
This consistency has helped every school level up its communication. From classroom stories to urgent messages, everything happens in one place. And when families know where to look, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
Reaching more families, building stronger partnerships
Before our rollout, some schools reached just 60 percent of families. Today, many are well over 90 percent. My school (Anna) has reached 96 percent–and the difference shows. Families aren’t just receiving updates. They’re reading, replying, and showing up.
Because the communications platform includes real-time translation, our multilingual families feel more included. We’ve had smoother parent conferences, better attendance at events, and more everyday connection. When a family can read a teacher’s message in their home language–and write back–that builds a sense of partnership.
As a principal, I use our school’s page to post reminders, spotlight students, and share what’s happening in related arts, music, and physical education. It’s become our school’s storytelling platform. Families appreciate it–and they respond.
Respecting time, creating alignment
The platform’s built-in features have also helped us be more thoughtful. Teachers can schedule messages, avoiding late-night pings. District and school leaders can coordinate messaging so that what families receive feels seamless.
This visibility has been key. Our communications team can see what’s being shared, school teams can collaborate, and everyone is rowing in the same direction. It’s not about controlling the message–it’s about creating clarity.
Lessons for other districts
If we’ve learned one thing, it’s this: Start with what’s working. Our most important decision wasn’t what tool to use–it was listening to our teachers and supporting the systems they were already finding success with.
This wasn’t just a platform change. It was a mindset shift. We didn’t need to convince them to use something new. We just needed to remove barriers, support their efforts, and make it easier to connect with families districtwide.
That shift–from fragmented to unified, from siloed to shared–has made all the difference in reaching new levels of accessibility and engagement.
Johnathan Graves, Debbie Leonard, & Anna Haynes, Greenwood 50 School District
Johnathan Graves is the Executive Director of Communications; Debbie Leonard serves as the Executive Director of Technology; and Anna Haynes is the Principal at Eleanor S. Rice Elementary School in Greenwood 50 School District.
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Johnathan Graves, Debbie Leonard, & Anna Haynes, Greenwood 50 School District
When Collegedale Academy, a PreK–8 school outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, needed a new elementary building, we faced a choice that many school leaders eventually confront: repair an aging facility or reimagine what learning spaces could be.
Our historic elementary school held decades of memories for families, including some who had once walked its halls as children themselves. But years of wear and the need for costly repairs made it clear that investing in the old building would only patch the problems rather than solve them. At the same time, Southern Adventist University–on whose land the school sat–needed the property for expansion.
Rather than cling to the past, we saw an opportunity. We could design a new, future-focused environment on our middle school campus–one that reflected how students learn today and how they will need to learn tomorrow.
Putting students first
As both a teacher and someone who helped design our middle school, I approached the project with one condition: every design choice had to prioritize students and teachers. That philosophy shaped everything that followed.
My search for student-centered design partners led us to MiEN. What impressed me most was that they weren’t simply selling furniture. They were invested in research–constantly asking what classrooms need to evolve and then designing for that reality. Every piece we chose was intentional, not about aesthetics alone, but about how it could empower learners and teachers.
Spaces that do more
From the beginning, our vision emphasized flexibility, belonging, and joy. Every area needed to “do more,” adapting seamlessly to different uses throughout the day. To achieve this, we focused on designing spaces that could shift in purpose while still sparking curiosity and connection.
Community hubs reimagined: Our cafeteria and media center now transform into classrooms, performance stages, or meeting spaces with minimal effort, maximizing every square foot.
Interactive, sensory-rich design: An interactive wall panel with a ball run, sensory boards, and flexible seating encourages students to collaborate and explore beyond traditional instruction.
Learning everywhere: Even hallways and lobbies have become extensions of the classroom. With mobile whiteboards, soft seating, and movable tables, these spaces host tutoring sessions, small groups, and parent meetings.
Outdoor classrooms: Students gather at the campus creek for science lessons, spread out at outdoor tables that double as project workspaces, and find joy in spaces designed for both inquiry and play. Walking into the building, students immediately understood it was made for them. They take pride in exploring, rearranging furniture, and claiming ownership of their environment. That sense of belonging is priceless and drives real engagement in the learning.
Supporting teachers through change
For teachers accustomed to traditional layouts, the shift to flexible spaces required trust and support. At first, some colleagues wondered how the new design would fit with their routines. But once they began teaching in the space, the transformation was rapid. Within weeks, they were moving furniture to match their themes, discovering new instructional strategies, and finding creative ways to engage students.
The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t dictate a single method. Instead, it enables teachers to adapt the space to their vision. Watching colleagues gain confidence and joy in their teaching reinforced our original intent: create an environment that empowers educators as much as it excites students.
A partnership that mattered
No school leader undertakes a project like this alone. For us, partnership was everything. The team that supported our vision felt less like outside vendors and more like collaborators who shared our dream.
They weren’t just delivering products; they were helping us shape a culture. Their excitement matched ours at every step, and together, we turned ideas into realities that continue to inspire.
Immediate and lasting impact
The outcomes of the project were visible from day one. Students lit up as they explored the new features. Teachers discovered fresh energy in their classrooms. Parents, many of whom remembered the old building, were struck by how clearly the new design signaled a commitment to modern learning and to prioritizing their children’s futures.
Financially, the project was also a smart investment. Multi-purpose areas and durable, mobile furnishings mean that every dollar spent generates long-term value. And because the spaces were designed with flexibility in mind, they will remain relevant even as instructional practices evolve.
Looking ahead
The success of our elementary project has created momentum for what’s next. Collegedale is already planning high school renovations guided by the same student-first philosophy. The excitement is contagious, not just for our community but for how it models what schools can achieve when they align design with mission.
For me, this project was never just about furniture. It was about creating a culture where curiosity, creativity, and joy thrive every day. With the right partners and a clear vision, schools can build environments where students feel they belong and where teachers are empowered to do their best work.
As education leaders consider their own building projects, my advice is simple: design for the learners first. When students walk into a space and know, without a doubt, that it was built for them, everything else follows.
Beth Stone, Collegedale Academy
Beth Stone serves as a designer and visual arts teacher at Collegedale Academy in Chattanooga, TN.
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If you’ve attended a professional show or musical recently, chances are you’ve seen virtual set design in action. This approach to stage production has gained so much traction it’s now a staple in the industry. After gaining momentum in professional theater, it has made its way into collegiate performing arts programs and is now emerging in K-12 productions as well.
Virtual set design offers a modern alternative to traditional physical stage sets, using technology and software to create immersive backdrops and environments. This approach unlocks endless creative possibilities for schools while also providing practical advantages.
Here, I’ll delve into three key benefits: increasing student engagement and participation, improving efficiency and flexibility in productions, and expanding educational opportunities.
Increasing student engagement and participation
Incorporating virtual set design into productions gets students excited about learning new skills while enhancing the storytelling of a show. When I first joined Churchill High School in Livonia, Michigan as the performing arts manager, the first show we did was Shrek the Musical, and I knew it would require an elaborate set. While students usually work together to paint the various backdrops that bring the show to life, I wanted to introduce them to collaborating on virtual set design.
We set up Epson projectors on the fly rail and used them to project images as the show’s backdrops. Positioned at a short angle, the projectors avoided any shadowing on stage. To create a seamless image with both projectors, we utilized edge-blending and projection mapping techniques using just a Mac® laptop and QLab software. Throughout the performance, the projectors transformed the stage with a dozen dynamic backdrops, shifting from a swamp to a castle to a dungeon.
Students were amazed by the technology and very excited to learn how to integrate it into the set design process. Their enthusiasm created a real buzz around the production, and the community’s feedback on the final results were overwhelmingly positive.
Improving efficiency and flexibility
During Shrek the Musical, there were immediate benefits that made it so much easier to put together a show. To start, we saved money by eliminating the need to build multiple physical sets. While we were cutting costs on lumber and materials, we were also solving design challenges and expanding what was possible on stage.
This approach also saved us valuable time. Preparing the sets in the weeks leading up to the show was faster, and transitions during performances became seamless. Instead of moving bulky scenery between scenes or acts, the stage crew simply switched out projected images making it much more efficient.
We saw even more advantages in our spring production of She Kills Monsters. Some battle scenes called for 20 or 30 actors to be on stage at once, which would have been difficult to manage with a traditional set. By using virtual production, we broke the stage up with different panels spaced apart and projected designs, creating more space for performers. We were able to save physical space, as well as create a design that helped with stage blocking and made it easier for students to find their spots.
Since using virtual sets, our productions have become smoother, more efficient, and more creative.
Expanding educational opportunities
Beyond the practical benefits, virtual set design also creates valuable learning opportunities for students. Students involved in productions gain exposure to industry-level technology and learn about careers in the arts, audio, and video technology fields. Introducing students to these opportunities before graduating high school can really help prepare them for future success.
Additionally, in our school’s technical theater courses, students are learning lessons on virtual design and gaining hands-on experiences. As they are learning about potential career paths, they are developing collaboration skills and building transferable skills that directly connect to college and career readiness.
Looking ahead with virtual set design
Whether students are interested in graphic design, sound engineering, or visual technology, virtual production brings countless opportunities to them to explore. It allows them to experiment with tools and concepts that connect directly to potential college majors or future careers.
For schools, incorporating virtual production into high school theater offers more than just impressive shows. It provides a cost-effective, flexible, and innovative approach to storytelling. It is a powerful tool that benefits productions, enriches student learning, and prepares the next generation of artists and innovators.
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Jared Cole, Churchill High School, Livonia Public Schools
When I first stepped into my role overseeing student data for the Campbell County School District, it was clear we were working against a system that no longer served us.
At the time, we were using an outdated platform riddled with data silos and manual processes. Creating school calendars and managing student records meant starting from scratch every year. Grade management was clunky, time-consuming, and far from efficient. We knew we needed more than a patchwork fix–we needed a unified student information system that could scale with our district’s needs and adapt to evolving state-level compliance requirements.
Over the past several years, we have made a full transition to digitizing our most critical student services, and the impact has been transformational. As districts across the country navigate growing compliance demands and increasingly complex student needs, the case for going digital has never been stronger. We now operate with greater consistency, transparency, and equity across all 12 of our schools.
Here are four ways this shift has improved how we support students–and why I believe it is a step every district should consider:
How centralized student data improves support across K-12 schools
One of the most powerful benefits of digitizing critical student services is the ability to centralize data and ensure seamless support across campuses. In our district, this has been a game-changer–especially for students who move between schools. Before digitization, transferring student records meant tracking down paper files, making copies, and hoping nothing was lost in the shuffle. It was inefficient and risky, especially for students who required health interventions or academic support.
Now, every plan, history, and record lives in a single, secure system that follows the student wherever they go. Whether a student changes schools mid-year or needs immediate care from a nurse at a new campus, that information is accessible in real-time. This level of continuity has improved both our efficiency and the quality of support we provide. For districts serving mobile or vulnerable populations, centralized digital systems aren’t just convenient–they’re essential.
Building digital workflows for student health, attendance, and graduation readiness
Digitizing student services also enables districts to create customized digital workflows that significantly enhance responsiveness and efficiency. In Campbell County, we have built tools tailored to our most urgent needs–from health care to attendance to graduation readiness. One of our most impactful changes was developing unified, digital Individualized Health Plans (IHPs) for school nurses. Now, care plans are easily accessible across campuses, with alerts built right into student records, enabling timely interventions for chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma. We also created a digital Attendance Intervention Management (AIM) tool that tracks intervention tiers, stores contracts and communications, and helps social workers and truancy officers make informed decisions quickly.
These tools don’t just check boxes–they help us act faster, reduce staff workload, and ensure no student falls through the cracks.
Digitization supports equitable and proactive student services
By moving our student services to digital platforms, we have become far more proactive in how we support students–leading to a significant impact on equity across our district. With digital dashboards, alerts, and real-time data, educators and support staff can identify students who may be at risk academically, socially, or emotionally before the situation becomes critical.
These tools ensure that no matter which school a student attends–or how often they move between schools–they receive the same level of timely, informed support. By shifting from a reactive to a proactive model, digitization has helped us reduce disparities, catch issues early, and make sure that every student gets what they need to thrive. That’s not just good data management–it’s a more equitable way to serve kids.
Why digital student services scale better than outdated platforms
One of the most important advantages of digitizing critical student services is building a system that can grow and evolve with the district’s needs. Unlike outdated platforms that require costly and time-consuming overhauls, flexible digital systems are designed to adapt as demands change. Whether it’s integrating new tools to support remote learning, responding to updated state compliance requirements, or expanding services to meet a growing student population, a digitized infrastructure provides the scalability districts need.
This future-proofing means districts aren’t locked into rigid processes but can customize workflows and add modules without disrupting day-to-day operations. For districts like ours, this adaptability reduces long-term costs and supports continuous improvement. It ensures that as challenges evolve–whether demographic shifts, policy changes, or new educational priorities–our technology remains a reliable foundation that empowers educators and administrators to meet the moment without missing a beat.
Digitizing critical student services is more than a technical upgrade–it’s a commitment to equity, efficiency, and future readiness. By centralizing data, customizing workflows, enabling proactive support, and building scalable systems, districts can better serve every student today and adapt to whatever challenges tomorrow may bring.
Sara Douglas, Campbell County Schools
Sara Douglas is the District Data Leader for Campbell County Schools in Jacksboro, Tennessee.
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When I first started experimenting with AI in my classroom, I saw the same thing repeatedly from students. They treated it like Google. Ask a question, get an answer, move on. It didn’t take long to realize that if my students only engage with AI this way, they miss the bigger opportunity to use AI as a partner in thinking. AI isn’t a magic answer machine. It’s a tool for creativity and problem-solving. The challenge for us as educators is to rethink how we prepare students for the world they’re entering and to use AI with curiosity and fidelity.
Moving from curiosity to fluency
In my district, I wear two hats: history teacher and instructional coach. That combination gives me the space to test ideas in the classroom and support colleagues as they try new tools. What I’ve learned is that AI fluency requires far more than knowing how to log into a platform. Students need to learn how to question outputs, verify information and use results as a springboard for deeper inquiry.
I often remind them, “You never trust your source. You always verify and compare.” If students accept every AI response at face value, they’re not building the critical habits they’ll need in college or in the workforce.
To make this concrete, I teach my students the RISEN framework: Role, Instructions, Steps, Examples, Narrowing. It helps them craft better prompts and think about the kind of response they want. Instead of typing “explain photosynthesis,” they might ask, “Act as a biologist explaining photosynthesis to a tenth grader. Use three steps with an analogy, then provide a short quiz at the end.” Suddenly, the interaction becomes purposeful, structured and reflective of real learning.
AI as a catalyst for equity and personalization
Growing up, I was lucky. My mom was college educated and sat with me to go over almost every paper I wrote. She gave me feedback that helped to sharpen my writing and build my confidence. Many of my students don’t have that luxury. For these learners, AI can be the academic coach they might not otherwise have.
That doesn’t mean AI replaces human connection. Nothing can. But it can provide feedback, ask guiding questions, and provide examples that give students a sounding board and thought partner. It’s one more way to move closer to providing personalized support for learners based on need.
Of course, equity cuts both ways. If only some students have access to AI or if we use it without considering its bias, we risk widening the very gaps we hope to close. That’s why it’s our job as educators to model ethical and critical use, not just the mechanics.
Shifting how we assess learning
One of the biggest shifts I’ve made is rethinking how I assess students. If I only grade the final product, I’m essentially inviting them to use AI as a shortcut. Instead, I focus on the process: How did they engage with the tool? How did they verify and cross-reference results? How did they revise their work based on what they learned? What framework guided their inquiry? In this way, AI becomes part of their learning journey rather than just an endpoint.
I’ve asked students to run the same question through multiple AI platforms and then compare the outputs. What were the differences? Which response feels most accurate or useful? What assumptions might be at play? These conversations push students to defend their thinking and use AI critically, not passively.
Navigating privacy and policy
Another responsibility we carry as educators is protecting our students. Data privacy is a serious concern. In my school, we use a “walled garden” version of AI so that student data doesn’t get used for training. Even with those safeguards in place, I remind colleagues never to enter identifiable student information into a tool.
Policies will continue to evolve, but for day-to-day activities and planning, teachers need to model caution and responsibility. Students are taking our lead.
Professional growth for a changing profession
The truth of the matter is most of us have not been professionally trained to do this. My teacher preparation program certainly did not include modules on prompt engineering or data ethics. That means professional development in this space is a must.
I’ve grown the most in my AI fluency by working alongside other educators who are experimenting, sharing stories, and comparing notes. AI is moving fast. No one has all the answers. But we can build confidence together by trying, reflecting, and adjusting through shared experience and lessons learned. That’s exactly what we’re doing in the Lead for Learners network. It’s a space where educators from across the country connect, learn and support one another in navigating change.
For educators who feel hesitant, I’d say this: You don’t need to be an expert to start. Pick one tool, test it in one lesson, and talk openly with your students about what you’re learning. They’ll respect your honesty and join you in the process.
Preparing students for what’s next
AI is not going away. Whether we’re ready or not, it’s going to shape how our students live and work. That gives us a responsibility not just to keep pace with technology but to prepare young people for what’s ahead. The latest futures forecast reminds us that imagining possibilities is just as important as responding to immediate shifts.
We need to understand both how AI is already reshaping education delivery and how new waves of change will remain on the horizon as tools grow more sophisticated and widespread.
I want my students to leave my classroom with the ability to question, create, and collaborate using AI. I want them to see it not as a shortcut but as a tool for thinking more deeply and expressing themselves more fully. And I want them to watch me modeling those same habits: curiosity, caution, creativity, and ethical decision-making. Because if we don’t show them what responsible use looks like, who will?
The future of education won’t be defined by whether we allow AI into our classrooms. It will be defined by how we teach with it, how we teach about it, and how we prepare our students to thrive in a world where it’s everywhere.
Ian McDougall, Yuma Union High School District
Ian McDougall is a history teacher and edtech coach at Yuma Union High School District in Arizona. He also facilitates the Lead for Learners Community, an online hub for learner-centered educators nationwide. With extensive experience in K–12 education and technology integration, Ian supports schools in adopting innovative practices through professional development and instructional coaching. He holds a master’s degree in United States history from Adams State University, further strengthening his expertise as both a teacher and coach.
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AI is now at the center of almost every conversation in education technology. It is reshaping how we create content, build assessments, and support learners. The opportunities are enormous. But one quiet risk keeps growing in the background: losing our habit of critical thinking.
I see this risk not as a theory but as something I have felt myself.
The moment I almost outsourced my judgment
A few months ago, I was working on a complex proposal for a client. Pressed for time, I asked an AI tool to draft an analysis of their competitive landscape. The output looked polished and convincing. It was tempting to accept it and move on.
Then I forced myself to pause. I began questioning the sources behind the statements and found a key market shift the model had missed entirely. If I had skipped that short pause, the proposal would have gone out with a blind spot that mattered to the client.
That moment reminded me that AI is fast and useful, but the responsibility for real thinking is still mine. It also showed me how easily convenience can chip away at judgment.
AI as a thinking partner
The most powerful way to use AI is to treat it as a partner that widens the field of ideas while leaving the final call to us. AI can collect data in seconds, sketch multiple paths forward, and expose us to perspectives we might never consider on our own.
In my own work at Magic EdTech, for example, our teams have used AI to quickly analyze thousands of pages of curriculum to flag accessibility issues. The model surfaces patterns and anomalies that would take a human team weeks to find. Yet the real insight comes when we bring educators and designers together to ask why those patterns matter and how they affect real classrooms. AI sets the table, but we still cook the meal.
There is a subtle but critical difference between using AI to replace thinking and using it to stretch thinking. Replacement narrows our skills over time. Stretching builds new mental flexibility. The partner model forces us to ask better questions, weigh trade-offs, and make calls that only human judgment can resolve.
Habits to keep your edge
Protecting critical thinking is not about avoiding AI. It is about building habits that keep our minds active when AI is everywhere.
Here are three I find valuable:
1. Name the fragile assumption Each time you receive AI output, ask: What is one assumption here that could be wrong? Spend a few minutes digging into that. It forces you to reenter the problem space instead of just editing machine text.
2. Run the reverse test Before you adopt an AI-generated idea, imagine the opposite. If the model suggests that adaptive learning is the key to engagement, ask: What if it is not? Exploring the counter-argument often reveals gaps and deeper insights.
3. Slow the first draft It is tempting to let AI draft emails, reports, or code and just sign off. Instead, start with a rough human outline first. Even if it is just bullet points, you anchor the work in your own reasoning and use the model to enrich–not originate–your thinking.
These small practices keep the human at the center of the process and turn AI into a gym for the mind rather than a crutch.
Why this matters for education
For those of us in education technology, the stakes are unusually high. The tools we build help shape how students learn and how teachers teach. If we let critical thinking atrophy inside our companies, we risk passing that weakness to the very people we serve.
Students will increasingly use AI for research, writing, and even tutoring. If the adults designing their digital classrooms accept machine answers without question, we send the message that surface-level synthesis is enough. We would be teaching efficiency at the cost of depth.
By contrast, if we model careful reasoning and thoughtful use of AI, we can help the next generation see these tools for what they are: accelerators of understanding, not replacements for it. AI can help us scale accessibility, personalize instruction, and analyze learning data in ways that were impossible before. But its highest value appears only when it meets human curiosity and judgment.
Building a culture of shared judgment
This is not just an individual challenge. Teams need to build rituals that honor slow thinking in a fast AI environment. Another practice is rotating the role of “critical friend” in meetings. One person’s task is to challenge the group’s AI-assisted conclusions and ask what could go wrong. This simple habit trains everyone to keep their reasoning sharp.
Next time you lean on AI for a key piece of work, pause before you accept the answer. Write down two decisions in that task that only a human can make. It might be about context, ethics, or simple gut judgment. Then share those reflections with your team. Over time this will create a culture where AI supports wisdom rather than diluting it.
The real promise of AI is not that it will think for us, but that it will free us to think at a higher level.
The danger is that we may forget to climb.
The future of education and the integrity of our own work depend on remaining climbers. Let the machines speed the climb, but never let them choose the summit.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
K-12 IT leaders are under pressure from all sides–rising cyberattacks, the end of Windows 10 support, and the need for powerful new learning tools.
The good news: Windows 11 on Lenovo devices delivers more than an upgrade–it’s a smarter, safer foundation for digital learning in the age of AI.
Delaying the move means greater risk, higher costs, and missed opportunities. With proven ROI, cutting-edge protection, and tools that empower both teachers and students, the case for Windows 11 is clear.
1. Harness AI-powered educational innovation with Copilot Windows 11 integrates Microsoft Copilot AI capabilities that transform teaching and learning. Teachers can leverage AI for lesson planning, content creation, and administrative tasks, while students benefit from enhanced collaboration tools and accessibility features.
2. Combat the explosive rise in school cyberattacks The statistics are alarming: K-12 ransomware attacks increased 92 percent between 2022 and 2023, with human-operated ransomware attacks surging over 200 percent globally, according to the 2024 State of Ransomware in Education.
3. Combat the explosive rise in school cyberattacks Time is critically short. Windows 10 support ended in October 2025, leaving schools running unsupported systems vulnerable to attacks and compliance violations. Starting migration planning immediately ensures adequate time for device inventory, compatibility testing, and smooth district-wide deployment.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Originating in the early 2000s with 3D printing and digital fabrication, the maker movement has evolved far beyond garage workshops, demonstrating to today’s most innovative companies that breakthrough innovation requires balancing cutting-edge technology with the fundamental human need to tinker, play, and physically create.
The movement’s core promise—democratizing creation—has expanded dramatically through AI. Dhruv Amin, CEO of Anything and former Google project manager who built YouTube TV into a multi-billion dollar business, processes 20,000+ software projects daily through his platform, with 91 percent created by non-engineers.
“They’re realtors, teachers, and students building revenue-generating apps from their laptops,” Amin explains. AI-powered platforms now make it possible for virtually anyone to create software solutions without needing to be developers.
At Zapier, for instance, teams take part in “AI hackweeks” where employees have an opportunity to experiment and build with AI tools. This allows employees to try new things and come up with practical applications.
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For instance, says Lindsay Rothlisberger, Director of Revenue Operations: “One group built an AI agent that analyzes sales call transcripts for real-time competitive positioning. Another created an automated database to help marketing find the right content assets.”
But here’s the thing: Technology can be a significant driver of innovation, but as some innovation experts point out, technology alone doesn’t necessarily spur relevant breakthrough innovations. It’s the strategic balance between technology and hands-on making that can make the difference.
That’s why successful companies are getting smarter than their competitors: they’re not putting all their innovation eggs in the digital basket.
The Technology Trap That’s Killing Innovation
Cas Holman, internationally recognized designer featured in the Netflix documentary “Abstract: The Art of Design” and consultant to Nike, Ford, and Disney, argues that over-reliance on high-tech tools is actually reducing genuine innovation in corporate environments.
“Makerspaces should have scissors and exacto blades before they have a laser cutter,” Holman says. The problem is that digital tools create a false sense of completion. Teams model something in 3D software, create photorealistic renderings, and feel the work is done—without ever building anything physical.
“They’ve skipped that crucial hands-on phase because the digital renderings look so convincing,” Holman explains. The result: “They miss the serendipitous discoveries that come from physical iteration—the unexpected ways materials behave, how products feel in users’ hands, or innovative applications that emerge through hands-on experimentation,” says Holman.
As Holman points out, we’re less attached to specific outcomes when we’re playing or making things by hand. “When we approach things as play, there’s all kinds of room to discover things that we might not have set out to make exactly, but because we went in with an open mind, and playfully tinkered, we discover new things, and the unexpected happens,” she says.
That loss of iterative insights, Holman says, has significant business implications. Businesses that rely only on technology to spur innovation miss breakthrough discoveries that can only emerge through physical prototyping.
Yet there is no denying the power of advanced technology to fuel rapid change and remarkable innovation.
The AI-Powered Collaboration Model
At the other end of the spectrum from Holman’s focus on play and hands-on experimentation without the aid of technology, companies like Snowflake are investing heavily in technology-enabled maker spaces that prioritize collaboration and skill development.
Denise Persson, Chief Marketing Officer at Snowflake, oversees the company’s Silicon Valley AI Hub, a 30,000-square-foot facility specifically designed to address critical skills gaps in AI implementation. “The big gap we’re seeing is really around skills,” Persson explains. “Companies understand what AI can do for their organization, but there’s a gap in terms of skill set—how do we actually execute on this vision with technology in our organization?”
Snowflake’s approach combines co-working space for AI startups with executive education programs, creating an environment where entrepreneurs can access both technical resources and business mentorship. The physical space serves 39 founding members and 13 selected startups, with daily programming ranging from hackathons to executive-level strategy sessions.
“There’s definitely magic happening when people are coming together and working together,” Persson notes. “We’re seeing big demand for the space. Before we even officially open, we’ll have at least 1,000 people who have been through the AI hub at one of our events.”
These digital spaces offer an opportunity for non-technical employees to experiment with technology like AI. Clearly there’s a place for both physical and digital “making.”
Strategic Innovation: The Best of Both Worlds
The most successful companies are discovering that a hybrid physical and digital approach to applying the principles of the maker movement aren’t contradictory—they’re complementary. Each addresses different aspects of innovation challenges.
Scott Zimmer has led the buildouts of eight innovation spaces across major financial and telecommunications companies. The former Chief Design Officer at Capital One and Chief Customer Experience Officer at Verizon, says traditional maker spaces served two purposes: permanent places that signal the value that companies place on productivity and an outlet where the creative spirit can be celebrated.
They were perfect, he says, for creating prototypes that could be used in testing. For example, 3-D printing a phone that could be used to indicate to research participants that nothing being tested has been created yet, or constructing “a kiosk from panel board and duct tape so the participant will understand the point isn’t to critique the kiosk, it’s to give feedback on how the new flow makes them feel.”
Today, Zimmer says, these use cases are still relevant. It’s still important for companies to innovate around a simple path:
brainstorming a potential solution
gathering feedback based on the cheapest/fastest prototype possible
iterating toward a problem/solution fit
Whether that’s called “design thinking, human-centered design, or iterative innovation,” he says, doesn’t matter. What does matter is “giving people a place that helps them change their mindsets and step into a new behavior.”
In the new AI era, Zimmer says, this type of “place” is still sorely needed. “It could be physical, or virtual, but it must be a place where any type of creativity is encouraged. Creativity by using AI in different ways probably lends itself more towards hackathons than maker spaces, but perhaps the maker spaces of old would deeply benefit from some new tools: machines with dedicated access to AI solutions that can brainstorm solutions, devise clever ways to build prototypes cheaply, and even simulate customers who give feedback.”
Next Steps
Robert Gilbreath, a fractional C-level executive who has run internal hack days and maker-style prototyping programs, sees maker spaces as “culture engines” that keep teams focused on shipping prototypes and conducting customer tests. “A scrappy prototype plus a one-page business model gets faster buy-in than a deck,” Gilbreath observes.
His practical playbook for leaders includes giving teams “a clear problem, a two-week window, and a tiny budget. Require a prototype, a user test, and a decision.” Most importantly, he advises pairing “a builder with a marketer. The best outcomes come when the person who can cut aluminum or code a demo partners with the person who can pressure-test the story.”
The data supports the importance of both innovation through technology and hands-on making. For example, PwC reports that companies adopting AI in R&D can reduce time-to-market by 50 percent and lower costs by 30 percent. At the same time, hands-on maker methodologies have the potential to produce more innovative solutions while also fostering stronger team collaboration.
This could take the form of a four-step approach for balancing high-tech and hands-on innovation:
Explore. Use physical prototyping for early-stage creation, starting with physical making materials before moving to digital tools.
Accelerate. Once core concepts are validated, move to AI and digital tools for rapid iteration.
Validate. Transition back to hands-on testing with real users who can interact with and experience tangible, tactical prototypes.
Scale. Use technology to expedite implementation and deployment.
Companies should also consider:
Evaluating current innovation processes and how they move or shift between digital concepts, physical prototypes, and the final product.
Creating hybrid spaces where innovation can occur. Even small offices could designate areas for both digital design and physical building.
Mandating cross-function pairs requiring collaboration between technical builders and more hands-on innovators.
Starting small and iterate before scaling across the organization.
Strategically combining the best of both approaches can create environments that effectively foster innovation. The maker movement isn’t dead. In fact, it’s thriving, just in new iterations that continue to be fueled by experiences in both physical and digital settings.
In the growing conversation around AI in education, speed and efficiency often take center stage, but that focus can tempt busy educators to use what’s fast rather than what’s best. To truly serve teachers–and above all, students–AI must be built with intention and clear constraints that prioritize instructional quality, ensuring efficiency never comes at the expense of what learners need most.
AI doesn’t inherently understand fairness, instructional nuance, or educational standards. It mirrors its training and guidance, usually as a capable generalist rather than a specialist. Without deliberate design, AI can produce content that’s misaligned or confusing. In education, fairness means an assessment measures only the intended skill and does so comparably for students from different backgrounds, languages, and abilities–without hidden barriers unrelated to what’s being assessed. Effective AI systems in schools need embedded controls to avoid construct‑irrelevant content: elements that distract from what’s actually being measured.
For example, a math question shouldn’t hinge on dense prose, niche sports knowledge, or culturally-specific idioms unless those are part of the goal; visuals shouldn’t rely on low-contrast colors that are hard to see; audio shouldn’t assume a single accent; and timing shouldn’t penalize students if speed isn’t the construct.
To improve fairness and accuracy in assessments:
Avoid construct-irrelevant content: Ensure test questions focus only on the skills and knowledge being assessed.
Use AI tools with built-in fairness controls: Generic AI models may not inherently understand fairness; choose tools designed specifically for educational contexts.
Train AI on expert-authored content: AI is only as fair and accurate as the data and expertise it’s trained on. Use models built with input from experienced educators and psychometricians.
These subtleties matter. General-purpose AI tools, left untuned, often miss them.
The risk of relying on convenience
Educators face immense time pressures. It’s tempting to use AI to quickly generate assessments or learning materials. But speed can obscure deeper issues. A question might look fine on the surface but fail to meet cognitive complexity standards or align with curriculum goals. These aren’t always easy problems to spot, but they can impact student learning.
To choose the right AI tools:
Select domain-specific AI over general models: Tools tailored for education are more likely to produce pedagogically-sound and standards-aligned content that empowers students to succeed. In a 2024 University of Pennsylvania study, students using a customized AI tutor scored 127 percent higher on practice problems than those without.
Be cautious with out-of-the-box AI: Without expertise, educators may struggle to critique or validate AI-generated content, risking poor-quality assessments.
Understand the limitations of general AI: While capable of generating content, general models may lack depth in educational theory and assessment design.
General AI tools can get you 60 percent of the way there. But that last 40 percent is the part that ensures quality, fairness, and educational value. This requires expertise to get right. That’s where structured, guided AI becomes essential.
Building AI that thinks like an educator
Developing AI for education requires close collaboration with psychometricians and subject matter experts to shape how the system behaves. This helps ensure it produces content that’s not just technically correct, but pedagogically sound.
To ensure quality in AI-generated content:
Involve experts in the development process: Psychometricians and educators should review AI outputs to ensure alignment with learning goals and standards.
Use manual review cycles: Unlike benchmark-driven models, educational AI requires human evaluation to validate quality and relevance.
Focus on cognitive complexity: Design assessments with varied difficulty levels and ensure they measure intended constructs.
This process is iterative and manual. It’s grounded in real-world educational standards, not just benchmark scores.
Personalization needs structure
AI’s ability to personalize learning is promising. But without structure, personalization can lead students off track. AI might guide learners toward content that’s irrelevant or misaligned with their goals. That’s why personalization must be paired with oversight and intentional design.
To harness personalization responsibly:
Let experts set goals and guardrails: Define standards, scope and sequence, and success criteria; AI adapts within those boundaries.
Use AI for diagnostics and drafting, not decisions: Have it flag gaps, suggest resources, and generate practice, while educators curate and approve.
Preserve curricular coherence: Keep prerequisites, spacing, and transfer in view so learners don’t drift into content that’s engaging but misaligned.
Support educator literacy in AI: Professional development is key to helping teachers use AI effectively and responsibly.
It’s not enough to adapt–the adaptation must be meaningful and educationally coherent.
AI can accelerate content creation and internal workflows. But speed alone isn’t a virtue. Without scrutiny, fast outputs can compromise quality.
To maintain efficiency and innovation:
Use AI to streamline internal processes: Beyond student-facing tools, AI can help educators and institutions build resources faster and more efficiently.
Maintain high standards despite automation: Even as AI accelerates content creation, human oversight is essential to uphold educational quality.
Responsible use of AI requires processes that ensure every AI-generated item is part of a system designed to uphold educational integrity.
An effective approach to AI in education is driven by concern–not fear, but responsibility. Educators are doing their best under challenging conditions, and the goal should be building AI tools that support their work.
When frameworks and safeguards are built-in, what reaches students is more likely to be accurate, fair, and aligned with learning goals.
In education, trust is foundational. And trust in AI starts with thoughtful design, expert oversight, and a deep respect for the work educators do every day.
Nick Koprowicz, Prometric
Nick Koprowicz is an applied AI scientist at Prometric, a global leader in credentialing and skills development.
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In my classroom, students increasingly ask for relevant content. Students want to know how what they are learning in school relates to the world beyond the classroom. They want to be engaged in their learning.
In fact, the 2025-2026 Education Insights Report vividly proves that students need and want engaging learning experiences. And it’s not just students who see engagement as important. Engagement is broadly recognized as a key driver of learning and success, with 93 percent of educators agreeing that student engagement is a critical metric for understanding overall achievement. What is more, 99 percent of superintendents believe student engagement is one of the top predictors of success at school.
Creating highly engaging lesson plans that will immerse today’s tech-savvy students in learning can be a challenge, but here are two easy-to-find resources that I can turn to turbo-charge the engagement quotient of my lessons:
Virtual field trips Virtual field trips empower educators to introduce students to amazing places, new people and ideas, and remarkable experiences–without ever leaving the classroom. There are so many virtual field trips out there, but I always love the ones that Discovery Education creates with partners.
I also love the virtual tours of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Together as a class or individually, students can dive into self-guided, room-by-room tours of several exhibits and areas within the museum from a desktop or smart device. This virtual field trip does include special collections and research areas, like ancient Egypt or the deep ocean. This makes it fun and easy for teachers like me to pick and choose which tour is most relevant to a lesson.
Immersive learning resources Immersive learning content offers another way to take students to new places and connect the wider world, and universe, to the classroom. Immersive learning can be easily woven into the curriculum to enhance and provide context.
One immersive learning solution I really like is TimePod Adventures from Verizon. It features free time-traveling episodes designed to engage students in places like Mars and prehistoric Earth. Now accessible directly through a web browser on a laptop, Chromebook, or mobile device, students need only internet access and audio output to begin the journey. Guided by an AI-powered assistant and featuring grade-band specific lesson plans, these missions across time and space encourage students to take control, explore incredible environments, and solve complex challenges.
Immersive learning content can be overwhelming at first, but professional development resources are available to help educators build confidence while earning microcredentials. These resources let educators quickly dive into new and innovative techniques and teaching strategies that help increase student engagement.
Taken together, engaging learning opportunities are ones that show students how classrooms learnings directly connect to their real lives. With resources like virtual field trips and immersive learning content, students can dive into school topics in ways that are fun, fresh, and sometimes otherworldly.
Leia J. DePalo, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
Leia J. (LJ) DePalo is an Elementary STEM and Future Forward Teacher (FFT) in the Northport-East Northport School District with over 20 years of experience in education. LJ holds a Master of Science in Literacy and permanent New York State teaching certifications in Elementary Education, Speech, and Computer Science. A dedicated innovator, she collaborates with teachers to design technology-infused lessons, leads professional development, and choreographs award-winning school musicals. In recognition of her creativity and impact, DePalo was named a 2025 Innovator Grant recipient.
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Leia J. DePalo, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
When our leadership team at Firthmoor Primary met with an OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) representative, one message came through clearly: “Play isn’t a break from learning, it is learning.”
As she flipped through slides, we saw examples from other schools where playgrounds were transformed into hubs of creativity. There were “play stations” where children could build, imagine, and collaborate. One that stood out for me was the simple addition of a music station, where children could dance to songs during break time, turning recess into an outlet for joy, self-expression, and community.
The OPAL program is not about giving children “more time off.” It’s about making play purposeful, inclusive, and developmental. At Firthmoor, our head teacher has made OPAL part of the long-term school plan, ensuring that playtime builds creativity, resilience, and social skills just as much as lessons in the classroom.
After seeing these OPAL examples, I couldn’t help but think about how different this vision is from what dominates the conversation in so many schools: technology. While OPAL emphasizes unstructured play, movement, and creativity, most education systems, both in the UK and abroad, are under pressure to adopt more edtech. The argument is that early access to screens helps children personalize their learning, build digital fluency, and prepare for a future where tech skills are essential.
But what happens when those two philosophies collide?
On one side, programs like OPAL remind us that children need hands-on experiences, imagination, and social connection–skills that can’t be replaced by a tablet. On the other, schools around the world are racing to keep pace with the digital age.
Even in Silicon Valley, where tech innovation is born, schools like the Waldorf School of the Peninsula have chosen to go screen-free in early years. Their reasoning echoes OPAL’s ethos: Creativity and deep human interaction lay stronger cognitive and emotional foundations than any app can provide.
Research supports this caution. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health advises parents and schools to carefully balance screen use with physical activity, sleep, and family interaction. And in 2023, UNESCO warned that “not all edtech improves learning outcomes, and some displace play and social interaction.” Similarly, the OECD’s 2021 report found that heavy screen use among 10-year-olds correlated with lower well-being scores, highlighting the risks of relying too heavily on devices in the early years.
As a governor, I see both sides: the enthusiasm for digital tools that promise engagement and efficiency, and the concern for children’s well-being and readiness for lifelong learning. OPAL has made me think about what kind of foundations we want to lay before layering on technology.
So where does this leave us? For me, the OPAL initiative at Firthmoor is a powerful reminder that education doesn’t have to be an either/or choice between tech and tradition. The real challenge is balance.
This raises important questions for all of us in education:
When is the right time to introduce technology?
How do we balance digital fluency with the need for deep, human-centered learning?
Where do we draw the line between screens and play, and who gets to decide?
This is a conversation not just for educators, but for parents, policymakers, and communities. How do we want the next generation to learn, play, and thrive?
Nesren El-Baz, ESL Educator
Nesren El-Baz is an ESL educator with over 20 years of experience, and is a certified bilingual teacher with a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. El-Baz is currently based in the UK, holds a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Houston Christian University, and specializes in developing in innovative strategies for English Learners and Bilingual education.
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Today’s school IT teams juggle endless demands–secure systems, manageable devices, and tight budgets–all while supporting teachers who need tech that just works.
That’s where interactive displays come in. Modern, OS-agnostic solutions like Promethean’s ActivPanel 10 Premium simplify IT management, integrate seamlessly with existing systems, and cut down on maintenance headaches. For schools, that means fewer compatibility issues, stronger security, and happier teachers.
But these tools do more than make IT’s job easier–they transform teaching and learning. Touch-enabled collaboration, instant feedback, and multimedia integration turn passive lessons into dynamic, inclusive experiences that keep students engaged and help teachers do their best work.
Built to last, interactive displays also support long-term sustainability goals and digital fluency–skills that carry from classroom to career.
Download the full report and see how interactive solutions can help your district simplify IT, elevate instruction, and create future-ready classrooms.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
