For many years, educators have envisioned personalized learning as a way to tailor education to each student's unique needs. With advances in artificial intelligence, this vision is becoming a reality. AI has the potential to transform classrooms by offering personalized learning experiences that align with individual strengths, interests and learning needs.

At the same time, there is a growing emphasis on fostering creativity and authenticity in student work. AI can play a pivotal role in supporting the creative process, from generating ideas to refining projects. By making the creative process more explicit and accessible, AI empowers students to overcome obstacles and express their unique perspectives. This approach not only boosts engagement but also prepares students for a future where creative thinking and problem-solving are indispensable skills.

Brian Johnsrud
Director of Education Learning and Advocacy, Adobe

Recently, EdSurge spoke with Brian Johnsrud, the director of education learning and advocacy at Adobe, about using educational tools that not only harness the power of AI but also uphold the creative integrity of students and teachers. He highlights how AI can help personalize learning by allowing students to present their understanding and ideas in diverse and individualized ways. This shift from standardized assignments to personalized projects can make learning more engaging and relevant for each student.

EdSurge: How can educators safely and responsibly leverage AI for more personalized learning?

Johnsrud: The dream of learning personalization has been around for decades. The first phase really focused on getting the right content to the right student at the right time. Now, with AI, we're in the second phase, which isn't just about personalizing content but also about how students present their understanding and share their knowledge. Because a hallmark of creativity is uniqueness. So if we want students to be doing creative thinking, then 30 assignments done by 30 different students should all look different.

As for deploying AI safely and responsibly, schools are paying attention to a number of things right now. The first step is to check if the AI tool is actually designed for education specifically. If it wasn't made for the classroom, it probably wasn't made to improve learning. It won’t necessarily have those pedagogical pieces baked in or the accessibility and other edtech integrations that you need.

Check if the AI tool is actually designed for education specifically. If it wasn't made for the classroom, it probably wasn't made to improve learning. It won’t necessarily have those pedagogical pieces baked in or the accessibility and other edtech integrations that you need.

— Brian Johnsrud

Part of being designed for safety and responsibility includes ensuring that the tools don't train their models on student or teacher projects because the creative work you develop as a teacher or student in the classroom should be respected and protected. If you're using a tool that benefits or takes inspiration from your creative masterpiece, it's not truly aligned with core creative values and academic integrity.

In what ways does AI help foster creativity while ensuring that student work remains authentic?

AI can support any part of the creative process. If a student is stuck in brainstorming, AI can help generate multiple ideas. If another student is good at brainstorming but needs help refining their work, AI can act as a thought partner, providing critique. This is what's exciting about AI designed for creativity! It makes the steps of the creative process explicit and helps students overcome obstacles. It removes that fear of the blank canvas.

I hope AI helps shift the focus from teachers being the content creators to students taking on that role. As an example inspired by my time as a social studies teacher, instead of asking students to write a paragraph about continuity and change in a historical era, you could have them choose an era, pick a topic that shows continuity, and design an imaginary propaganda poster from that period. The benefits of this creative assignment are clear to every educator. But with rigid standards and a packed curriculum, it's challenging to dedicate two weeks to it. The good news is, with AI, you could complete this assignment in just 30 minutes during class.

Interestingly, we crave authenticity more than ever in the age of AI. AI tools are moving beyond the basic prompt-and-result, “grab and go” approach. They're becoming integrated into our creative workflows, allowing us to bring our best ideas to life and express ourselves more genuinely. The goal isn't for AI to do the work for us but to help us create more authentic, meaningful content so we can be impactful storytellers. As a teacher, you should be able to see each student's unique voice in the work they produce.

The goal isn't for AI to do the work for us but to help us create more authentic, meaningful content so we can be impactful storytellers.

— Johnsrud

How do AI literacy and creative thinking equip students for future job market demands?

In just a few years, AI skills have become essential. The 2024 Work Trend Index Report found that 66 percent of industry leaders wouldn't hire someone without AI skills. It's amazing how quickly this has become a hiring dealbreaker. In that same report, 71 percent of leaders said they're more likely to hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced candidate without them. For students, this means having AI skills can level the playing field with more seasoned professionals.

At the same time, creativity and creative thinking are also in high demand. The World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs Report highlighted creative thinking as a top skill for the future. The creator economy is booming, with 200,000 new creative jobs created in the United States in 2023 alone. Students who can combine AI skills with creative problem-solving are able to seize some pretty incredible opportunities.

Research has shown that the more students are able to create, the more they thrive. And AI opens up more opportunities for student creation. A 2019 Gallup report found that educators who focus on creativity and use technology in transformative ways see significant gains — students are more engaged, demonstrate better critical thinking, retain more, make connections between subjects and achieve deeper learning. For educators, seeing students excited and proud of their work is incredibly rewarding, especially in a time of increased teacher burnout.

How can educators easily incorporate creative thinking into their lessons?

Start by identifying areas in your curriculum where students need to dive deep into a concept or fully demonstrate their understanding. These are the moments where creative activities can replace traditional methods like note-taking or multiple-choice questions and garner a much wider and deeper set of learning outcomes.

© Image Credit: Billion Photos / Shutterstock

Since the pandemic, the urgency of designing and scaling evidence-based products to support learning recovery has become more pronounced. Educational institutions are grappling with unprecedented disruptions and widening achievement gaps, making the need for effective, research-backed interventions critical. The focus is not only on creating these products but also ensuring they are adopted and effectively implemented in schools and classrooms across the country.

The Leveraging Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide (LEARN) Network, funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, is at the forefront of this effort. Led by SRI International, a nonprofit with a strong track record of bringing innovations to market, the LEARN Network focuses on promoting learning growth by enhancing the use of evidence-based educational products.

The Network also comprises four product teams dedicated to adapting and positioning evidence-based products that boost literacy and math learning to make them more useful and accessible for educators. By providing learning and coaching opportunities, the LEARN Network aims to build the capacity of these teams and others in the field to equitably and sustainably scale educational products. This involves understanding educators’ problems of practice and needs and systems decision-making processes in product procurement, and developing tools for researchers, developers and educators to support the widespread adoption of effective solutions.

Jessica Mislevy
Director of Digital Learning and Technology Policy, SRI Education

Recently, EdSurge spoke with education researchers Kerry Friedman and Jessica Mislevy about the importance of integrating evidence-based practices, educator input and a systems lens from the earliest stages of product development. Friedman, a former teacher with 12 years of experience in research and technical assistance, focuses on strengthening educators' and system leaders' ability to use evidence in practice. As the project director for the LEARN Network, she works with researchers and developers on capacity building and design of evidence-based products and programs. Mislevy is the director of digital learning and technology policy at SRI Education, specializing in mixed-methods evaluations of products designed to improve student outcomes in K-12 and post-secondary education. She is a co-principal investigator with the LEARN Network, focusing on educators’ effective adoption and scaling of evidence-based practices and programs.

EdSurge: Why are evidence-based products and programs so vital, especially at this point in time in America’s schools?

Mislevy: We've all seen how the COVID-19 pandemic upended education systems across the country, interrupting learning for students and exacerbating existing inequalities in education. We're seeing this reflected in the 2022 data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress with the first-ever decline recorded in mathematics and the largest average score decline in reading in decades. Research shows that the quality of learning products and programs matters for student outcomes. Now more than ever, it's important to get those products that can improve education outcomes for all learners and eliminate persistent achievement gaps in districts and schools. Unfortunately, many effective products don't reach educators due to an overwhelming supply of products. It can be hard to select products that are effective and well-matched to students' needs and contexts, as well as affordable and easy to use.

What key considerations should researchers and developers keep in mind while designing and scaling products and programs?

Friedman: When considering scale, researchers often view it as the final step. However, designing a scalable innovation begins with the initial idea. This is where our framework for the LEARN Network starts. We adapted SRI International's Invent-Apply-Transition (I-A-T) framework to better fit the education sector, incorporating Liberatory Design principles focused on equity and systems thinking.

Kerry Friedman
Senior Researcher, SRI Education

Both the I-A-T framework and Liberatory Design emphasize the importance of understanding users' needs from the start. This understanding forms the foundation of the Invent stage of the I-A-T framework. In the Apply stage, you assess the broader market, identifying key players, infrastructure, policies, and competition to refine your innovation. Finally, in the Transition phase, you consider how to scale your product, envisioning it at a systems level and exploring pathways to create a financially viable approach.

We created the Learn to Scale Toolkit to guide researchers through these stages and support the scaling process. We also profiled various products on their journeys from development to scale in our Stories of Scaling.

How is the Network working to increase the use of evidence-based products and programs in schools?

Mislevy: We're coming at it from both the supply and the demand side. On the supply side, the LEARN Network provides capacity building to researchers and developers in scaling their evidence-based products. So we support them in adapting their products while considering educator context, decision-making processes and usability. This has included a mix of one-on-one and cross-team coaching and consultation sessions to provide tools and training while also supporting and promoting team building and collaboration. In addition to SRI scaling experts, we also bring together other expert voices to contribute to these conversations. Then on the demand side, we're working to better understand the needs and barriers that educators face in adopting and scaling evidence-based products. We translate these findings into actionable takeaways for developers to ensure their products are more likely to be adopted and scaled.

Does the Network have any insights into school and district needs or how they select programs and products?

Free LEARN Network resources for researchers, developers and educators:

• The LEARN to Scale Toolkit: a comprehensive resource for researchers and developers based on the Invent-Apply-Transition framework
• Stories of Scaling: a profile series highlighting impactful researchers, entrepreneurs and evidence-based products
• The LEARN Network Blog: articles, podcasts and Q&As featuring experts and thought leaders from across the U.S.
• LEARN Network Research: action-oriented research briefs focused on product development, procurement and more

Mislevy: The LEARN Network conducted a focused study on K-12 education procurement practices to better understand how decision-makers determine which products to adopt in their schools and districts and how evidence is used in those decisions. We conducted in-depth interviews with a broad array of education leaders and other education stakeholders, and also conducted nationally representative surveys of public school and district leaders through the RAND American Educator Panels. We examined what motivates schools and districts to procure products, who is involved in the decision-making process and what sources of information leaders look to when selecting products. For example, we found that routine curriculum review cycles often motivated educators to procure core curriculum materials, whereas reviews of student outcome data more often led to the procurement of supplemental materials.

We also saw that teachers are reported as most involved in identifying and evaluating prospective products for their schools and districts, while school and district leaders are more involved in making final decisions about which products to select. In terms of usage, research and evidence were amongst the more influential sources for informing procurement decisions, though we found that recommendations from fellow education leaders and end users actually ranked higher. Our research has important implications for product developers so they really understand the systemic forces that influence when and why products are procured, as well as who is involved throughout that procurement process to increase the likelihood of product uptake and scale. We recently published on the LEARN Network website the first of several planned research briefs, which features lessons for developers ready to bring their products to market or scale to broader audiences.

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The information reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305N220012 to SRI International. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

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Integrating technology into the classroom involves more than just adding gadgets and software; it’s about creating a dynamic learning environment where students are actively engaged and teachers can teach more effectively. This journey requires collaboration among technology teams, instructional coaches and educators.

Recently, EdSurge spoke with three educational leaders from Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53 in Illinois about their experiences with and strategies for using technology to enrich classroom environments. Caitlin Smith, the director of technology, has been in the K-12 educational technology space for 10 years. As the technology integration and support specialist, Kari Moulton brings 18 years of education experience to her work with teachers and staff to support technology integration. Amber Skeate, starting her 20th year in the classroom, serves on the technology committee and as technology leader at Alan B. Shepard Elementary School.

Caitlin Smith
Director of Technology, Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53, Illinois

A District Perspective: Evaluating and Implementing New Technology

Technology plays a crucial role in classroom success, but integrating new tools can be challenging. Smith emphasizes the importance of addressing the big picture. "Being at the district level, I have to look at the challenges that hinder more than just one user," she explains. "I start by looking at where we have had the most issues coming from the end users (staff and students) or if the administration notices gaps in student growth." Smith’s approach ensures that the technology chosen benefits the entire district.

When evaluating new technology, Smith places a priority on solutions that are both easy to implement and cost-effective. "We discuss this in our technology leadership meetings and set up trials for each tech leader to test the technology," she says. This thorough vetting process ensures that the selected tools will effectively address the district’s needs. "Having both a technology integration specialist and a technology leadership committee allows the district to implement new technology throughout the year with the input of teachers along with my own staff’s recommendations," Smith adds, highlighting the importance of collaborative decision-making in tech integration.

Kari Moulton
Technology Integration and Support Specialist, Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53, Illinois

A School Perspective: Rolling Out Technology to Teachers

Once new technology is selected, rolling it out successfully is the next challenge. Moulton plays a key role in this phase. "We do whatever it takes to support our teachers," Moulton shares. Her team provides a monthly newsletter with information about new tools, creates instructional videos and offers one-on-one training sessions. Her proactive support helps teachers feel confident and prepared to use new technology in their classrooms. Additionally, Moulton meets with new teachers at the start of the school year to give them an overview of the technology they will be using, ensuring that they are ready to integrate it into their teaching from day one.

“Having a supportive edtech company ensures that the adoption of the new tools is smooth,” Moulton adds, underscoring the importance of reliable vendor support in the tech adoption process. She points to Bourbonnais' implementation of Vivi, the classroom engagement and campus communications solution as an example. “Vivi made [our technology] rollout unique because they sent us two boxes to demo for eight weeks. This allowed us to have various teachers at all grade levels test out the solution and give us feedback.”

“One beneficial way that edtech companies have supported the tools that we have adopted is great communication and support,” shares Moulton. She highlights Vivi's exemplary support: “I have monthly meetings with my [customer success manager] to check in on how things are going, what is working and what we might need to troubleshoot. They also give out [usage] data. With budgets affecting a majority of schools, having the data to back up the usage of the tool is very important and beneficial in determining the future use of the tool.”

Amber Skeate
Classroom Teacher, Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53, Illinois

A Classroom Perspective: Transforming Classroom Experiences

In the classroom, technology can transform instruction and student engagement. "Technology is a huge part of my classroom atmosphere,” says Skeate. The students each have a laptop and can use approved apps for independent work during math and reading, allowing them to work at their instructional level while Skeate meets with small groups. Technology is also used to present concepts to the class. "The way I project my slide presentations, lessons and videos wouldn't happen without Vivi,” shares Skeate.

The ability to actively participate in lessons through technology fosters a more engaging and interactive classroom environment. “The students ask me every day if they are going to use the Vivi App so that they can be the teacher for the lesson,” Skeate excitedly states. Vivi's wireless screen mirroring allows the teacher to pass control of the classroom display to the students to share how they answer problems or write a word.

And engagement is not the only benefit. “Technology has been a lifesaver when it comes to honing in on instructional levels of all students through particular reading and math apps,” explains Skeate. In addition, technology can be a time-saver for teachers. "Vivi's Play Content feature allows me to line up all the videos I need for the day,” notes Skeate, which saves her time she would otherwise spend searching for materials. This efficiency enables her to focus more on teaching and less on administrative tasks, ultimately benefiting her students.

Recommended Resources:

• Tech Tips for Teachers: Find quick tech tips to enhance classroom engagement and efficiency.
• Customer Stories: See how school districts are using Vivi to enhance learning and reach their goals.
• Teacher Self-Care Checklist: Discover practical self-care tips to help teachers reduce stress and avoid burnout.
• Replacing Outdated Screen-Sharing Tech: Learn what to do when your screen-sharing technology reaches the end of its life.

Collaboration Is Key

The collaboration between district leaders, tech coaches and teachers at Bourbonnais showcases how technology can be seamlessly integrated to create engaging and efficient classroom environments. By focusing on comprehensive training and ongoing support while implementing interactive tools like Vivi, these educators are transforming their teaching and enhancing student learning experiences. The positive impact of technology on the instructional experience and classroom dynamics is evident, demonstrating that when implemented thoughtfully, technology can be a powerful tool in education.

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Strategies for collaborative technology integration

For district-level staff: Carry out a proactive needs assessment / Carry out multi-level evaluations

For school-level staff: Provide multifaceted teacher support / Provide training geared toward new teachers / Seek edtech partner collaboration

For classroom-level staff: Provide tech-infused instruction / Offer student choice and control

See for yourself how Vivi transforms communication, boosts classroom engagement and simplifies IT management. Learn more at Vivi.io.

© Image Credit: SeventyFour / Shutterstock

Educational technology adoption has grown significantly in the past decade, and it’s clear that K-12 schools are now comfortable with and embrace the new technology norms. The next step for school leaders is to focus on purchasing edtech strategically, ensuring that these tools genuinely make a positive difference in teaching and learning.

Susan Uram
Director of Educational Technology at Rockford Public Schools

But effectively evaluating edtech products is no small feat. Districts must balance diverse needs, ensure data privacy and align tech initiatives with educational goals. The process involves navigating budget constraints, integrating new tools with existing systems and ensuring accessibility for all students. To shed light on how districts tackle these challenges, EdSurge spoke with three leaders in educational technology.

Susan Uram, the director of educational technology for Rockford Public Schools in Illinois, leverages her background as a classroom teacher, curriculum dean and instructional coach to bridge the gap between IT initiatives and classroom instruction. April Chamberlain, the technology and library supervisor for Trussville City Schools in Alabama, also began her career in the classroom before taking on a pivotal role in aligning technology initiatives with instructional needs. Jessica Peters, the director of personalized learning at KIPP DC Public Schools, oversees the integration of educational technology across 22 schools, drawing on her experience as a classroom teacher and instructional technology coach to implement effective edtech solutions.

April Chamberlain
Technology and Library Supervisor at Trussville City Schools

Together, they provide invaluable insights into the challenges and strategies surrounding edtech procurement and implementation in their districts, including their shared excitement about their involvement with the Benchmark project. Benchmark, an ISTE research project with funding from the Walton Family Foundation and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, aims to support districts that are trying to improve the ways in which they assess, measure and report student progress based on their needs and contexts. As part of the Benchmark project, ISTE worked with six public school districts across the United States to explore problems of practice related to assessment evaluation and selection within their districts.

EdSurge: How does your district approach edtech product evaluation and selection? And what makes the procurement process challenging?

Uram: Rockford Public Schools is a relatively large district with 27,000 students. We balance the different needs of individual schools with a high mobility rate of almost 20 percent within the district. So we try to honor the professional choices of our educators while providing consistent education and experiences for families across the district.

Jessica Peters
Director of Personalized Learning at KIPP DC

When a new edtech product request comes in, we have checkpoints to evaluate if the tool meets our needs. Does it duplicate something in place? How is this tool different or better? Would a pilot provide a genuine trial? [Product evaluation] is not just about whether teachers or students like the tool. It needs to be a product worth investing time and effort into learning to use effectively.

Chamberlain: We ask those same types of questions. Our state has a multi-year program that helps us evaluate our current resources to decide if we need to recalibrate, remove or add something new. We use a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), so it is important but challenging to have all seats at the table — all stakeholders — represented when reviewing edtech.

During the past school year, we audited the district’s programs, initiatives and projects. We had representatives from technology, student services, administration, counseling and curriculum in the room for the district meeting. Then principals turned around and conducted similar audits at the building level. First, we listed all of the edtech products being used by teachers, both instructional and operational, which revealed some surprises. We then categorized these resources by subjects like English, math, behavioral or foundational wellness, and further broke them down into the setting each product serves: Tier 1, 2 or 3. This allowed us to see the gaps and overlaps with edtech products.

Going forward, we now have a form that teachers fill out to request a new product. The teacher answers questions about the tool, such as technical details, and how it aligns with or improves instruction. That completed form goes to the school-based tech team, which discusses the product and compares it to what we know is already being used across the school and district. Once approved at the school level, we go forward with a pilot to determine if there is a sustained value for other settings across the school or district to implement the new product.

Recommended Resources:

• The Teacher Ready evaluation tool helps standardize the way edtech decision-makers evaluate edtech products.
• Use the Edtech Index to find, compare and decide between 1,500+ edtech products.
• Check out our resources designed for edtech buyers to evaluate edtech quality, including teacher and student usability.

Peters: KIPP DC has a few checkpoints in place. Mid-school year, around January or February when budget planning starts, I conduct a light analysis of all our current products to identify those that are underused, ineffective or redundant. Our pilot program is generally very open to requests, although we do say no to a few things if they're extremely duplicative. Every summer, we perform a thorough efficacy analysis on all core and pilot products. Occasionally, some products bypass our data review due to initiatives from the KIPP Foundation or strong endorsements from top instructional leaders, and we have to adapt accordingly.

How can the Teacher Ready Evaluation Framework and Tool support educators and district leaders in edtech product evaluation and selection?

Peters: The tool is much more thorough than anything we've ever used and addresses almost every question that we could come up with. If we were to walk through the tool for every product, I think there would be a lot more confidence that the product is, in fact, appropriate for us to use and meets all of our standards. It is a heavy tool, so working through the whole framework is time-consuming and not really something that I could ask a teacher or the average school leader to do. But I think it's excellent for district-level evaluation.

Uram: Right out of COVID, we were overwhelmed with the thousands of products that teachers were using. We needed a better language — a framework to address all of the products. The tool helped to cut through all the verbiage that a vendor might say about the product and ask questions like, “What are the accessibility features? Where do you find them? Is there interoperability?” It makes the evaluation more fact-based and removes the feelings and opinions.

There are a lot of questions in the tool, so we have chunked together pieces of the framework and provided guiding questions based on those pieces. If a product passes through those questions, we can dive a bit deeper. [The tool] has helped us take a deep breath when we see a shiny new product before we buy it.

Related Readings:

• How to Evaluate and Select the Right Edtech Products [Infographic]
• Assessment Culture: What It Is and Why It Matters
• How District Leaders Make Edtech Purchasing Decisions

Chamberlain: We learned to shift questions [we ask] vendors from “Does this product do this?” to “Show me how this product does this.” The tool guides us to ask the right questions and think about what we are trying to achieve with a product, so not saying, “I want this math product,” but instead, “I want a better way to assess my third grade students on the skills that the data shows they performed low on.” It is very empowering.

Uram: We need to think about the role of technology in school and how we evaluate whether a product is improving teaching and learning. We are at an important intersection of understanding data privacy and online presence in a way that we didn’t need to before. It was different when kids were just playing Oregon Trail. There is more at risk. We ourselves have been taken down by ransomware. So making data privacy a part of the product evaluation discussion is a necessity.

Peters: The Teacher Ready Framework removes emotion from the conversation and bases it on data instead. A big success we have seen at KIPP DC is no longer basing [product purchasing] decisions on how cool something seems. Now, we conduct efficacy analyses. The tool really highlights for us what is working and worth classroom time. It has created a huge shift in the standards we hold products to.

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As you enter today's classrooms, it's clear: Technology isn't just a tool, it's the driving force behind vibrant communities, shaping how students learn and teachers connect. Many students have access to technology in their classrooms, but the true challenge lies in harnessing resources effectively to enhance learning and build stronger, more resilient communities. As schools strive to adapt to the demands of the modern digital world, the focus has shifted beyond simply providing access to devices toward leveraging technology to enhance instructional methods and foster meaningful engagement and connection to each other and their teachers. Many schools prioritize stakeholder collaboration in the process of assessing technological needs. By embracing a collaborative approach, schools and districts can ensure that the adoption of new technologies aligns with the diverse needs and aspirations of students, teachers and the wider community and that the vision is truly shared, resulting in a more dynamic, interactive experience.

Daniel Gauna
Executive Director of Educational Information Technology, El Segundo School District, Calif.

Recently, EdSurge spoke with Daniel Gauna, the executive director of information technology at El Segundo Unified School District, California. Gauna has 16 years of experience within the district. Before assuming his current role, Gauna worked as a consultant for local school districts in the South Bay area, focusing on components of technology infrastructure such as firewalls, routing and switching. Although his background is in technology, his current role requires him to work closely with the Educational Services team to support instructional applications and other related aspects. Gauna strongly believes in the significance of engagement and collaboration in defining technology needs and goals.

EdSurge: What is your school district’s vision for technology integration?

Gauna: Being part of a small school district allows us to work more directly with the community, particularly concerning our direction with technology and instructional methods. We focus on how we can support both our students and staff in our vision.

The district goal involves supporting both the technology and instructional sides. The key is to leverage our technology so that our students see it as more than just a device in their hands; it's about knowing how to use these tools effectively. This means shifting from tech-dependent to tech-enabled.

Our classrooms are tech-enabled and not tech-dependent — leveraging technology impactfully to enhance our students' learning experiences overall and build additional bridges between students, teachers, leaders and even content.

— Daniel Gauna

We want to see technology leveraged beyond the traditional classroom approach. We want to make sure that students are engaged with our teachers and vice versa, that teachers can engage with students.

How did the district determine which technologies to adopt in alignment with its vision?

We involved stakeholders. I always believe in doing a proof of concept to ensure something fits into our infrastructure. Despite my network and security background, I also view things from a teacher's perspective. I know the importance of approach, especially for our teachers. We sought change and improvement in our classroom setup.

So, we tested a casting solution last year. We involved three teachers from each school grade to assess its ease of use and instructional benefits. The Vivi solution proved much easier for us to roll out from a tech perspective, and on the instructional side, it had more tools for our teachers to use. Gathering feedback beforehand made a smooth transition to when we fully implemented it in the summer.

Once adopted, how has technology helped you to enhance learning experiences and foster engagement and connection?

At El Segundo Unified School District, as I mentioned earlier, our focus and vision are that our classrooms are tech-enabled and not tech-dependent — leveraging technology impactfully to enhance our students' learning experiences overall and build additional bridges between students, teachers, leaders and even content.

Recommended Resources:

• Getting the Most from Your Digital Signage: Key tips for K-12 schools on digital signage selection and use.
• Belonging Begins at the Bell: How schools can create a welcoming environment with digital signage.
• Vivi Webinars: Explore various conversations in education through Vivi’s regular webinars.
• Vivi Customer Stories: See how school districts are using Vivi to achieve their goals.

Since we launched Vivi this fall, our elementary principal has started making morning announcements using its video streaming feature across the whole school, sometimes reading books. This has become a highlight for our teachers, students and even our central office staff, who tune in to start their day with a smile.

Technology can sometimes get a bad rap because people think students are just sitting on devices, but at El Segundo, students use their devices to create, collaborate and share their work in engaging ways. One of our teachers shared how one of her non-verbal students has taken a 180 [turn] because of being able to share his work wirelessly with Vivi. Before this tool came into our classrooms, he literally was unable to share his voice. Now he can, and that is the power of technology when it is effectively paired with instruction.

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See for yourself how Vivi transforms communication, boosts classroom engagement and simplifies IT management. Request a demo.

Over 2,000 schools, 100,000 classrooms, and 500,000 students and teachers rely on Vivi for classroom engagement and campus-wide communication. Vivi’s wireless screen sharing, digital signage, emergency alerts, and video and text announcement capabilities keep students and staff informed and engaged throughout the school day. Learn more at Vivi.io.

© Image Credit: Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock

In a time when technological advancements shape our daily lives and drive economic growth, focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education in K-12 schools is not just a trend but a necessity. Initiatives like the U.S. Department of Education's YOU Belong in STEM and the National Science Foundation's vision for the STEM Education of the Future underscore a national commitment to equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a tech-centric world, ensuring equitable access to opportunities that foster innovation and sustain the economy.

As the national spotlight illuminates the critical importance of STEM education, educators are tasked with translating these overarching goals into tangible experiences for students. Recently, EdSurge spoke with Valerie Brock, senior implementation manager at New York City’s Department of Education Computer Science for All (CS4All), about her journey with STEM education.

EdSurge: What experiences laid the foundation for your role as a leader in STEM education in NYC Public Schools?

Valerie Brock
Computer Science Education Manager, NYC Public Schools Computer Science for All

Brock: In 2017, after 10 years of teaching in NYC Public Schools, the largest school district in the country, I transitioned to an “out-of-classroom” position. I was tasked with providing reading intervention services for at-risk K-8 students. When my principal asked if I would be interested in teaching one elective period per day for the middle school population, I suggested a STEM elective since I had just taught a summer full of STEM during NYC’s annual STEM in the City programming.

Despite STEM being a relatively new terrain for me, I eagerly accepted the mission to ignite the curiosity and imagination of my students. I embraced plenty of dynamic, hands-on projects: harnessing the sun's power with homemade solar ovens, finding the magic of coding and assembling fidget spinners.

Minecraft Education’s blocky world became the undisputed champion of engagement. Some of my coworkers taught the after-school program in the building and had already successfully integrated Minecraft into their STEM curriculum. Recognizing the students' enthusiasm for these pixelated realms, I experimented with it in my teaching practice.

My students were captivated by the game, and together, we crafted an unforgettable classroom experience and clinched victory in the annual holiday door decoration contest with a Minecraft masterpiece! Witnessing a classroom buzzing with excitement and brimming with knowledge was an educator's dream come true.

In 2018, my journey took a new turn as I stepped into the role of a computer science education manager, with a mission to sprinkle the seeds of meaningful computer science education across the vast educational landscape of NYC Public Schools. Since 2015, CS4All has worked diligently to ensure that all public school students in New York City learn computer science, emphasizing students who identify as girls, Black and LatinX. By 2021, 91 percent of schools in New York City offered computer science (up from 76 percent in 2019).

Then, in 2020, in the throes of a world turned upside down, where screens became windows to knowledge, we noticed a spark: Students, now with ample screen time, took to teaching themselves coding skills. Accessibility had always been the hurdle we couldn't leap — until the pandemic handed us the key.

With newfound access to Minecraft Education for every district student through our districtwide Microsoft 365 licenses, we seized the moment to launch professional learning experiences for educators, merging the beloved gaming experience with foundational computer science skills.

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New York City’s Battle of the Boroughs

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What plans did you implement to scale your approach?

Our collaboration with Minecraft Education experts was pivotal in designing an all-encompassing educational odyssey. Partnering with Insight 2 Execution (i2e), highly skilled edtech consultants, connected us with nationwide experts in Minecraft Education. It was imperative to secure a facilitator who adeptly navigated Minecraft's digital landscapes and coding language. Additionally, we stressed the importance of educators having a solid grasp of computer science basics before delving into Minecraft. Ensuring the presence of an NYC Public Schools technical expert in every session guaranteed uninterrupted learning. To fortify educators' understanding of Minecraft, we introduced a virtual learning sequence starting with "Minecraft 101."

Since spring 2021, our journey has been exciting as we introduce upper elementary educators to the intersection of computer science and Minecraft Education. We quickly discovered the immense value of a meticulous approach: providing educators with a detailed agenda, a form to submit questions and concerns, and pre and post-exit tickets. These resources not only guide educators through the learning process but also enable us to gather feedback for ongoing improvement and immediate support.

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NYC students preparing for a Minecraft esports competition

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How have you managed to engage community support for these initiatives?

Recommended Resources:

• Setup training for your district
• Try Minecraft Education
• Learn how to purchase
• Computer Science with Minecraft
• Hour of Code: Generation AI
• NYC Battle of the Boroughs

Recognizing the power of community and ongoing support, we established dedicated professional learning spaces tailored to Minecraft Education. These forums are hubs where educators can pose questions, exchange insights and glean wisdom from both their peers and seasoned experts at any hour — resources that have proved priceless.

Our dedication to enhancing computer science education continues to drive us forward, leading to participation in other Minecraft Education ventures like the city-wide Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs, an esports competition where students team up to build a better NYC. This affirms our pivotal position in this revolutionary approach to learning.

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Minecraft Education’s Hour of Code: Generation AI

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Can you elaborate on some of these endeavors' outcomes and what you hope to see in future successes?

Our initiatives have flourished, with around 300 educators from approximately 250 NYC Public Schools becoming skilled on the Minecraft Education platform through our programs. This success has facilitated new collaborations, extending student benefits beyond initial expectations. In December 2023, we hosted our inaugural city-wide coding event, collaborating with Logics Academy, engaging students from over 400 NYC Public Schools in the Hour of Code: Generation AI event. Students explored the expansive possibilities of AI and learned about the significance of creating equitable and dependable technology. They tackled coding challenges, unraveled engaging puzzles and applied ethical AI concepts. Educators and students are still replaying the session in class as of today!

Principals from several elementary schools have reached out to me to ensure Minecraft Education is in their programming. Teachers have informed me that they are forming after-school and lunchtime coding clubs. Our city-wide Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs Challenge has reached new heights as well. For the first time, we received submissions from over 475 school teams, ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade students. And just recently, a teacher from Manhattan enthusiastically shared that his class of second graders is not only engrossed in Minecraft but is also learning to code.

As we look to the future of computer science education, our goal is to sustain and enhance our partnerships with external organizations, offering diverse and enriching experiences for both students and educators. We are also focused on expanding our internal offerings, encompassing professional development, instructional coaching and extensive support for teachers and school leaders. These initiatives aim to bolster the adoption and effectiveness of computer science education, beginning at the elementary level.

We eagerly anticipate leveraging Minecraft’s extensive AI-related activities to foster a comprehensive understanding of ethical AI among all students. We are excited about the advancements and innovations that await computer science education.

© Image Credit: Minecraft Education