ReportWire

Tag: EdTech

  • Take Your Students on an AI Odyssey! (Free Google Slides Game)

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    Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly woven into everyday life. From the tools students use for homework to the technologies shaping future careers, AI is here to stay. With this in mind, it’s increasingly important for our students to understand what AI is and how it works.

    Start this vital conversation without needing to be an AI expert yourself with this fun game from Kids4Tech™. AI Odyssey: Exploring the Universe of Artificial Intelligence offers an exciting, story-driven approach: a space‑themed Google Slides journey that guides students through core concepts like how AI learns, how it helps humans, and the ethical questions it raises. It’s an easy entry point for meaningful discussion and critical thinking around a technology that will shape students’ futures.

    What’s included in the game?

    Your download will include the AI Odyssey game, a student log for tracking learning, and a printable certificate to award students when they finish.

    We Are Teachers

    AI Odyssey: Exploring the Universe of Artificial Intelligence Game

    Your students will have a blast as they build a deep understanding of what artificial intelligence is, how it works, and how it can impact our world as they play this engaging Google Slide game. As they pilot their spaceship from planet to planet, they will gain the knowledge they need to become informed citizens in our world today.

    Images of the explorer logs from the Kids4Teach understanding AI game
    We Are Teachers

    AI Explorer Log

    At each planet your student explorers visit, they will learn about a different aspect of artificial intelligence. They will keep track of their new knowledge on their AI Explorer Log. This serves as a perfect reference tool for them, a place for reflection once they complete their journey, and can be collected as an assessment after the activity has ended.

    Image of the AI Explorer Certificate from the Kids4Tech artificial intelligence game
    We Are Teachers

    AI Explorer Certificate

    Add a bit of celebration to this experience by presenting your students with their AI Explorer Certificate upon completion of their journey.

    AI Odyssey takes students on a fun, interactive journey to learn what artificial intelligence is and how it shows up in everyday life. Through a story‑based game, they build basic problem‑solving skills and gain confidence exploring today’s technology.

    Want even more activities, lessons, articles, and games to strengthen your students’ STEM skills? Check out the Kids4Tech “Teach Your Students To Be AI and Cyber Savvy” page. Help them develop the cyber‑smart skills they’ll need for the future.

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    Meghan Mathis, M.Ed., Elementary and Special Education

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  • The death of the static textbook: Why financial education must be “live”

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    Key points:

    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:

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    Isaac Lamptey, Piggy Investors

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  • AI in edtech: The 2026 efficacy imperative

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    Key points:

    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?
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    Rishi Raj Gera, Magic Edtech

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  • AI for empathy: Using generative tools to deepen, not replace, human connection in schools

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    Key points:

    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.

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    Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester

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  • We built evaluation for accountability–now it’s time to build it for growth

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    Key points:

    Teacher evaluations have been the subject of debate for decades. Breakthroughs have been attempted, but rarely sustained. Researchers have learned that context, transparency, and autonomy matter. What’s been missing is technology that enhances these at scale inside the evaluation process–not around it. 

    As an edtech executive in the AI era, I see exciting possibilities to bring new technology to bear on these factors in the longstanding dilemma of observing and rating teacher effectiveness.

    At the most fundamental level, the goals are simple, just as they are in other professions: provide accountability, celebrate areas of strong performance, and identify where improvement is needed. However, K-12 education is a uniquely visible and important industry. Between 2000 and 2015, quality control in K-12 education became more complex, with states, foundations, and federal policy all shaping the definition and measurement of a “proficient” teacher. 

    For instance, today’s observation cycle might include pre- and post-observation conferences plus scheduled and unscheduled classroom visits. Due to the potential for bias in personal observation, more weight has been given to student achievement, but after critics highlighted problems with measuring teacher performance via standardized test scores, additional metrics and artifacts were included as well.

    All of these changes have resulted in administrators spending more time on observation and evaluation, followed by copying notes between systems and drafting comments–rather than on timely, specific feedback that actually changes practice. “Even when I use Gemini or ChatGPT, I still spend 45 minutes rewriting to fit the district rubric,” one administrator noted.

    “When I think about the evaluation landscape, two challenges rise to the surface,” said Dr. Quintin Shepherd, superintendent at Pflugerville Independent School District in Texas. “The first is the overwhelming volume of information evaluators must gather, interpret, and synthesize. The second is the persistent perception among teachers that evaluation is something being done to them rather than something being done for them. Both challenges point in the same direction: the need for a resource that gives evaluators more capacity and teachers more clarity, immediacy, and ownership. This is where AI becomes essential.”

    What’s at stake

    School leaders are under tremendous pressure. Time and resources are tight. Achieving benchmarks is non-negotiable. There’s plenty of data available to identify patterns and understand what’s working–but analyzing it is not easy when the data is housed in multiple platforms that may not interface with one another. Generic AI tools haven’t solved this.  

    For teachers, professional development opportunities abound, and student data is readily available. But often they don’t receive adequate instructional mentoring to ideate and try out new strategies. 

    Districts that have experimented with AI to provide automated feedback of transcribed recordings of instruction have found limited impact on teaching practices. Teachers report skepticism that the evolving tech tools are able to accurately assess what is happening in their classrooms. Recent randomized controlled trials show that automated feedback can move specific practices when teachers engage with it. But that’s exactly the challenge: Engagement is optional. Evaluations are not. 

    Teachers whose observations and evaluations are compromised or whose growth is stymied by lost opportunities for mentoring may lose out financially. For example, in Texas, the 2025-26 school year is the data capture period for the Teacher Incentive Allotment. This means fair and objective reviews are more important than ever for educators’ future earning potential.

    For all of these reasons, the next wave of innovation has to live inside the required evaluation cycle, not off to the side as another “nice-to-have” tool.

    Streamlining the process

    My background at edtech companies has shown me how eager school leaders are to make data-informed decisions. But I know from countless conversations with administrators that they did not enter the education field to crunch numbers. They are motivated by seeing students thrive. 

    The breakthrough we need now is an AI-powered workspace that sits inside the evaluation system. Shepherd would like to see “AI that quietly assists with continuous evidence collection not through surveillance, but pattern recognition. It might analyze lesson materials for cognitive rigor, scan student work products to detect growth, or help teachers tag artifacts connected to standards.”

    We have the technology to create a collaborative workspace that can be mapped to the district’s framework and used by administrators, coaches, support teams, and educators to capture notes from observations, link them to goals, provide guidance, share lesson artifacts, engage in feedback discussions, and track growth across cycles. After participating in a pilot of one such collaborative workspace, an evaluator said that “for the first time, I wasn’t rewriting my notes to make them fit the rubric. The system kept the feedback clear and instructional instead of just compliance-based.”

    As a superintendent, Shepherd looks forward to AI support for helping make sense of complexity. “Evaluators juggle enormous qualitative loads: classroom culture, student engagement, instructional clarity, differentiation, formative assessment, and more. AI can act as a thinking partner, organizing trends, highlighting possible connections, identifying where to probe deeper, or offering research-based framing for feedback.”

    The evaluation process will always be scrutinized, but what must change is whether it continues to drain time and trust or becomes a catalyst for better teaching. Shepherd expects the pace of adoption to pick up speed as the benefits for educators become clear: “Teachers will have access to immediate feedback loops and tools that help them analyze student work, reconsider lesson structures, or reflect on pacing and questioning. This strengthens professional agency and shifts evaluation from a compliance ritual to a growth process.”

    Real leadership means moving beyond outdated processes and redesigning evaluation to center evidence, clarity, and authentic feedback. When evaluation stops being something to get through and becomes something that improves practice, we will finally see technology drive better teaching and learning.

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    Jena Draper, RefynED

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  • Tade Oyerinde and Teddy Solomon talk about building engaged audiences at TechCrunch Disrupt | TechCrunch

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    Tade Oyerinde and Teddy Solomon know a few things about building communities that last.  

    Afterall, Oyerinde is the founder and chancellor of the online school Campus, while Solomon is the co-founder behind the college social app Fizz. 

    The two spoke at TechCrunch Disrupt this year, breaking down the strategies that helped them scale their companies while retaining consumer interest. 

    Campus offers associate degrees in areas like information technology and business administration. It also offers certificates in specialities like cosmetology and phlebotomy. There are more than 3,000 students enrolled in Campus, and it employs more than 100 professors on at least a part-time basis, Oyerinde says.  

    Oyerinde said Campus decided to launch à la carte courses since employers, in particular, have been asking for classes that can teach their employees individual skills like vibe coding.  

    He’s realized that a lot of people are looking to upskill and believes that in the future, everyone will have some sort of membership or subscription service that helps them develop new skills.  

    “Everyone in this room, not just two-year degree-seeking people, will be able to go to Campus and learn with us,” he told the audience. “Live, online classes, taught by amazing people.”  

    Techcrunch event

    San Francisco
    |
    October 13-15, 2026

    Teddy Solomon; TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Day 3 at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco on Tuesday, Oct 29, 2025. ( Photo By Slava Blazer Photography )Image Credits:Slava Blazer Photography / Flickr (opens in a new window)

    Oyerinde makes use of the Pell Grant to help keep the school affordable for most people. He also has a team of billionaires on his company’s cap table — like OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Discord’s Jason Citroen — meaning he doesn’t feel much pressure to focus on profits above all else, he said.

    “They don’t need the money,” he continued. “What they really want is to fundamentally shape the way that education works in this country for the better.”  

    Fizz, meanwhile, operates on more than 200 college campuses and at one point operated in high schools across the country. It has raised more than $40 million with investors including Owl Ventures and NEA.

    Since launching in 2021, Solomon said the company had adopted features like a peer-to-peer marketplace that’s listed more than 100,000 items, and a video element so people can write more than text posts.  

    Now, the company is looking to build a product called Global Fizz to expand the product beyond the U.S. Solomon spoke more about that on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, where he mapped out the future of the company.

    Solomon told the audience that the company is looking at ways to monetize, focusing on ads in particular. “We’ve already worked with companies like Perplexity,” he said. 

    “There are subscription models that have worked well with apps, but right now we’re focused on our ads business, and we’re focused on building a great product that keeps our users around and makes them happy.” 

    After all, he said, “The users are everything.”  

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    Dominic-Madori Davis

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  • 25 predictions about AI and edtech

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    eSchool News is counting down the 10 most-read stories of 2025. Story #2 focuses on predictions educators made for AI in 2025.

    When it comes to education trends, AI certainly has staying power. As generative AI technologies evolve, educators are moving away from fears about AI-enabled cheating and are embracing the idea that AI can open new doors for teaching and learning.

    AI tools can reduce the administrative burden so many educators carry, can personalize learning for students, and can help students become more engaged in their learning when they use the tools to brainstorm and expand on ideas for assignments and projects. Having AI skills is also essential for today’s students, who will enter a workforce where AI know-how is becoming more necessary for success.

    So: What’s next for AI in education? We asked educators, edtech industry leaders, stakeholders, and experts to share some predictions about where they think AI is headed in 2025. (Here’s our list of 50 predictions for edtech in 2025.)

    Here’s what they had to say:

    In 2025, online program leaders will begin to unlock the vast potential of generative AI, integrating it more deeply into the instructional design process in ways that can amplify and expedite the work of faculty and instructional designers. This technology, already making waves in instruction and assessment, stands poised to transform the creation of online courses. By streamlining time-intensive tasks, generative AI offers the promise of automation, replication, and scalability, enabling institutions to expand their online offerings at an unprecedented pace. The key is that we maintain rigorous standards of quality–and create clear guardrails around the ethical use of AI at a time when increasingly sophisticated models are blurring the lines between human design–and artificial intelligence. Generative AI holds extraordinary promise, but its adoption must be grounded in practices that prioritize equitable and inclusive access, transparency, and educational excellence.
    –Deb Adair, CEO, Quality Matters

    In 2025, education in the United States will reflect both the challenges and opportunities of a system in transition. Uncertainty and change at the federal level will continue to shift decision-making power to states, leaving them with greater autonomy but also greater responsibility. While this decentralization may spark localized innovation, it is just as likely to create uneven standards. In some states, we’ve already seen benchmarks lowered to normalize declines, a trend that could spread as states grapple with resource and performance issues. This dynamic will place an even greater burden on schools, teachers, and academic leaders. As those closest to learners, they will bear the responsibility of bridging the gap between systemic challenges and individual student success. To do so effectively, schools will require tools that reduce administrative complexity, enabling educators to focus on fostering personal connections with students–the foundation of meaningful academic growth. AI will play a transformative role in this landscape, offering solutions to these pressures. However, fragmented adoption driven by decentralized decision-making will lead to inequities, with some districts leveraging AI effectively and others struggling to integrate it. In this complex environment, enterprise platforms that offer flexibility, integration, and choice will become essential. 2025 will demand resilience and creativity, but it also offers all of us an opportunity to refocus on what truly matters: supporting educators and the students they inspire.
    —Scott Anderberg, CEO, Moodle

    As chatbots become more sophisticated, they’re rapidly becoming a favorite among students for their interactive and personalized support, and we can expect to see them increasingly integrated into classrooms, tutoring platforms, and educational apps as educators embrace this engaging tool for learning. Additionally, AI is poised to play an even larger role in education, particularly in test preparation and course planning. By leveraging data and predictive analytics, AI-driven tools will help students and educators create more tailored and effective learning pathways, enhancing the overall educational experience.
    —Brad Barton, CTO, YouScience 

    As we move into 2025,  we’ll move past the AI hype cycle and pivot toward solving tangible classroom challenges. Effective AI solutions will integrate seamlessly into the learning environment, enhancing rather than disrupting the teaching experience. The focus will shift to practical tools that help teachers sustain student attention and engagement–the foundation of effective learning. These innovations will prioritize giving educators greater flexibility and control, allowing them to move freely around the classroom while effortlessly managing and switching between digital resources. An approach that ensures technology supports and amplifies the irreplaceable human connections at the heart of learning, rather than replacing them.
    –Levi Belnap, CEO, Merlyn Mind

    The year 2025 is set to transform science education by implementing AI-driven learning platforms. These platforms will dynamically adjust to the student’s interests and learning paces, enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in education. Additionally, virtual labs and simulations will rise, enabling students to experiment with concepts without geographical constraints. This evolution will make high-quality STEM education more universally accessible.
    –Tiago Costa, Cloud & AI Architect, Microsoft; Pearson Video Lesson Instructor 

    In the two years since GenAI was unleashed, K-12 leaders have ridden the wave of experimentation and uncertainty about the role this transformative technology should have in classrooms and districts. 2025 will see a shift toward GenAI strategy development, clear policy and governance creation, instructional integration, and guardrail setting for educators and students. K-12 districts recognize the need to upskill their teachers, not only to take advantage of GenAI to personalize learning, but also so they can teach students how to use this tech responsibly. On the back end, IT leaders will grapple with increased infrastructure demands and ever-increasing cybersecurity threats.
    —Delia DeCourcy, Senior Strategist, Lenovo Worldwide Education Team

    AI-driven tools will transform the role of teachers and support staff in 2025: The advent of AI will allow teachers to offload mundane administrative tasks to students and provide them more energy to be at the “heart and soul” of the classroom. Moreover, more than two-thirds (64 percent) of parents agreed or strongly agreed that AI should help free teachers from administrative tasks and help them build connections with the classroom. Impact of technological advancements on hybrid and remote learning models in 2025: AI is revolutionizing the online learning experience with personalized pathways, tailored skills development and support, and enhanced content creation. For example, some HBS Online courses, like Launching Tech Ventures, feature an AI course assistant bot to help address learners’ questions and facilitate successful course completion. While the long-term impact remains uncertain, AI is narrowing the gap between online and in-person education. By analyzing user behavior and learning preferences, AI can create adaptive learning environments that dynamically adjust to individual needs, making education more engaging and effective. 
    –David Everson, Senior Director of Marketing Solutions, Laserfiche

    In education and digital publishing, artificial intelligence (AI) will continue transitioning from novelty applications to solutions that address real-world challenges facing educators and students. Successful companies will focus on data security and user trust, and will create learner-centered AI tools to deliver personalized experiences that adapt to individual needs and enhance efficiency for educators, enabling them to dedicate more time to fostering meaningful connections with students. The ethical integration of AI technologies such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is key to this evolution. Unlike traditional large language models that ingest information from the Internet at large, RAG delivers AI outputs that are grounded in authoritative, peer-reviewed content, reducing the risk of misinformation while safeguarding the integrity of intellectual property. Thoughtfully developed AI tools such as this will become partners in the learning journey, encouraging analysis, problem-solving, and creativity rather than fostering dependence on automated responses. By taking a deliberate approach that focuses on ethical practices, user-centered design, and supporting the cultivation of essential skills, successful education companies will use AI less as innovation for its own sake and more as a means to provide rich and memorable teaching and learning experiences.
    —Paul Gazzolo, Senior Vice President & Global General Manager, Gale, a Part of Cengage Group

    Adaptive learning technologies will continue to personalize curriculum and assessment, creating a more responsive and engaging educational journey that reflects each student’s strengths and growth areas. Generative AI and other cutting-edge advancements will be instrumental in building solutions that optimize classroom support, particularly in integrating assessment and instruction. We will see more technology that can help educators understand the past to edit materials in the present, to accelerate teachers planning for the future.
    —Andrew Goldman, EVP, HMH Labs

    We’ll witness a fundamental shift in how we approach student assessment, moving away from conventional testing models toward more authentic experiences that are seamless with instruction. The thoughtful integration of AI, particularly voice AI technology, will transform assessment from an intermittent event into a natural part of the learning process. The most promising applications will be those that combine advanced technology with research-validated methodologies. Voice-enabled assessments will open new possibilities for measuring student knowledge in ways that are more natural and accessible, especially for our youngest learners, leveraging AI’s capabilities to streamline assessment while ensuring that technology serves as a tool to augment, rather than replace, the critical role of teachers.
    –Kristen Huff, Head of Measurement, Curriculum Associates

    AI is already being used by many educators, not just to gain efficiencies, but to make a real difference in how their students are learning. I suspect in 2025 we’ll see even more educators experimenting and leveraging AI tools as they evolve–especially as more of the Gen Z population enters the teaching workforce. In 2024, surveyed K-12 educators reported already using AI to create personalized learning experiences, provide real-time performance feedback, and foster critical thinking skills. Not only will AI usage continue to trend up throughout 2025, I do believe it will reach new heights as more teachers begin to explore GenAI as a hyper-personalized asset to support their work in the classroom. This includes the use of AI as an official teacher’s assistant (TA), helping to score free response homework and tests and providing real-time, individualized feedback to students on their education journey.
    –John Jorgenson, CMO, Cambium Learning Group

    The new year will continue to see the topic of AI dominate the conversation as institutions emphasize the need for students to understand AI fundamentals, ethical considerations, and real-world applications outside of the classroom. However, a widening skills gap between students and educators in AI and digital literacy presents a challenge. Many educators have not prioritized keeping up with rapid technological advancements, while students–often exposed to digital tools early on–adapt quickly. This gap can lead to uneven integration of AI in classrooms, where students sometimes outpace their instructors in understanding. To bridge this divide, comprehensive professional development for teachers is essential, focusing on both technical skills and effective teaching strategies for AI-related topics. Underscoring the evolving tech in classrooms will be the need for evidence of outcomes, not just with AI but all tools. In the post-ESSER era, evidence-based decision-making is crucial for K-12 schools striving to sustain effective programs without federal emergency funds. With the need to further justify expenditures, schools must rely on data to evaluate the impact of educational initiatives on student outcomes, from academic achievement to mental health support. Evidence helps educators and administrators identify which programs truly benefit students, enabling them to allocate resources wisely and prioritize what works. By focusing on measurable results, schools can enhance accountability, build stakeholder trust, and ensure that investments directly contribute to meaningful, lasting improvements in learning and well-being.
    —Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer, Instructure

    With AI literacy in the spotlight, lifelong learning will become the new normal. Immediate skills need: The role of “individual contributors” will evolve, and we will all be managers of AI agents, making AI skills a must-have. Skills of the future: Quantum skills will start to be in demand in the job market as quantum development continues to push forward over the next year. Always in-demand skills: The overall increase in cyberattacks and emerging risks, such as harvest now and decrypt later (HNDL) attacks, will further underscore the continued importance of cybersecurity skills. Upskilling won’t end with AI. Each new wave of technology will demand new skills, so lifelong learners will thrive. AI will not be siloed to use among technology professionals. The democratization of AI technology and the proliferation of AI agents have already made AI skills today’s priority. Looking ahead, quantum skills will begin to grow in demand with the steady advance of the technology. Meanwhile cybersecurity skills are an evergreen need.
    —Lydia Logan, VP of Global Education & Workforce Development, IBM

    This coming year, we’ll see real progress in using technology, particularly GenAI, to free up teachers’ time. This will enable them to focus on what they do best: working directly with students and fostering the deep connections crucial for student growth and achievement. GenAI-powered assistants will streamline lesson planning after digesting information from a sea of assessments to provide personalized recommendations for instruction to an entire class, small groups, and individual students. The bottom line is technology that never aims to replace a teacher’s expertise–nothing ever should–but gives them back time to deepen relationships with students.
    —Jack Lynch, CEO, HMH

    Looking to 2025, I anticipate several key trends that will further enhance the fusion of educators, AI and multimodal learning. AI-powered personalization enhanced by multimedia: AI will deliver personalized learning paths enriched with various content formats. By adapting to individual learning styles–whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic–we can make education more engaging and effective. Expansion of multimodal learning experiences: Students will increasingly expect learning materials that engage multiple senses. Integrating short-form videos created and vetted by actual educators, interactive simulations, and audio content will cater to different learning preferences, making education more inclusive and effective. Deepening collaboration with educators: Teachers will play an even more critical role in developing and curating multimodal content. Their expertise ensures that the integration of technology enhances rather than detracts from the learning experience.
    –Nhon Ma, CEO & Co-founder, Numerade

    AI and automation become a competitive advantage for education platforms and systems. 2025 will be the year for AI to be more infused in education initiatives and platforms. AI-powered solutions have reached a tipping point from being a nice-to-have to a must-have in order to deliver compelling and competitive education experiences. When we look at the education sector, the use cases are clear. From creating content like quizzes, to matching students with education courses that meet their needs, to grading huge volumes of work, enhancing coaching and guidance for students, and even collecting, analyzing and acting on feedback from learners, there is so much value to reap from AI. Looking ahead, there could be additional applications in education for multimodal AI models, which are capable of processing and analyzing complex documents including images, tables, charts, and audio.
    —Rachael Mohammed, Corporate Social Responsibility Digital Offerings Leader, IBM

    Agentic and Shadow AI are here. Now, building guardrails for safe and powerful use will be key for education providers and will require new skillsets. In education, we expect the start of a shift from traditional AI tools to agents. In addition, the mainstream use of AI technology with ChatGPT and OpenAI has increased the potential risk of Shadow AI (the use of non-approved public AI applications, potentially causing concerns about compromising sensitive information). These two phenomena highlight the importance of accountability, data and IT policies, as well as control of autonomous systems. This is key mostly for education providers, where we think there will be greater attention paid to the AI guardrails and process. To be prepared, educators, students, and decision makers at all levels need to be upskilled in AI, with a focus on AI ethics and data management. If we invest in training the workforce now, they will be ready to responsibly develop and use AI and AI agents in a way that is trustworthy.
    —Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President & Chief Impact Officer, IBM

    Rather than replacing human expertise, AI can be used as a resource to allow someone to focus more of their time on what’s truly important and impactful. As an educator, AI has become an indispensable tool for creating lesson plans. It helps generate examples, activity ideas, and anticipate future students’ questions, freeing me to focus on the broader framework and the deeper meaning of what I’m teaching.
    –Sinan Ozdemir, Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Shiba Technologies; Author, Quick Start Guide to Large Language Models 

    Data analytics and AI will be essential towards tackling the chronic absenteeism crisis. In 2025, the conversation around belonging will shift from abstract concepts to concrete actions in schools. Teachers who build strong relationships with both students and families will see better attendance and engagement, leading more schools to prioritize meaningful connection-building over quick-fix solutions. We’ll see more districts move toward personalized, two-way school communications that create trust with parents and the larger school community. In order to keep up with the growing need for this type of individualized outreach, schools will use data analytics and AI to identify attendance and academic patterns that indicate students are at risk of becoming chronically absent. It won’t be dramatic, but we’ll see steady progress throughout the year as schools recognize that student success depends on creating environments where both students and families feel valued and heard.
    —Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education and Engagement, SchoolStatus

    As access to AI resources gains ground in classrooms, educators will face a dire responsibility to not only master these tools but to establish guidelines and provide best practices to ensure effective and responsible use. The increasing demand for AI requires educators to stay informed about emerging applications and prioritize ethical practices, ensuring AI enhances rather than impedes educational outcomes.. This is particularly critical in STEM fields, where AI has already transformed industries and is shaping career paths, providing new learning opportunities for students. To prevent the exacerbation of the existing STEM gap, educators must prioritize equitable access to AI resources and tools, ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have the opportunity to engage with and fully understand these technologies. This focus on equity is essential in leveling the playing field, helping bridge disparities that could otherwise limit students’ future success. Achieving these goals will require educators to engage in professional development programs designed to equip them with necessary skills and content knowledge to implement new technology in their classrooms. Learning how to foster inclusive environments is vital to cultivating a positive school climate where students feel motivated to succeed. Meanwhile, professionally-trained educators can support the integration of new technologies to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive in this new educational landscape.
    —Michelle Stie, Vice President, Program Design & Innovation, NMSI

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to increase in use in K-12 classrooms, with literacy instruction emerging as a key area for transformative impact. While educators may associate AI with concerns like cheating, its potential to enhance human-centered teaching is gaining recognition. By streamlining administrative tasks, AI empowers teachers to focus on connecting with students and delivering personalized instruction. One trend to watch is AI’s role in automating reading assessments. These tools reduce the time educators spend administering and analyzing tests, offering real-time insights that guide individualized instruction. AI is also excelling at pinpointing skill gaps, allowing teachers to intervene early, particularly in foundational reading areas.  Another emerging trend is AI-driven reading practice. Tools can adapt to each student’s needs, delivering engaging, personalized reading tutoring with immediate corrective feedback. This ensures consistent, intentional practice–a critical factor in literacy growth. Rather than replacing teachers, AI frees up educator time for what matters most: fostering relationships with students and delivering high-quality instruction. As schools look to optimize resources in the coming year, AI’s ability to augment literacy instruction can be an important tool that maximizes students’ growth, while minimizing teachers’ work.
    —Janine Walker-Caffrey, Ed.D., Chief Academic Officer, EPS Learning

    We expect a renewed focus on human writing with a broader purpose–clear communication that demonstrates knowledge and understanding, enhanced, not replaced by available technology. With AI making basic elements of writing more accessible to all, this renaissance of writing will emphasize the ability to combine topical knowledge, critical thinking, mastery of language and AI applications to develop written work. Instead of being warned against using generative AI, students will be asked to move from demand–asking AI writing tools to produce work on their behalf, to command–owning the content creation process from start to finish and leveraging technology where it can be used to edit, enhance or expand original thinking. This shift will resurface the idea of co-authorship, including transparency around how written work comes together and disclosure of when and how AI tools were used to support the process. 
    —Eric Wang, VP of AI, Turnitin

    GenAI and AI writing detection tools will evolve, adding advanced capabilities to match each other’s detectability flex. End users are reaching higher levels of familiarity and maturity with AI functionality, resulting in a shift in how they are leveraged. Savvy users will take a bookend approach, focusing on early stage ideation, organization and expansion of original ideas as well as late stage refinement of ideas and writing. Coupling the use of GenAI with agentic AI applications will help to overcome current limitations, introducing multi-source analysis and adaptation capabilities to the writing process. Use of detection tools will improve as well, with a focus on preserving the teaching and learning process. In early stages, detection tools and indicator reports will create opportunities to focus teaching on addressing knowledge gaps and areas lacking original thought or foundation. Later stage detection will offer opportunities to strengthen the dialogue between educators and students, providing transparency that will reduce student risk and increase engagement.
    —Eric Wang, VP of AI, Turnitin

    Advanced AI tools will provide more equitable access for all students, inclusive of reaching students in their home language, deaf and hard of hearing support through AI-enabled ASL videos, blind and visually impaired with real time audio descriptions, tactiles, and assistive technology.
    –Trent Workman, SVP for U.S. School Assessments, Pearson 

    Generative AI everywhere: Generative AI, like ChatGPT, is getting smarter and more influential every day, with the market expected to grow a whopping 46 percent every year from now until 2030. By 2025, we’ll likely see AI churning out even more impressive text, images, and videos–completely transforming industries like marketing, design, and content creation. Under a Trump administration that might take a more “hands-off” approach, we could see faster growth with fewer restrictions holding things back. That could mean more innovative tools hitting the market sooner, but it will also require companies to be careful about privacy and job impacts on their own. The threat of AI-powered cyberattacks: Experts think 2025 might be the year cybercriminals go full throttle with AI. Think about it: with the advancement of the technology, cyberattacks powered by AI models could start using deepfakes, enhanced social engineering, and ultra-sophisticated malware. If the Trump administration focuses on cybersecurity mainly for critical infrastructure, private companies could face gaps in support, leaving sectors like healthcare and finance on their own to keep up with new threats. Without stronger regulations, businesses will have to get creative–and fast–when it comes to fighting off these attacks.
    –Alon Yamin, Co-Founder & CEO, Copyleaks

    Laura Ascione
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    Laura Ascione

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  • Edtech teaching strategies that support sustainability

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    eSchool News is counting down the 10 most-read stories of 2025. Story #7 focuses on sustainability in edtech.

    Key points:

    Educational technology, or edtech, has reshaped how educators teach, offering opportunities to create more sustainable and impactful learning environments.

    Using edtech in teaching, educators and school leaders can reduce environmental impact while enhancing student engagement and creativity. The key is recognizing how to effectively leverage edtech learning strategies, from digitized lesson plans to virtual collaboration, and keeping an open mind while embracing new instructional methods.

    Rethinking teaching methods in the digital age

    Teaching methods have undergone significant transformation with the rise of educational technology. Traditional classroom settings are evolving, integrating tools and techniques that prioritize active participation and collaboration.

    Here are three edtech learning strategies:

    • The flipped classroom model reverses the typical teaching structure. Instead of delivering lectures in class and assigning homework, teachers provide pre-recorded lessons or materials for students to review at home. Classroom time is then used for hands-on activities, group discussions, or problem-solving tasks.
    • Gamification is another method gaining traction. By incorporating game-like elements such as point systems, leaderboards, and challenges into lesson plans, teachers can motivate students and make learning more interactive. Platforms like Kahoot and Classcraft encourage participation while reducing paper-based activities.
    • Collaborative online tools, such as Google Workspace for Education, also play a critical role in modern classrooms. They enable students to work together on projects in real time, eliminating the need for printed resources. These tools enhance teamwork and streamline the sharing of information in eco-friendly ways.

    Sustainability and innovation in education

    Have you ever wondered how much paper schools use? There are approximately 100,000 schools in this country that consume about 32 billion sheets of paper yearly. On a local level, the average school uses 2,000 sheets daily–that comes out to $16,000 a year. Think about what else that money could be used for in your school.

    Here are ways that edtech can reduce reliance on physical materials:

    • Digital textbooks minimize the need for printed books and reduce waste. Through e-readers, students access a vast library of resources without carrying heavy, paper-based textbooks.
    • Virtual labs provide another example of sustainable education. These labs allow students to conduct experiments in a simulated environment, eliminating the need for disposable materials or expensive lab setups. These applications offer interactive simulations that are cost-effective and eco-conscious.
    • Schools can also adopt learning management systems to centralize course materials, assignments, and feedback. By using these platforms, teachers can cut down on printed handouts and encourage digital submissions, further reducing paper usage.

    Additionally, edtech platforms are beginning to incorporate budget-friendly tools designed with sustainability in mind; some of these resources are free. For instance, apps that monitor energy consumption or carbon footprints in school operations can educate students about environmental stewardship while encouraging sustainable practices in their own lives.

    Supporting teachers in the shift to edtech

    Transitioning to edtech can be a challenging yet rewarding experience for educators. By streamlining administrative tasks and enhancing lesson delivery, technology empowers teachers to focus on what matters most: engaging students.

    Circling back to having an open mind–while many teachers are eager to adopt edtech learning strategies, others might struggle more with technology. You need to expect this and be prepared to offer continuous support. Professional development opportunities are essential to ease the adoption of edtech. Schools can offer workshops and training sessions to help teachers feel confident with new tools. For instance, hosting peer-led sessions where educators share best practices fosters a collaborative approach to learning and implementation.

    Another way to support teachers is by providing access to online resources that offer lesson plans, tutorials, and templates. Encouraging experimentation and flexibility in teaching methods can also lead to better integration of technology. By allowing teachers to adapt tools to their unique classroom needs, schools can foster an environment where innovation thrives.

    If you’re concerned about bumps on this road, remember teachers have common traits that align with edtech. Good teachers are organized, flexible, have communication skills, and are open-minded. Encourage a team approach that’s motivating and leverages their love of learning.

    Bringing sustainability and enhanced learning to classrooms

    The integration of edtech learning strategies into classrooms brings sustainability and enhanced learning experiences to the forefront. By reducing reliance on physical materials and introducing eco-friendly tools, schools can significantly lower their environmental impact. At the same time, teachers gain access to methods that inspire creativity and collaboration among students.

    There’s also this: Edtech learning strategies are constantly evolving, so you’ll want to stay on top of these trends. While many of those focus on learning strategies, others are more about emergency response, safety, and data management,

    Investing in modern technologies and supporting teachers through training and resources ensures the success of these initiatives. By embracing edtech learning strategies, educators and administrators can create classrooms that are not only effective but also sustainable–a win for students, teachers, and the planet.

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    Sam Bowman, Contributing Writer

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  • Why every middle school student deserves a second chance to learn to read

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    Key points:

    Between kindergarten and second grade, much of the school day is dedicated to helping our youngest students master phonics, syllabication, and letter-sound correspondence–the essential building blocks to lifelong learning.

    Unfortunately, this foundational reading instruction has been stamped with an arbitrary expiration date. Students who miss that critical learning window, including our English Language Learners (ELL), children with learning disabilities, and those who find reading comprehension challenging, are pushed forward through middle and high school without the tools they need. In the race to catch up to classmates, they struggle academically, emotionally, and in extreme cases, eventually disengage or drop out.

    Thirteen-year-old Alma, for instance, was still learning the English language during those first three years of school. She grappled with literacy for years, watching her peers breeze through assignments while she stumbled over basic decoding. However, by participating in a phonetics-first foundational literacy program in sixth grade, she is now reading at grade level.

    “I am more comfortable when I read,” she shared. “And can I speak more fluently.”

    Alma’s words represent a transformation that American education typically says is impossible after second grade–that every child can become a successful reader if given a second chance.

    Lifting up the learners left behind 

    At Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated School in Hanover, Ind., I teach middle-school students like Alma who are learning English as their second language. Many spent their formative school years building oral language proficiency and, as a result, lost out on systematic instruction grounded in English phonics patterns. 

    These bright and ambitious students lack basic foundational skills, but are expected to keep up with their classmates. To help ELL students access the same rigorous content as their peers while simultaneously building the decoding skills they missed, we had to give them a do-over without dragging them a step back. 

    Last year, we introduced our students to Readable English, a research-backed phonetic system that makes English decoding visible and teachable at any age. The platform embeds foundational language instruction into grade-level content, including the textbooks, novels, and worksheets all students are using, but with phonetic scaffolding that makes decoding explicit and systematic.

    To help my students unlock the code behind complicated English language rules, we centered our classroom intervention on three core components:

    • Rhyming: The ability to rhyme, typically mastered by age five, is a key early literacy indicator. However, almost every ELL student in my class was missing this vital skill. Changing even one letter can alter the sound of a word, and homographic words like “tear” have completely different sounds and meanings. By embedding a pronunciation guide into classroom content, glyphs–or visual diacritical marks–indicate irregular sounds in common words and provide key information about the sound a particular letter makes.
    • Syllabication patterns: Because our ELL students were busy learning conversational English during the critical K-2 years, systematic syllable division, an essential decoding strategy, was never practiced. Through the platform, visual syllable breaks organize words into simple, readable chunks that make patterns explicit and teachable.
    • Silent letter patterns: With our new phonics platform, students can quickly “hear” different sounds. Unmarked letters make their usual sound while grayed-out letters indicate those with a silent sound. For students frustrated with pronunciation, pulling back the curtain on language rules provided them with that “a-ha” moment.

    The impact on our students’ reading proficiency has been immediate and measurable, creating a cognitive energy shift from decoding to comprehension. Eleven-year-old Rodrigo, who has been in the U.S. for only two years, reports he’s “better at my other classes now” and is seeing boosts in his science, social studies, and math grades.

    Taking a new step on a nationwide level

    The middle-school reading crisis in the U.S. is devastating for our students. One-third of eighth-graders failed to hit the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) benchmark in reading, the largest percentage ever. In addition, students who fail to build literacy skills exhibit lower levels of achievement and are more likely to drop out of school. 

    The state of Indiana has recognized the crisis and, this fall, launched a new reading initiative for middle-school students. While this effort is a celebrated first step, every school needs the right tools to make intervention a success, especially for our ELL students. 

    Educators can no longer expect students to access grade-level content without giving them grade-level decoding skills. Middle-school students need foundational literacy instruction that respects their age, cognitive development, and dignity. Revisiting primary-grade phonics curriculum isn’t the right answer–educators must empower kids with phonetic scaffolding embedded in the same content their classmates are learning. 

    To help all students excel and embrace a love of reading, it’s time to reject the idea that literacy instruction expires in second grade. Instead, all of us can provide every child, at any age, the chance to become a successful lifelong reader who finds joy in the written word.

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    Kim Hicks, Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated School

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  • 9 Reasons Teachers Are Loving MyViewBoard

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    The best classroom tech is the kind that makes life easier, not more complicated. That’s why teachers are loving ViewSonic’s myViewBoard. Unlike other whiteboard/smartboards that lock you into a specific device or operating system, myViewBoard works on any interactive device, laptop, or tablet so you can teach your way, wherever you and your students are.

    Teachers appreciate that they can easily pull in videos, images, or web content, add interactive elements, and save everything with one click. Less setup, more flexibility, and a digital whiteboard that actually supports real classroom teaching. From simplifying prep to sparking student participation and collaboration, here are nine reasons teachers are such big fans of this tool.

    1. Upgrade your existing content

    ViewSonic

    Teachers can easily use their current lesson materials like PowerPoint slides, Google Slides, PDFs, and images. myViewBoard also works with special formats like Flipchart and Smart Notebook files, so switching from other tools is simple. Like using Google Slides or Powerpoint? No problem. Check out how this teacher uses her myViewBoard to view full-sized versions of slides she made in Google and edits them in real time.

    2. Spark more student collaboration

    With myViewBoard, up to six students can write at the same time on their own canvas. Teachers can add notes, give grades, and save each student’s work. Teacher Jessica K. shares, “I love having students come up and manipulate the board. They love to come up and write, highlight, move objects, etc.”

    3. Supercharge your whiteboard pen

    Image of a student using a myViewBoard in class
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    Customize the Shape pen for shapes or objects you use often. It’s great for math, music, or organizing ideas visually. Easy-to-use pen and shape tools include different color options and pen types such as brush, highlighter, AI pen, and more. Preset shape tools allow you to insert 3D shapes, lines, and tables instantly.

    4. Upgrade your YouTube viewing

    Sometimes small benefits make life so much easier. When asked about her favorite part of myViewBoard, teacher Adrienne T. didn’t hesitate: “The Magic Box: It holds a lot of magic here. … I love the YouTube feature because I can search for videos. Once I find a video I love, I can either preview it or add it to the canvas. … And what makes it so great is no ads. When I press play for my students, I don’t have to skip through the ads.”

    5. Stop switching screens

    Sometimes it’s the littlest time-savers that can make a big difference. With myViewBoard’s embedded browser, you can open websites—like phET for interactive science and math simulations—right within myViewBoard, making it easier than ever to bring dynamic content into your lessons.

    Math teacher Carol H. shares, “The interactive board makes teaching math so much fun. It keeps students engaged and allows hands-on practice. I use it for all subjects, but math and calendar skills are a student favorite.”

    myViewBoard has multiple interactive tools that allow students to visualize concepts like slope, angles, and measurement in real time, turning abstract ideas into concrete experiences. With the XY Graph, Ruler, and Protractor, teachers can easily demonstrate geometric constructions, graph equations, explore coordinate systems, and more. These tools make math not just accessible but genuinely fun.

    7. Shine a light on what matters

    Have any students who benefit from visual cues or need a little extra support staying engaged? If so, myViewBoard’s Spotlight tool is something you don’t want to miss. It easily allows you to highlight key parts of your lesson, a diagram, a sentence, or a math problem, so students will know exactly where to focus. Teachers love it because it keeps the whole class on track without having to constantly redirect attention. It’s like having a digital flashlight that guides learning in real time.

    8. Gamify your lessons

    The dice tool in myViewBoard is one of those simple features that can instantly boost classroom energy. You can roll one or two dice to generate numbers for quick math practice, but the tool gets even more interesting when you customize the dice with pictures or words. Then you’ve got a tool that works for vocabulary games, story starters, review activities, or even team challenges. It’s flexible enough to fit any subject, and because students never know what they’re going to roll, it keeps them engaged and ready to participate.

    9. Boost recall with picture flashcards

    myViewBoard allows you to create flashcards that combine pictures and text. This takes your review materials to the next level. You’re not just drilling facts, you’re helping students see connections and trigger memory through images, making recall stronger. And because you can build your flashcards right in the myViewBoard canvas, you can update or change the flashcards right in class based on what your students need to review.

    No-prep, real-time comprehension checks. What a great idea! ClassSwift Lite is built right into myViewBoard, so teachers can launch quick checks for understanding without any extra setup. Just take a screenshot of anything on your whiteboard or from the web and instantly share it with students. You can ask multiple-choice, true-or-false, audio, or sketch-based questions. It’s a fast and easy way to see what students understand—using the content you’re already teaching.

    See just how much myViewBoard can do for your classroom. Head over to ViewSonic to explore all the tools and features waiting to make teaching and learning even more engaging.

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    Meghan Mathis, M.Ed., Elementary and Special Education

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  • Funding technology initiatives in uncertain times

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    Key points:

    Recent policy shifts have caused significant uncertainty in K-12 education funding, especially for technology initiatives. It’s no longer business as usual. Schools can’t rely on the same federal operating funds they’ve traditionally used to purchase technology or support innovation. This unpredictability has pushed school districts to explore creative, nontraditional ways to fund technology initiatives. To succeed, it’s important to understand how to approach these funding opportunities strategically.

    How to find funding

    Despite the challenges, there are still many grants available to support education initiatives and technology projects. Start with an online search using key terms related to your project–for example, “virtual reality,” “virtual field trips,” or “career and technical education.”

    Explore national organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or Project Tomorrow and consider potential local funding sources. Local organizations such as Rotary or Kiwanis clubs can be powerful allies in helping to fund projects. The local library and city or county government may also offer grants or partnership opportunities. Schools should also reach out to locally-headquartered businesses, many of which have community outreach or corporate social responsibility goals that align with supporting local education.

    Colleges and universities are another valuable resource. They may be conducting research that aligns with your school’s technology project. Building relationships with these institutions and organizations can put your school “in the right place at the right time” when new funding opportunities arise.

    Strategies to win the grant

    Once potential funding sources are identified, the next step is crafting a compelling proposal. Consider the following strategies to strengthen your application.

    1. Focus on the “how and why,” not just the “what.” If your school is seeking funds to buy hardware, don’t simply say, “Here’s what we want to buy.” Instead, frame it as, “Here’s how this project will improve student learning and why it matters.” Funders want to see the impact their support will have on outcomes. The more clearly a proposal connects technology to learning gains, the stronger it will be.

    2. Highlight the research. Use evidence to validate your project’s value. For example, if a school plans to purchase virtual reality headsets, cite studies showing that VR improves knowledge retention, engagement, and comprehension compared to traditional instruction. Demonstrating that the technology is research-backed helps funders feel confident in their investment.

    3. Paint a picture. Bring the project to life. Describe what students will experience and how they’ll benefit. For example: “When students put on the headset, they aren’t just reading about ancient civilizations, they’re walking through them.” Vivid descriptions help reviewers visualize the impact and believe in your vision.

    Eight questions to consider when applying for a grant

    Use these guiding questions to sharpen your proposal and ensure a strong foundation for implementation and long-term success.

    1. What is the goal? Clearly define what students will be able to do as a result of the project. Use action-orientated language: “Students will be able to…”
    2. Is the technology effective? Support your proposal with evidence such as whitepapers, case studies, or research that can demonstrate proven impact.
    3. How will the technology impact these specific students? Emphasize what makes your school or district unique, whether it’s serving a rural, urban, or high-poverty community and how this technology addresses those specific needs.
    4. What is the scope of the application? Specify whether the project involves elementary school, secondary school, or a specific subject or program like a STEM lab.
    5. How will success be measured? Too often schools reach the end of a project without a plan to track results. Plan your evaluation from the start. Track key metrics such as attendance, disciplinary data, academic performance, or engagement surveys, both before and after implementation to demonstrate results.
    6. What are your budgetary needs? Include all associated costs, including professional development and substitute coverage for teacher training.
    7. What happens after the grant is over? If you plan to use the technology for multiple years, apply for a multi-year grant rather than assuming future funding will appear. Sustainability is key.
    8. How will success be celebrated and communicated to stakeholders? Share results with the community and stakeholders. Host events recognizing teachers, students, and partners. Invite local media and highlight your funding partners–they’re not just donors, but partners in student success.

    Moving forward with confidence

    Education funding will likely remain uncertain in the years ahead. However, by being intentional about where to look for funds, how to frame proposals, and how to measure and share impact, schools can continue to implement innovative technology initiatives that elevate teaching and learning.

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    Gillian Rhodes, Avantis Education

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  • Do screens help or hurt K-8 learning? Lessons from the UK’s OPAL program

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    Key points:

    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?

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    Nesren El-Baz, ESL Educator

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  • K-12 districts are fighting ransomware, but IT teams pay the price

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    Key points:

    The education sector is making measurable progress in defending against ransomware, with fewer ransom payments, dramatically reduced costs, and faster recovery rates, according to the fifth annual Sophos State of Ransomware in Education report from Sophos.

    Still, these gains are accompanied by mounting pressures on IT teams, who report widespread stress, burnout, and career disruptions following attacks–nearly 40 percent of the 441 IT and cybersecurity leaders surveyed reported dealing with anxiety.

    Over the past five years, ransomware has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to education–with attacks becoming a daily occurrence. Primary and secondary institutions are seen by cybercriminals as “soft targets”–often underfunded, understaffed, and holding highly sensitive data. The consequences are severe: disrupted learning, strained budgets, and growing fears over student and staff privacy. Without stronger defenses, schools risk not only losing vital resources but also the trust of the communities they serve.

    Indicators of success against ransomware

    The new study demonstrates that the education sector is getting better at reacting and responding to ransomware, forcing cybercriminals to evolve their approach. Trending data from the study reveals an increase in attacks where adversaries attempt to extort money without encrypting data. Unfortunately, paying the ransom remains part of the solution for about half of all victims. However, the payment values are dropping significantly, and for those who have experienced data encryption in ransomware attacks, 97 percent were able to recover data in some way. The study found several key indicators of success against ransomware in education:

    • Stopping more attacks: When it comes to blocking attacks before files can be encrypted, both K-12 and higher education institutions reported their highest success rate in four years (67 percent and 38 percent of attacks, respectively).
    • Following the money: In the last year, ransom demands fell 73 percent (an average drop of $2.83M), while average payments dropped from $6M to $800K in lower education and from $4M to $463K in higher education.
    • Plummeting cost of recovery: Outside of ransom payments, average recovery costs dropped 77 percent in higher education and 39 percent in K-12 education. Despite this success, K-12 education reported the highest recovery bill across all industries surveyed.

    Gaps still need to be addressed

    While the education sector has made progress in limiting the impact of ransomware, serious gaps remain. In the Sophos study, 64 percent of victims reported missing or ineffective protection solutions; 66 percent cited a lack of people (either expertise or capacity) to stop attacks; and 67 percent admitted to having security gaps. These risks highlight the critical need for schools to focus on prevention, as cybercriminals develop new techniques, including AI-powered attacks.

    Highlights from the study that shed light on the gaps that still need to be addressed include:

    • AI-powered threats: K-12 education institutions reported that 22 percent of ransomware attacks had origins in phishing. With AI enabling more convincing emails, voice scams, and even deepfakes, schools risk becoming test grounds for emerging tactics.
    • High-value data: Higher education institutions, custodians of AI research and large language model datasets, remain a prime target, with exploited vulnerabilities (35 percent) and security gaps the provider was not aware of (45 percent) as leading weaknesses that were exploited by adversaries.
    • Human toll: Every institution with encrypted data reported impacts on IT staff. Over one in four staff members took leave after an attack, nearly 40 percent reported heightened stress, and more than one-third felt guilt they could not prevent the breach.

    “Ransomware attacks in education don’t just disrupt classrooms, they disrupt communities of students, families, and educators,” said Alexandra Rose, director of CTU Threat Research at Sophos. “While it’s encouraging to see schools strengthening their ability to respond, the real priority must be preventing these attacks in the first place. That requires strong planning and close collaboration with trusted partners, especially as adversaries adopt new tactics, including AI-driven threats.”

    Holding on to the gains

    Based on its work protecting thousands of educational institutions, Sophos experts recommend several steps to maintain momentum and prepare for evolving threats:

    • Focus on prevention: The dramatic success of lower education in stopping ransomware attacks before encryption offers a blueprint for broader public sector organizations. Organizations need to couple their detection and response efforts with preventing attacks before they compromise the organization.
    • Secure funding: Explore new avenues such as the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate subsidies to strengthen networks and firewalls, and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre initiatives, including its free cyber defense service for schools, to boost overall protection. These resources help schools both prevent and withstand attacks.
    • Unify strategies: Educational institutions should adopt coordinated approaches across sprawling IT estates to close visibility gaps and reduce risks before adversaries can exploit them.
    • Relieve staff burden: Ransomware takes a heavy toll on IT teams. Schools can reduce pressure and extend their capabilities by partnering with trusted providers for managed detection and response (MDR) and other around-the-clock expertise.
    • Strengthen response: Even with stronger prevention, schools must be prepared to respond when incidents occur. They can recover more quickly by building robust incident response plans, running simulations to prepare for real-world scenarios, and enhancing readiness with 24/7/365 services like MDR.

    Data for the State of Ransomware in Education 2025 report comes from a vendor-agnostic survey of 441 IT and cybersecurity leaders – 243 from K-12 education and 198 from higher education institutions hit by ransomware in the past year. The organizations surveyed ranged from 100-5,000 employees and across 17 countries. The survey was conducted between January and March 2025, and respondents were asked about their experience of ransomware over the previous 12 months.

    This press release originally appeared online.

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    ESchool Media Contributors

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  • Work Smarter With This Free AI Teacher Guide

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    If you feel like you’ve been hearing about artificial intelligence (AI) nonstop lately, you’re not alone. For teachers, it can feel both exciting and overwhelming. AI promises to save time and spark new ideas, but we know there are a lot of concerns about how to make sure it’s being used responsibly. That’s where this guide comes in. Created by Moreland University, the AI Quick-Start Guide offers practical tips, simple dos and don’ts, and ready-to-use examples to help you explore AI in your classroom. It’s a perfect starting place if you’ve been hesitant to try out AI, and a wonderful resource full of helpful tools if you’ve already started exploring how to use AI as a teacher.

    Explore the Guide

    This Quick-Start Guide covers practical tips to help you build confidence with artificial intelligence (AI) prompting and unlock the benefits of using AI in your teaching.

    We Are Teachers

    AI Prompting Tips

    Learn how to write clear, effective AI prompts that help you quickly generate useful ideas, templates, and resources—saving you time and reducing your workload.

    Picture of the AI prompting page from the AI Teacher's Guide
    We Are Teachers

    Your Go-To Prompt Structure

    These reusable prompt formulas will quickly become your favorite tools for getting AI results that feel like they were exactly what you were looking for every time.

    We Are Teachers

    The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Prompts for AI

    Not just for teachers (you may want to display this one for your students too), this super-helpful list provides tips on how to get the most out of your AI writing prompts. It will quickly become one of your classroom’s most frequently referenced AI tools.

    Image of a page from the AI Teacher's Guide
    We Are Teachers

    Using AI Responsibly

    How to use AI in a responsible and safe way is one of the most important lessons we can teach our students about AI. This page offers key tips to help teachers use AI wisely and set a positive example for students.

    Moreland University offers free resources to help educators grow at every stage of their careers. The fully accredited, 100% online university also provides 9-month teacher certification, 12-month master’s degrees, and ongoing professional development. 

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    Meghan Mathis, M.Ed., Elementary and Special Education

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  • Strengthening middle school literacy: What educators need to know

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    Key points:

    Literacy has always been the foundation of learning, but for middle school students, the stakes are especially high. These years mark the critical shift from learning to read to reading to learn.

    When students enter sixth, seventh, or eighth grade still struggling with foundational skills, every subject becomes harder–science labs, social studies texts, even math word problems require reading proficiency. For educators, the challenge is not just addressing gaps but also building the confidence that helps adolescents believe they can succeed.

    The confidence gap

    By middle school, many students are keenly aware when they’re behind their peers in reading. Interventions that feel too elementary can undermine motivation. As Dr. Michelle D. Barrett, Senior Vice President of Research, Policy, and Impact at Edmentum, explained:

    “If you have a student who’s in the middle grades and still has gaps in foundational reading skills, they need to be provided with age-appropriate curriculum and instruction. You can’t give them something that feels babyish–that only discourages them.”

    Designing for engagement

    Research shows that engagement is just as important as instruction, particularly for adolescents. “If students aren’t engaged, if they’re not showing up to school, then you have a real problem,” Barrett said. “It’s about making sure that even if students have gaps, they’re still being supported with curriculum that feels relevant and engaging.”

    To meet that need, digital programs like Edmentum’s Exact Path tailor both design and content to the learner’s age. “A middle schooler doesn’t want the cartoony things our first graders get,” Barrett noted. “That kind of thing really does matter–not just for engagement, but also for their confidence and willingness to keep going.”

    Measuring what works

    Educators also need strong data to target interventions. “It’s all about how you’re differentiating for those students,” Barrett said. “You’ve got to have great assessments, engaging content that’s evidence-based, and a way for students to feel and understand success.”

    Exact Path begins with universal screening, then builds personalized learning paths grounded in research-based reading progressions. More than 60 studies in the past two years have shown consistent results. “When students complete eight skills per semester, we see significant growth across grade levels–whether measured by NWEA MAP, STAR, or state assessments,” Barrett added.

    That growth extends across diverse groups. “In one large urban district, we found the effect sizes for students receiving special education services were twice that of their peers,” Barrett said. “That tells us the program can be a really effective literacy intervention for students most at risk.”

    Layering supports for greater impact

    Barrett emphasized that literacy progress is strongest when multiple supports are combined. “With digital curriculum, students do better. But with a teacher on top of that digital curriculum, they do even better. Add intensive tutoring, and outcomes improve again,” she said.

    Progress monitoring and recognition also help build confidence. “Students are going to persist when they can experience success,” Barrett added. “Celebrating growth, even in small increments, matters for motivation.”

    A shared mission

    While tools like Exact Path provide research-backed support, Barrett stressed that literacy improvement is ultimately a shared responsibility. “District leaders should be asking: How is this program serving students across different backgrounds? Is it working for multilingual learners, students with IEPs, students who are at risk?” she said.

    The broader goal, she emphasized, is preparing students for lifelong learning. “Middle school is such an important time. If we can help students build literacy and confidence there, we’re not just improving test scores–we’re giving them the skills to succeed in every subject, and in life.”

    Laura Ascione
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    Laura Ascione

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  • Edtech Leader Wooclap and Leading Universities Co-Design 5 AI Teaching Agents

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    Unlike generic chatbots, Wooclap’s new AI agents were co-designed with professors from NC State, University of Ottawa, NTU, Sciences Po, and more, to help them save time and spark richer student interaction.


    BRUSSELS, September 18, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    In an era where most AI tools for education are built in isolation, Wooclap has taken a different path: co-designing with educators themselves.

    The interactive learning platform, trusted by 50 million learners worldwide, today unveiled five AI-powered teaching agents developed in collaboration with instructors from North Carolina State University, the University of Ottawa, Nanyang Technological University, the Complutense University of Madrid, Sciences Po Paris, and more.

    The result: practical AI assistants that automate time-consuming tasks while enhancing student engagement. Integrated into existing Wooclap question types-Open Questions, Brainstorming, Multiple Choice, and Label an Image-they fit seamlessly into teachers’ current workflows.

    The five agents at a glance:

    The Learning Consolidator – builds personalized follow-up questions from multiple-choice answers, reinforcing knowledge and sparking deeper discussion.

    The Idea Generator – proposes fresh inputs during brainstorming to keep creativity flowing and help students face the “blank page.”

    The Summarizer – instantly synthesizes student contributions, highlighting key messages for further discussion.

    The Image Labeler – turns static diagrams into interactive recall exercises by automatically generating markers and labels.

    The Answer Organizer – makes sense of hundreds of open responses by clustering them into clear themes.

    In co-design workshops, educators asked for ways to spend less time preparing questions or processing answers. These agents were built to do just that-giving professors more time to engage directly with their students.

    “These AI agents open up debates and encourage discussions we didn’t always have time for before. They give students more chances to engage and go deeper into the material,” said Carlos Scholar, Biology researcher and educational innovator at North Carolina State University.

    Wooclap embeds its long-standing commitment to security and privacy in every AI development, with protections certified by ISO 27001 and the highest standard of data privacy. AI model training is disabled, data processes are rigorously verified, and educators retain the ability to switch features on or off.

    This launch comes as Wooclap celebrates its 10th anniversary and builds on the company’s recent $29 million funding round, marking a new chapter in its mission to make learning more engaging worldwide.

    Educators can explore the new AI agents by registering for the October 2nd launch webinar.

    About Wooclap: Wooclap is an EdTech platform that turns any class or training session into an interactive and engaging experience. Wooclap’s mission is to make learning more effective by placing the learner at the center of the process. Based on cognitive science, the platform offers dozens of interactive activities (multiple-choice questions, polls, word clouds, brainstorms, image annotations, etc.) that help capture learners’ attention, measure their understanding in real time, and strengthen skill acquisition.

    Intuitive and powerful, Wooclap integrates seamlessly with existing tools (LMS, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, etc.) and is now used by tens of millions of teachers, trainers, students, and professionals.

    Learn more: www.wooclap.com

    Source: Wooclap

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  • Why AI’s true power in education isn’t about saving time

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    Key points:

    As a former teacher, educator coach, and principal, I’ve witnessed countless edtech promises come and go. The latest refrain echoes through conference halls and staff meetings: “AI saves teachers X hours a week.” While time is undeniably precious in our profession, this narrative sells both educators and students short. After years of working at the intersection of pedagogy and technology, I’ve come to believe that if we only use AI to do the same things faster, we’re not innovating–we’re just optimizing yesterday.

    The real opportunity: From efficiency to impact

    Great teaching has never been about efficiency. It’s iterative, adaptive, and deeply human. Teachers read the room, adjust pace mid-lesson, and recognize that moment when understanding dawns in a student’s eyes. Yet most AI tools flatten this beautiful complexity into task lists: generate a worksheet, create a quiz, save time, done.

    The question we should be asking isn’t, “How do I get through prep faster?” but rather, “What would I try if I didn’t have to start from scratch?”

    Consider the pedagogical best practices we know drive student success: timely personalized feedback, inquiry-based learning, differentiation, regular formative assessments, and fostering metacognition. These are time-intensive practices that many educators struggle to implement consistently–not for lack of desire, but for lack of bandwidth.

    AI as a pedagogical ally

    When AI is truly designed for education–not just wrapped around a large language model–it becomes a pedagogical ally that reduces barriers to best practices. I recently observed a teacher who’d always wanted to create differentiated choice boards for her diverse learners but never had the time to build them. With AI-powered tools that understand learning progressions and can generate standards-aligned content variations, she transformed a single instructional idea into personalized pathways for 30 students in minutes, then spent her saved time having one-on-one conferences with struggling readers.

    This is the multiplier effect. AI didn’t replace her professional judgment; it amplified her impact by removing the mechanical barriers to her pedagogical vision.

    Creativity unleashed, not automated

    The educators I work with already have innovative ideas, but often lack the time and resources to bring them to life. When we frame AI as a creative partner rather than a productivity tool, something shifts. Teachers begin asking: What if I could finally try project-based learning without spending weekends creating materials? What if I could provide immediate, specific feedback to every student, not just the few I can reach during class?

    We’ve seen educators use AI to experiment with flipped classrooms, design escape room reviews, and create interactive scenarios that would have taken days to develop manually. The AI handles the heavy lifting of content generation, alignment, and interactivity, while teachers focus on what only they can do: inspire, connect, and guide.

    Educators are the true catalysts

    As we evaluate AI tools for our schools, we must look beyond time saved to amplified impact. Does the tool respect teaching’s complexity? Does it support iterative, adaptive instruction? Most importantly, does it free educators to do what they do best?

    The catalysts for educational transformation have always been educators themselves. AI’s purpose isn’t to automate teaching, but to clear space for the creativity, experimentation, and human connection that define great pedagogy. When we embrace this vision, we move from doing the same things faster to doing transformative things we never thought possible.

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    Melissa Serio, GoGuardian

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  • Edtech Leader Wooclap Raises $29 Million From Impact Expansion to Accelerate International Growth and Spearhead Innovation in Active Pedagogy

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    Wooclap’s active pedagogy platform is used by over 50 million learners globally. The $29 million funding round was led by Impact Expansion, an impact fund focused on education, health and climate.


    BRUSSELS, September 4, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Wooclap, a leading EdTech company today announces a $29 million investment round led by Impact Expansion, a $175 million private equity fund specializing in growth capital and buy-out for mission-driven businesses.

    Wooclap: Transforming learning through engagement

    Wooclap’s platform enables higher education institutions and corporations to boost learner engagement and retention in both in-person and online settings. By turning passive lectures into interactive experiences, Wooclap empowers educators and trainers with tools to make learning more active, efficient, and impactful.

    Already trusted by over 50 million learners, Wooclap has become a global reference in active pedagogy.

    Scaling internationally in education and corporate learning

    With Impact Expansion’s backing, Wooclap will accelerate its international growth, with a strong focus on the North American higher education market and the corporate learning sector. Just as critically, the investment will enable Wooclap to lead the next wave of innovation in active pedagogy by further developing AI-powered features that enhance learner engagement.

    “Active engagement is at the heart of every successful learning experience, and empowering educators is the key to making that possible,” said Baudouin Corman, CEO of Wooclap. “We’re proud of our team, our community of users, and our partners who bring this vision to life every day in classrooms and training rooms around the world. With Impact Expansion by our side, we are ready to accelerate our growth, drive innovation, and partner with educators to shape the future of active learning.“

    Wooclap’s pedagogical excellence and co-construction approach with education experts have made it the platform of choice for organizations around the world. Recognized for its educational relevance, ease of use, and seamless integration into other reference tools, Wooclap has become a standard for interactive learning. From leading universities to global companies, organizations across sectors use Wooclap to transform passive audiences into active participants and deliver measurable impact at scale.

    “Since day one, we’ve believed that every learner should be empowered to take an active role in their learning,” said Sébastien Lebbe, co-founder and chairman of Wooclap. “This investment brings us closer to that vision and gives us the means to continue building tools that truly support educators and learning designers around the world.”

    Impact Expansion was drawn to Wooclap’s unique combination of pedagogical depth, product quality, and global ambition.

    “We’re thrilled to back a company and a team that combines tech excellence and pedagogical depth with measurable impact on learning. Wooclap is redefining the way knowledge is shared and absorbed, providing immediate value to teachers and instructors to achieve their mission,” said Gilles Davignon and Karen de Vits, Managing Director and Investment Manager at Impact Expansion.

    With this new funding and a continued commitment to pedagogical innovation, Wooclap is set to bring its vision of active learning to even more institutions and learners around the world. New partners will join the ranks of leading organizations such as Sorbonne University, University of Sheffield andDuke University, as well as large organisations like Dior, Pernod Ricard, Onepoint and the Red Cross for their learning & development programs, all of whom trust Wooclap to power more engaging, effective learning experiences.

    About Wooclap

    Wooclap is an EdTech platform that turns any class or training session into an interactive and engaging experience. Founded in 2015 in Brussels by Sébastien Lebbe and Jonathan Alzetta, with the support of Olivier Verdin, Wooclap’s mission is to make learning more effective by placing the learner at the center of the process. Based on cognitive science, the platform offers dozens of interactive activities (multiple-choice questions, polls, word clouds, brainstorms, image annotations, etc.) that help capture learners’ attention, measure their understanding in real time, and strengthen skills acquisition.

    Intuitive and powerful, Wooclap integrates seamlessly with existing tools (LMS, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, etc.) and is now used by tens of millions of teachers, trainers, students, and professionals.

    Wooclap is also behind Wooflash, a complementary microlearning app powered by AI and spaced repetition, designed to help learners retain knowledge more effectively and build long-term understanding.

    Learn more: www.wooclap.com andwww.wooflash.com

    About Impact Expansion

    Impact Expansion is a European investment fund dedicated to companies with strong social and environmental impact. Sponsored by KOIS, a pioneer in impact investing, Impact Expansion provides growth or buyout capital to innovative scale-ups, particularly in the fields of health, education & climate. Learn more:www.impact-expansion.com

    Source: Wooclap

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  • Dex is an AI-powered camera device that helps children learn new languages | TechCrunch

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    Three parents—Reni Cao, Xiao Zhang, and Susan Rosenthal—were worried about their children’s screen time, so they left their tech jobs to create a product that encourages children to engage with the real world while also helping them learn a new language. Their move has paid off, as the company recently raised $4.8 million in funding.

    The newly launched gadget is called Dex and resembles a high-tech magnifying glass with a camera lens on one side and a touchscreen on the other. When kids use the device to take pictures of objects, the AI utilizes image recognition technology to identify the object and translates the word into the selected language. It also features interactive story lessons and games. 

    While kid-focused language learning apps like Duolingo Kids exist, Dex argues that it takes a more engaging approach that emphasizes hands-on experiences, allowing children to immerse themselves in the language.

    “We’re trying to teach authentic language in the real world in a way that’s interactive,” Cao told TechCrunch. “The kids are not only listening or doing what they are told to do, but rather, they are actually thinking, creating, interacting, running around, and just being curious about things, and acquire the necessary language associated with those concepts and objects.”

    Dex is designed for kids ages 3 to 8 years old and currently supports Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. It also offers support for 34 dialects, including Egyptian Arabic, Taiwanese Mandarin, and Mexican Spanish.

    In addition to object recognition, Dex features a library of interactive stories that encourage children to actively participate in the narrative. As the story unfolds, kids are prompted to respond, such as greeting characters in the language they are learning.

    The device comes with a dedicated app for parents to see a detailed overview of their child’s progress, including the vocabulary words they’ve learned, the stories they’ve engaged with, and the number of consecutive days they’ve used Dex.

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    Additionally, Dex is currently developing a feature that allows kids to ask an AI chatbot questions and engage in free-form conversations. This feature is already available to some testers, but the company admits it isn’t ready for a wider rollout. Parents might also be cautious about introducing AI chatbots to their children.

    During our testing of Dex, we had concerns about the possibility of a child learning inappropriate words. Cao assured us that “rigid safety prompts” are included whenever the large language model is used across vision, reasoning, and text-to-speech.

    He said, “We have an always-on safety agent that evaluates conversations in real-time and filters conversations with a safe stop word list. The agent will suppress conversation if any of the stop words are mentioned, including but not limited to those related to sexuality, religion, politics, etc. Parents will soon be able to further add to personalized stop word lists.”

    Plus, it said that the AI is trained using vocabulary standards similar to those found in Britannica Kids and other children’s encyclopedias.

    In our testing, the AI successfully ignored topics related to nudity. However, it did recognize and accurately translate the term “gun,” something parents should consider when purchasing the device.

    In response to our findings, Cao told us, “Regulation-wise, I’m not worried, but I do think this presents a concern, especially among [some] parents.” He added that these concerns have pushed the company to soon introduce an option in settings to filter out specific words, such as guns, cigarettes, vape pens, fireworks, marijuana, and beer bottles.

    Dex also has a zero data retention policy. While this means there’s no risk of sensitive or personal images being stored, one downside could be that parents are left in the dark about the type of content their kids may be capturing.

    Dex is also actively working towards obtaining COPPA certification, which would make it compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

    Dex founders Reni Cao (CEO), Charlie Zhang (CTO), and Susan Rosenthal (Head of Ops)
    Dex founders Reni Cao (CEO), Xiao Zhang (CTO), and Susan Rosenthal (Head of Ops)Image Credits:Dex

    The company secured funding from ClayVC, EmbeddingVC, Parable, and UpscaleX. Notable angel investors include Pinterest founder Ben Silbermann, Curated co-founder Eduardo Vivas, Lillian Weng, who is the former head of safety at OpenAI, and Richard Wong (ex-Coursera).

    The device is priced at $250, which feels steep for a product designed for children. However, Dex positions itself as a more affordable alternative to hiring a tutor, which can charge up to $80 per hour, or attending a language immersion school, which can cost several hundred to even thousands of dollars.

    Dex says that hundreds of families have already purchased the device.

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    Lauren Forristal

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  • Lessons from DENSI: Weaving digital citizenship into edtech innovation

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    What happens when over 100 passionate educators converge in Chicago to celebrate two decades of educational innovation? A few weeks ago, I had the thrilling opportunity to immerse myself in the 20th anniversary of the Discovery Educator Network (the DEN), a week-long journey that reignited my passion for transforming classrooms.

    From sunrise to past sunset, my days at Loyola University were a whirlwind of learning, laughter, and relentless exploration. Living the dorm life, forging new connections, and rekindling old friendships, we collectively dove deep into the future of learning, creating experiences that went far beyond the typical professional development.

    As an inaugural DEN member, the professional learning community supported by Discovery Education, I was incredibly excited to return 20 years after its founding to guide a small group of educators through the bountiful innovations of the DEN Summer Institute (DENSI). Think scavenger hunts, enlightening workshops, and collaborative creations–every moment was packed with cutting-edge ideas and practical strategies for weaving technology seamlessly into our teaching, ensuring our students are truly future-ready.

    During my time at DENSI, I learned a lot of new tips and tricks that I will pass on to the educators I collaborate with. From AI’s potential to the various new ways to work together online, participants in this unique event learned a number of ways to weave digital citizenship into edtech innovation. I’ve narrowed them down to five core concepts; each a powerful step toward building future-ready classrooms and fostering truly responsible digital citizens.

    Use of artificial intelligence

    Technology integration: When modeling responsible AI use, key technology tools could include generative platforms like Gemini, NotebookLM, Magic School AI, and Brisk, acting as ‘thought partners’ for brainstorming, summarizing, and drafting. Integration also covers AI grammar/spell-checkers, data visualization tools, and feedback tools for refining writing, presenting information, and self-assessment, enhancing digital content interaction and production.

    Learning & application: Teaching students to ethically use AI is key. This involves modeling critical evaluation of AI content for bias and inaccuracies. For instance, providing students with an AI summary of a historical event to fact-check with credible sources. Students learn to apply AI as a thought partner, boosting creativity and collaboration, not replacing their own thinking. Fact-checking and integrating their unique voices are essential. An English class could use AI to brainstorm plot ideas, but students develop characters and write the narrative. Application includes using AI for writing refinement and data exploration, fostering understanding of AI’s academic capabilities and limitations.

    Connection to digital citizenship: This example predominantly connects to digital citizenship. Teaching responsible AI use promotes intellectual honesty and information literacy. Students can grasp ethical considerations like plagiarism and proper attribution. The “red, yellow, green” stoplight method provides a framework for AI use, teaching students when to use AI as a collaborator, editor, or thought partner–or not at all.This approach cultivates critical thinking and empowers students to navigate the digital landscape with integrity, preparing them as responsible digital citizens understanding AI’s implications.

    Digital communication

    Technology integration: Creating digital communication norms should focus on clarity with visuals like infographics, screenshots, and video clips. Canva is a key tool for a visual “Digital Communication Agreement” defining online interaction expectations. Include student voice by the integration and use of pictures and graphics to illustrate behaviors and potentially collaborative presentation / polling tools for student involvement in norm-setting.

    Learning & application: Establishing clear online interaction norms is the focus of digital communication. Applying clear principles teaches the importance of visuals and setting communication goals. Creating a visual “Digital Communication Agreement” with Canva is a practical application where students define respectful online language and netiquette. An elementary class might design a virtual classroom rules poster, showing chat emojis and explaining “think before you post.” Using screenshots and “SMART goals” for online discussions reinforces learning, teaching constructive feedback and respectful debate. In a middle school science discussion board, the teacher could model a respectful response like “I understand your point, but I’m wondering if…” This helps students apply effective digital communication principles.

    Connection to digital citizenship: This example fosters respectful communication, empathy, and understanding of online social norms. By creating and adhering to a “Digital Communication Agreement,” students develop responsibility for online interactions. Emphasizing respectful language and netiquette cultivates empathy and awareness of their words’ impact. This prepares them as considerate digital citizens, contributing positively to inclusive online communities.

    Content curation

    Technology integration: For understanding digital footprints, one primary tool is Google Drive when used as a digital folder to curate students’ content. The “Tech Toolbox” concept implies interaction with various digital platforms where online presence exists. Use of many tools to curate content allows students to leave traces on a range of technologies forming their collective digital footprint.

    Learning & application: This centers on educating students about their online presence’s permanence and nature. Teaching them to curate digital content in a structured way, like using a Google Drive folder, is key. A student could create a “Digital Portfolio” in Google Drive with online projects, proud social media posts, and reflections on their public identity. By collecting and reviewing online artifacts, students visualize their current “digital footprint.” The classroom “listening tour” encourages critical self-reflection, prompting students to think about why they share online and how to be intentional about their online identity. This might involve students reviewing anonymized social media profiles, discussing the impression given to future employers.

    Connection to digital citizenship: This example cultivates awareness of online permanence, privacy, responsible self-presentation, and reputation management. Understanding lasting digital traces empowers students to make informed decisions. The reflection process encourages the consideration of their footprint’s impact, fostering ownership and accountability for online behavior. This helps them become mindful, capable digital citizens.

    Promoting media literacy

    Technology integration: One way to promote media literacy is by using “Paperslides” for engaging content creation, leveraging cameras and simple video recording. This concept gained popularity at the beginning of the DEN through Dr. Lodge McCammon. Dr. Lodge’s popular 1-Take Paperslide Video strategy is to “hit record, present your material, then hit stop, and your product is done” style of video creation is something that anyone can start using tomorrow. Integration uses real-life examples (likely digital media) to share a variety of topics for any audience. Additionally, to apply “Pay Full Attention” in a digital context implies online viewing platforms and communication tools for modeling digital eye contact and verbal cues.

    Learning & application: Integrating critical media consumption with engaging content creation is the focus. Students learn to leverage “Paperslides” or another video creation method to explain topics or present research, moving beyond passive consumption. For a history project, students could create “Paperslides” explaining World War II causes, sourcing information and depicting events. Learning involves using real-life examples to discern credible online sources, understanding misinformation and bias. A lesson might show a satirical news article, guiding students to verify sources and claims through their storyboard portion. Applying “Pay Full Attention” teaches active, critical viewing, minimizing distractions. During a class viewing of an educational video, students could pause to discuss presenter credentials or unsupported claims, mimicking active listening. This fosters practical media literacy in creating and consuming digital content.

    Connection to digital citizenship: This example enhances media literacy, critical online information evaluation, and understanding persuasive techniques. Learning to create and critically consume content makes students informed, responsible digital participants. They identify and question sources, essential for navigating a digital information-saturated world. This empowers them as discerning digital citizens, contributing thoughtfully to online content.

    Collaborative problem-solving

    Technology integration: For practicing digital empathy and support, key tools are collaborative online documents like Google Docs and Google Slides. Integration extends to online discussion forums (Google Classroom, Flip) for empathetic dialogue, and project management tools (Trello, Asana) for transparent organization. 

    Learning & application: This focuses on developing effective collaborative skills and empathetic communication in digital spaces. Students learn to work together on shared documents, applying a “Co-Teacher or Model Lessons” approach where they “co-teach” each other new tools or concepts. In a group science experiment, students might use a shared Google Doc to plan methodology, with one “co-teaching” data table insertion from Google Sheets. They practice constructive feedback and model active listening in digital settings, using chat for clarification or emojis for feelings. The “red, yellow, green” policy provides a clear framework for online group work, teaching when to seek help, proceed cautiously, or move forward confidently. For a research project, “red” means needing a group huddle, “yellow” is proceeding with caution, and “green” is ready for review.

    Connection to digital citizenship: This example is central to digital citizenship, developing empathy, respectful collaboration, and responsible problem-solving in digital environments. Structured online group work teaches how to navigate disagreements and offers supportive feedback. Emphasis on active listening and empathetic responses helps internalize civility, preparing students as considerate digital citizens contributing positively to online communities.

    These examples offer a powerful roadmap for cultivating essential digital citizenship skills and preparing all learners to be future-ready. The collective impact of thoughtfully utilizing these or similar approaches , or even grab and go resources from programs such as Discovery Education’s Digital Citizenship Initiative, can provide the foundation for a strong academic and empathetic school year, empowering educators and students alike to navigate the digital world with confidence, integrity, and a deep understanding of their role as responsible digital citizens.

    In addition, this event reminded me of the power of professional learning communities.  Every educator needs and deserves a supportive community that will share ideas, push their thinking, and support their professional development. One of my long-standing communities is the Discovery Educator Network (which is currently accepting applications for membership). 

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    Stephen Wakefield

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