This student-centered approach engages students with math challenges, frees them to explore solutions collaboratively, and then connects the entire process to underlying concepts.

GUEST COLUMN | by Matt Haber

SIMPLELINE

Throughout my years in education, I’ve often heard that a teacher’s role is to fill empty brains. Educators know that is not accurate. Students come to us with so much knowledge, cultural skill, and understanding of the world, and filling “empty” brains doesn’t work anyway. The only way to learn is to connect new experiences with old ones. We can’t shovel math knowledge into students’ brains like we’re filling a hole, but we can provide them with math-based experiences and collaborate with them to make those experiences relevant.

I currently work in Oxnard School District, where we put this idea into action by creating “thinking classrooms” for math learning, based on the book Building Thinking Classrooms. Thinking classrooms also allow students to practice skills that are in high demand among employers, including collaboration, perseverance, resilience, and problem-solving. As this approach to teaching and learning has made its way into other classes, I’ve seen students become more intuitive in subjects such as social studies and science, too. 

Here’s how my district helps our students understand math by beginning with what they already know and then encouraging collaboration and exploration.

Engagement, Exploration, and Consolidation

When I was in school, a teacher would teach us how to do something, for example multiplying fractions. Then we would do 20 problems just like the one we’d been shown. There was no thinking involved. We were just mimicking, following a process we were shown with no understanding of the logic behind it. In an effort to move beyond mimicry and encourage deeper understanding, thinking classrooms have three parts: engagement, exploration, and consolidation.

We begin with an engaging and exciting launch. Recently, for example, I put an orange and a small, very light block on opposite ends of a seesaw. Of course, the seesaw tilted all the way toward the orange. The question I asked was, “How many blocks will balance the orange?” I told the class I wouldn’t give them a scale, and asked them what they would need to answer the question. They said they would need the weights of the orange and the block.

It’s important to get started quickly with a conundrum like this that grabs students’ attention. When students arrive in the classroom, I don’t ask them to sit down. I just have them toss their backpacks aside and join me at the front of the classroom. Together, we go through the engagement piece and I provide them with enough information to be successful (without giving them too much detail) in the first three to five minutes. I split them into groups by having them draw cards and putting the kings with the kings, the queens with the queens, and so on. It’s important that groups are random so that students are working with a variety of peers and encountering a range of approaches to the concepts we are learning.

Once in groups, the class moves into the exploration stage, where students use vertical whiteboards in groups of three to work together on solutions. Students talk to each other, begin to develop their voices, and exercise their mathematical agency. I give my students between 15 and 20 minutes to complete their exploration.

Educators are not always accustomed to seeing as much self-directed learning in math as they see in my teachers’ classrooms. My experience has shown me that allowing students to explore rather than “sit and get” will lead to higher interest, deeper engagement, fewer behavior issues, and a space for deeper learning to occur. During exploration, I like to give classes three “slices,” which are three different challenges. Three challenges are important because they give students who figure out the first one something else to focus on while other groups are still working. 

To transition from their exploration to solidifying a solution, we move to the consolidation or closure stage, which provides students the ability to present their solutions to the class. This is where we connect the experiences they’ve just had back to math concepts, creating the opportunity to take meaningful notes about what they have discovered and learned together.

Another example of consolidation is to conduct a “gallery walk,” where all students go from board to board, writing on sticky notes to place on the boards. When we sit back down, students write “notes to my future forgetful self,” in which they sum up what they learned during the lesson. One way to encourage more meaningful notes is to have students create a math problem in addition to solving the one I gave them. 

Writing their problems and solutions down helps to cement concepts in their minds, and the notes themselves provide excellent exit tickets to help teachers decide which students, if any, need additional support or instruction.

Building Thinking Classrooms with Visual-Spatial Puzzles

One of the most important tools we use to launch thinking classroom experiences during the engagement stage is ST Math, created by MIND Education, which uses visual puzzles to illustrate math concepts. I’ve actually used it with my own children, and have even completed a few puzzles myself to refresh my mind on some middle school math concepts. Oxnard adopted ST Math to support our shift from procedural math to a more conceptually focused approach.

The first time I used it as the engagement piece, I was working with a 5th-grade teacher on a fraction lesson. We selected three puzzles, each increasingly difficult, to serve as the three slices. We printed out the puzzles and made copies. At the end of the lesson, we used the software to show students how their proposed solutions worked.

I was excited because the ideas behind Building Thinking Classrooms became the structure of the class and the visual and engaging puzzles became the curriculum. The prep was as easy as making a handful of copies of the puzzles, and even that could be eliminated by having students bring their computers to the front of the classroom with the appropriate puzzle on the screen.

Since that first experiment, we’ve developed a small cohort of teachers who are continuing to use and refine this approach to engagement.

Tangible Results

To gauge how well our new model for math education was working, I identified everyone among Oxnard’s 800 teachers who use thinking classrooms at least twice a week. I then tracked the change in their Star Assessments scores from fall to spring. Students in classrooms that used thinking classrooms at least twice a week had an average improvement of 10.46 percentage points, compared to just 3.89 points among other students. I did have a control group, but this was not a rigorous study, so I can’t say for certain that the difference is attributable to thinking classrooms. It could be that the teachers using this approach are more conscientious or exceptionally hardworking. Nevertheless, it is promising.

Over the past five years, I have consistently interviewed students about thinking classrooms. One of the most frequent responses I get is that students feel less anonymous when they are standing up and working in small groups than when they are sitting at their desks. They share that they like using whiteboards so they can easily erase mistakes and start anew, making it easier for them to take risks as they work through problems. 

Recently, I worked with one of our special education classes that was trying this approach for the first time. The teacher and the aides were really excited after the lesson was over because they had never seen this kind of engagement during math. There were even students who I was told usually could not work together, but who had collaborated beautifully throughout the lesson. It reminded me of the misconceptions we hold about what our students are capable of and how they want to learn. These students can work together in the right context, and many more children can thrive when we center them and unleash their agency than when we sit them at a desk with a worksheet to complete.

Building a thinking classroom like we have is logistically very easy, but as is the case with anything new, it will require practice and the space to do so. The key is shifting our philosophy about how we teach and learn. It’s not the way teachers are used to teaching, and students have been taught to learn in a certain way. If it doesn’t work the first time, that may simply mean that everyone needs a little more practice.

My goal is to create spaces for students to explore and collaborate. It took thousands of years for mathematicians to come up with the division algorithm. With a little practice, we can allow our students to have some of that same fun of discovering mathematics — instead of trying to fill their heads.

—

Matthew Haber is manager of mathematics and physical education at Oxnard School District. He has been developing mathematics teachers for more than 25 years. He taught all grade levels in the Los Angeles area, then began leading teachers on special assignments and developing and facilitating professional development. For 10 years, he led mathematics in LAUSD. In 2013, he was recruited by the San Joaquin County Office of Education to improve math instruction in multiple districts. He has written two books, including New School Math for Old School Parents, a title for teachers and parents centered around supporting learners in the 21st century. Write to: mhaber@oxnardsd.org.

The post Creating Thinking Classrooms with Visual Math Puzzles appeared first on EdTech Digest.

A veteran edtech leader who hires shares his inside look and why he’s hopeful.

GUEST COLUMN | by Jason Wilmot 

Current college seniors have certainly faced a challenging journey. They enrolled in higher education during the pandemic, just after their high school years were abruptly interrupted by school shutdowns. They likely spent a significant portion of their college experience engaging in remote learning. Now, they are getting ready to step into the professional world in a time of deep uncertainty. Alongside worries about the economy, the impending influence of artificial intelligence on numerous sectors raises questions about the future of work and job security.

However, there is reason for optimism. I’ve been an edtech leader for two decades and frequently hire candidates who are early in their career. I believe that recent college graduates may be much better prepared for the workforce than they think they are.

‘However, there is reason for optimism. I’ve been an edtech leader for two decades and frequently hire candidates who are early in their career. I believe that recent college graduates may be much better prepared for the workforce than they think they are.‘

Yes, the professional landscape is changing quickly. However, the experiences that these soon-to-be college graduates have had, while challenging, may not necessarily be a disadvantage. If they embrace the positives of those experiences and commit to learning and working hard, they can still find success. Here are some of the characteristics I look for when hiring:

Structured Independence. The ability to operate independently is a huge strength and a key trait that recent graduates bring to the table. They’re entering the professional world with a wealth of experience in remote work. They’ve shown the capacity to maintain motivation and complete tasks without immediate supervision. They’ve tackled problems in a structured way, independently and in collaborative groups. Staying on task, managing school projects, engaging in group assignments and presentations, they’ve collaborated using technology to complete a task. All these experiences hold significant value in the professional realm.

I also appreciate candidates who have a diverse set of passions and interests that they pursue independently. I believe that broad experiences and knowledge lead to stronger teams and better ideas. It’s easy to think that the best way to prepare for a role in tech is to focus narrowly on internships and other experiences in the industry. These certainly can help, but great candidates who exhibit a more holistic range of experiences can often be more successful. Did you learn a new programming language during the pandemic lockdown? Do you volunteer with a local organization? Did you start a club? Do you play sports? Did you drive a hot dog-shaped truck around the country as part of a job for a meat company, as one of my recent new hires did? Don’t overlook the value of those experiences on your communication and collaboration skills.

Curiosity. A common question I get asked is whether I consider proficiency in AI skills as a prerequisite for hiring. The reality is, right now, there’s no definitive measure of AI proficiency. The technology is evolving at such a rapid pace that we’re all in a constant state of learning and adapting.

However, it’s a huge positive when a candidate has used AI tools. It demonstrates curiosity. When working in tech, it’s important to stay on the cutting edge – but that doesn’t always mean formal courses or training. Instead, I want to hire folks who are genuinely curious about new technology and see its potential. How can it make me more efficient? How can it improve the quality of my work? How can it help me prioritize and stay organized? Especially for recent graduates, I’m more interested in their mindset than their skills. After all, when it comes to technologies like AI, we’re all still students.

Visual Communication. In a visual world where so much of our communication happens remotely, the ability to present your ideas in a compelling and creative way is increasingly crucial. At Canva, the final step in our hiring process involves candidates completing a project and presenting it. We’re on the lookout for creativity and authenticity; we encourage you to take risks and let your personality shine. Animations, videos, and engaging graphics to tell a story with data are all welcome.

Recent graduates are in a prime position to excel in this area. They are constantly communicating through visuals – not only in their classes, but also through social media platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. If they can intentionally refine their design skills and enhance their visual communication abilities, it’s a significant advantage.

The process of applying for that first job after college can seem daunting. However, recent graduates should not be disheartened. Their experiences and the challenges they’ve overcome have helped them to develop many skills that are extremely valuable in tech. If they lean into those skills while still being open to learning and adapting, they will find that they are not just ready, but well-prepared to make their mark in the tech world.

—

Jason Wilmot is Canva’s Head of Education. Connect with Jason on LinkedIn.

The post College Students, Don’t Despair: You May Be Better Prepared for the Workforce Than You Think appeared first on EdTech Digest.

How secure is your network IT? How easy is it to keep up with rapidly evolving demands?

GUEST COLUMN | by Tom Rixom

Network security within higher education has significantly transformed as institutions reevaluate their security frameworks to repel increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats. Recent research found that 79% of higher education providers reported being hit by ransomware in 2023, up from 64% in 2022. The average data breach cost in the higher education and training sector was $3.65 million between March 2022 and March 2023, an increase of 2.3% over the year before and a 15.3% surge since 2020.

The problem isn’t going away. With hackers targeting younger and younger students, today’s colleges and universities are part of a larger ecosystem that must meet increasingly demanding security realities to protect the network and the individuals within their community.

‘…today’s colleges and universities are part of a larger ecosystem that must meet increasingly demanding security realities to protect the network and the individuals within their community.’

Modern Challenges for Campus IT

Traditional, credential-based security measures have proven inadequate to secure campus networks. They’re frustrating for IT staff and users alike, who must frequently authenticate via credentials on multiple devices to networks (such as the university’s WiFi) or be forced to change passwords on arbitrary timelines. 

IT teams are racing to adopt security methods to withstand today’s threats without adding headaches for faculty, staff, or students. They know that introducing unnecessary friction, such as burdensome security measures, means that users often find workarounds; nearly seven in ten admins worry that adding additional security measures negatively impacts the user experience. It’s not enough to educate and train users: if a process is complicated or labor-intensive, you’ll annoy users and weaken your security posture.

Campus IT management is also complicated by the need to support a complex device environment. Students, faculty, and staff rely on a mix of desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, and  IoT devices running on various operating systems like Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and more. Such device diversity makes uniform security measures complicated—if not impossible. It can be difficult to manually onboard users under bring your own device (BYOD)  policies due to the different operating systems, wireless utilities, drivers, and more. Trying to manually configure a device to attain the WPA2-Enterprise standard isn’t easy; incorrectly configured devices can leave users and the network vulnerable to over-the-air attacks.

Higher Education institutions face another challenge in the cost and limitations of on-premise infrastructure. Many depend on on-premise public key infrastructure (PKI) and RADIUS servers, which limit scalability and burden IT admins with getting and keeping everything running smoothly. Maintaining these systems requires significant IT resources for ongoing management, updates, and security, which can divert IT time from other strategic priorities.

Network Security for the Long-Term

As institutions tackle these challenges, they’re looking to build an IT environment with robust network security that’s simple for users and agile enough to adapt to evolving needs and threats. Cloud computing and digital transformation have rendered many legacy processes and hardware obsolete and help Higher Ed institutions demonstrate their commitment to an innovative—and inherently secure—environment.

Implement a few best practices that will help your campus transition to more effective network security:

Create a plan that provides ongoing monitoring: Continuous monitoring and access management automatically checks the security status and compliance of all connected devices in real time. With it, IT teams can quickly identify and respond to potential threats, adjusting access permissions based on a device’s health or a user’s identity. For example, if a device is found to be infected with malware, the system could automatically restrict its access to sensitive resources until the issue is resolved.

Consider cloud-based managed PKI solutions: Transitioning to a cloud-based PKI solution enables institutions to efficiently manage certificates and authorities, alleviating the burdens associated with on-premise infrastructure. By eliminating the need for extensive physical infrastructure, institutions can scale security measures up or down without major investments in hardware or a dedicated IT team for maintenance. It also allows for quicker deployment of certificates, enhances security with up-to-date technology, and reduces overall operational costs and complexities associated with managing an on-premise PKI system.

Move toward passwordless authentication: Implementing digital certificates for authentication, managed through cloud services, provides a more secure and user-friendly alternative to traditional password-based systems. Tied to a user’s device, certificate authentication can be set for just a semester or for years. This eliminates the need for students, faculty, and staff to reset their passwords every few months or whenever they log into a device or an application or reconnect to the university’s Wi-Fi. It also eliminates the threats introduced by users’ sloppy password management (reusing or sharing passwords, etc.).

Smart cards: Smart cards serve as physical tokens that store certificates for secure authentication, and offer a robust multi-layered authentication mechanism that significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access for personnel who access more sensitive systems and require greater security. This process can be introduced gradually by initially equipping IT teams with certificate-backed smart cards and then rolled out to the broader staff and faculty user base. Campuses leveraging smart cards and extended certificate-based authentication can offer multi-OS support to simplify login processes and enhance security across a broad range of devices.

Securing the School, Securing its Community

Institutions can create a more secure, efficient, and user-friendly network environment by incorporating digital certificates and employing cloud-based solutions for PKI management and RADIUS authentication. This approach offers seamless access while significantly reducing the potential for security breaches.

Today’s threats to network security require Higher Ed to respond with a more adaptable, efficient, and secure security approach. A cloud-forward and flexible approach eliminates the burdens of aging, credential-heavy systems, and on-premise hardware. Instead, it positions institutions with the agility to meet today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.

— 

Tom Rixom is the CTO of SecureW2 and a US-Eduroam committee subject matter expert. Connect with Tom on LinkedIn. 

The post Higher Standards for Higher Ed Network Security appeared first on EdTech Digest.

An expert shares insight and guidance into an area of growing concern. 

GUEST COLUMN | by Jordan Adair

Artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education continues to expand into more aspects of student learning. Initially, some administrators and faculty pointed to possible data privacy or ethical concerns with AI, but the larger focus now is how generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, makes it easier for students to submit work or assessments that lack original content. 

As AI adoption and academic concerns grow, educators may need to rethink how students learn, how student demonstrate understanding of a topic, and how assessments are designed and administered to measure learning and practical application. This may require institutions to throw out the “business-as-usual” approach, especially when it comes to anything involving writing, whether it’s essays or online exams. 

‘As AI adoption and academic concerns grow, educators may need to rethink how students learn, how student demonstrate understanding of a topic, and how assessments are designed and administered to measure learning and practical application.’

As higher education institutions look to maintain academic integrity, staying ahead of how students use AI is critical. Some tools exist to detect and monitor AI use, but are these tools fixing a problem or leaving a void? 

Getting Ahead of the Game

Institutions should familiarize themselves with the potential of large language models in education and open transparent communication channels to discuss AI with stakeholders, including researchers and IT support. This can help set a baseline for potential policies or actions.

Developing a dedicated committee may be beneficial as institutions create and implement new policies and guidelines for using AI tools, develop training and resources for students, faculty, and staff on academic integrity, and encourage the responsible use of AI in education.

Unlike contract cheating, using AI tools isn’t automatically unethical. On the contrary, as AI will permeate society and professions in the near future, there’s a need to discuss the right and wrong ways to leverage AI as part of the academic experience.

Some AI tools, especially chatbots like ChatGPT, present specific academic integrity challenges. While institutions strive to equip students for an AI-driven future, they also need to ensure that AI doesn’t compromise the integrity of the educational experience. 

Study Results Paint a Grim Picture

As AI evolves and is adopted more broadly, colleges and universities are exploring how to implement better detection methods effectively. While some existing detection tools show promise, they all struggle to identify AI-generated writing accurately.

AI and plagiarism detection are similar but different. Both aim to detect unoriginal content, but their focus is different. AI detection looks for writing patterns, like word choice and sentence structure, to identify AI-generated text. Plagiarism detection compares text against huge databases to identify copied or paraphrased content from other sources.

Looking at a growing level of research, there are strong concerns about these tools’ inabilities to detect AI. One study tested the largest commercial plagiarism and AI detection tool against ChatGPT-generated text. It was found that when text is unaltered, the detection tool effectively detects it as AI-generated. However, when Quillbot paraphrased it, the score dropped to 31% and 0% after two rephrases. Another 2024 experiment of the same AI detection software showed the same results: it can accurately detect unaltered AI content but struggles when tools like Quillbot make changes. Unfortunately, this experiment also highlighted how AI detection is completely unable—with 0% success—to detect AI content that has been altered by AI designed to humanize AI-generated text. 

In another instance, a recent International Journal for Educational Integrity study tested 14 AI detection tools—12 publicly available and two commercial—against ChatGPT:

• AI detection tools are inaccurate: they often mistakenly identify AI-generated text as human-written and struggle to detect AI content translated from other languages.

• Manually editing responses reduces the accuracy of detection tools: swapping words, reordering sentences, and paraphrasing decreased the accuracy of the detection tools.

Finally, a 2023 study titled “Will ChatGPT Get You Caught? Rethinking of Plagiarism Detection” fed 50 ChatGPT-generated essays into two text-matching software systems from the largest and most well-known plagiarism tool. The results of the submitted essays “demonstrated a remarkable level of originality stirring up alarms of the reliability of plagiarism check software used by academia.”

AI chatbots are improving at writing, and more effective prompts help them generate more human-like content. In the examples above, AI detection tools from the biggest companies to the free options were tested against various content types, including long-form essays and short-form assignments across different subjects and domains. No matter the size or content type, they all struggled to detect AI. While AI detection tools can help as a high-level gut check, they’re still mostly ineffective, as shown by the many studies.

Up the Ante Against Cheating

Given the ineffectiveness of AI detection tools, academic institutions must consider alternative methods to curb AI usage and protect integrity.

One option is to consider a modified approach to written assignments and essays. Instead of traditional written assessments, try scaffolded assignments that require input on one subject over a series of tests. You can also ask students to share their opinions on specific class discussions or request that they cite examples from class. 

Another option is instructing students to review an article or a case study. Then, ask them to reply to specific questions that require them to think critically and integrate their opinions and reasoning. Doing this makes it challenging to use AI content tools because they do not have enough context to formulate a usable response.

Institutions can also proctor written assignments like an online exam. This helps to block
AI usage and removes access or help from phones. Proctoring can be very flexible, allowing access to specific approved sites, such as case studies, research articles, etc., while blocking everything else.

Protecting Academic Integrity

If proctoring is being used, consider a hybrid proctoring solution that combines AI, human review, and a secure browser rather than just one of those methods. Hybrid proctoring uses
AI to monitor each test taker and alert a live proctor if potential misconduct is detected. Once alerted, the proctor reviews the situation and only intervenes if misconduct is suspected. Otherwise, the test taker isn’t interrupted. This smarter proctoring approach delivers a much less intimidating and noninvasive testing experience than human-only platforms.

Preserving the integrity of exams and protecting the reputation of faculty and institutions is incredibly important to continue attracting high-potential students. AI tools are here to stay; schools don’t need to stay ahead of them. Instead, understand how students use AI, modify how learning is delivered, use AI to your benefit when possible, and create clear and consistent policies so students understand how and where they can ethically leverage the latest in AI.  

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Jordan Adair is VP of Product at Honorlock. Jordan began his career in education as an elementary and middle school teacher. After transitioning into educational technology, he became focused on delivering products designed to empower instructors and improve the student experience. Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn. 

The post Beyond AI Detection: Rethinking Our Approach to Preserving Academic Integrity appeared first on EdTech Digest.

To counter misconceptions, ease fears, and encourage positive attitudes and constructive uses of the tools it provides, schools need to start educating young children about AI. 

GUEST COLUMN | by Mitch Rosenberg and Jason Innes

PYGMALION AND GALATEA, FRANKENSTEIN, JOHN HENRY, ROSSUM’S ROBOTS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a fundamental part of modern society, but misconceptions about its role and capabilities are widespread. Much of the talk about AI focuses on it as an existential threat, a super-intelligent replacement of humanity, or simply a way to cheat. A much healthier view of AI is as a powerful new tool created by human engineers for the purpose of advancing human agency. To counter misconceptions and help develop positive, constructive attitudes about AI tools and their uses, schools must start teaching about AI early.  For early childhood educators, introducing AI concepts to young learners isn’t just about technology skills—it’s about shaping how the next generation interacts with the world.

‘For early childhood educators, introducing AI concepts to young learners isn’t just about technology skills—it’s about shaping how the next generation interacts with the world.’

Deep-Rooted Misconceptions about AI

Like the rest of us, young students are surrounded by false narratives about AI replacing human workers, writers, and thinkers. These narratives can frighten and confuse children, and ultimately lead to misuse of the promising tools that AI provides. But schools have an opportunity to counter misconceptions about AI, by teaching students how AI works and what it can actually do. 

Where do these misconceptions come from? The roots of our AI-related fears trace back to cultural myths and literature about human beings breathing life into their creations—only to see them turn on us. From the Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, humans have long wrestled with the idea of creating something that rivals or surpasses our capabilities. In American folklore, the hard-working John Henry staked his life on his determination that he could lay railroad tracks faster than the new-fangled steam engine—and he lost. And in the early 20th century, Karel Čapek’s play Rossum’s Universal Robots introduced the word “robot” and stoked fears of mass-produced beings that could take over labor, and perhaps eventually, rule over humanity. 

While these stories offer compelling narratives, they distort people’s thinking about AI, leading them to fear that this artificial intelligence will replace, and perhaps destroy, human intelligence. If schools and families wait until later in their development to address these misconceptions, students may have already internalized the idea that machines are autonomous entities, capable of independent thought and possibly with threatening intent. In fact, the term “artificial intelligence” itself is misleading. AI does not think, feel, or possess any form of consciousness. It simulates intelligence by following probabilistic patterns and responses. You might say AI “plays intelligence on TV.” Just as you wouldn’t trust a TV surgeon to operate on you, you wouldn’t want a simulation of intelligence to think for you.

Presenting AI as a Human-Powered Tool

Even the youngest children encounter AI—and the narratives about it—in their daily lives, so education about AI must start young. Offering a more accurate and realistic vision of AI in kindergarten or even pre-K teaches children that AI is a tool that operates without its own motivations or desires. This fosters an understanding that technology is here to serve human needs, not the other way around. Importantly, this also means teaching kids that they have a responsibility to use these tools in positive ways.

As a tool, AI can help humans think in novel ways; but AI itself cannot pursue goals or generate truly new ideas. Teaching young children that they are the creators, and that AI can be their tool, inspires them to see positive applications of AI in their daily life. Schools have the opportunity to help shape the attitudes of a future workforce that is not only comfortable with AI but also capable of using it responsibly and ethically.

Fitting AI into the Current Curriculum

For educators and administrators concerned about adding a new topic to an already complex curriculum, it’s important to emphasize that teaching AI in early childhood can be part of K-5 computer science. Teaching about AI can help meet computer science teaching goals even as it supports students’ development of computational thinking skills and provides experience with robotics tools such as developmentally appropriate robot kits. Young children need to understand first that machines don’t magically become alive or sentient like they do in movies and myths; they are tools controlled by human designers and makers. Introducing AI in an age-appropriate way encourages children to see technology as something they control—something that enhances, rather than limits, their potential.

History shows that every new tool, from the printing press to the computer, has initially raised concerns about replacing human jobs and functions. Yet each technological advancement has ultimately expanded human agency, allowing people to accomplish more, not less. The arrival of the printing press did threaten the jobs of scribes; but centuries on, it’s clear that the printing press led to a flourishing of literacy and knowledge. Early childhood education must embrace the opportunity to frame AI as another tool in this progression, one that assists rather than threatens. AI, like the steam engine and the printing press, will expand the scope of the challenges that human beings can take on and what we can achieve. 

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Mitch Rosenberg is the CEO at KinderLab Robotics. He brings over 30 years of experience in the technology industry in engineering, marketing, product management and sales. He has executive experience at several successful technology firms, including robotics firms such as Automatix Inc., Kiva Systems (sold to Amazon in 2012) and Rethink Robotics. Connect with Mitch via email.  

Jason Innes is Director of Curriculum, Training, and Product Management at KinderLab Robotics. Jason is an entrepreneurial and innovative product leader with a broad background in education, publishing, and technology environments. Connect with Jason via email.

The post Why Do Early Learners Need to Understand Al? appeared first on EdTech Digest.

A product leader for a major edtech shares her unique perspective—and a significant opportunity for schools today. 

GUEST COLUMN | by Shivani Stumpf

Supporting students in navigating the complex landscape of career options and the various pathways to turn their dreams to reality remains a significant opportunity for schools today. According to a recent survey from the ECMC Group, only 13% of students feel fully prepared to choose their path after high school.

‘…only 13% of students feel fully prepared to choose their path after high school. …How can we help students understand the spectrum of relevant postsecondary choices and empower every learner to choose their best path?‘

This is particularly crucial now, as school counselors are managing an average caseload of over 400 students. Burdened by administrative duties and critical responsibilities like behavioral and mental health interventions, today’s counselors have less time to provide one-on-one college and career guidance. 

How can we help students understand the spectrum of relevant postsecondary choices and empower every learner to choose their best path? Moreover, how can we equip school counselors with the resources to enhance their efforts?

A new wave of generative AI assistants is emerging to tackle these challenges. Natural language AI tools, built responsibly, can significantly empower students to make informed decisions about their futures in a way that is personalized to their individual circumstances and actionable—while allowing counselors to concentrate on providing high-impact support.

Starting young helps to break down barriers while students explore

Studies have shown that exposing young people to a broader range of career options can help students overcome self-limiting beliefs and solidify the connection between academic achievement and future endeavors. By introducing career literacy early in a student’s education, we can maintain and even boost student engagement.

Today’s AI tools, when developed using Responsible AI guidelines, can significantly enhance this process. For elementary school students, engaging in play-based interactions allows them to explore careers while accessing age-appropriate assessments that help identify their interests. Additionally, when teachers incorporate career information into classroom activities, it not only increases students’ awareness of how their learning connects to future careers but also boosts the effectiveness of this exposure, ultimately enhancing academic achievement. Understanding the relevance of what they learn is key to helping students see how it will benefit them in their careers. 

High School students need more comprehensive support

As students advance through middle and high school, ongoing exploration of career pathways and participation in work-based learning opportunities, such as internships and career fairs, can help keep them on track. With an on-demand, personalized AI assistant, whenever they encounter a new career of interest, they can interact with the tool to gain a better understanding of the role, including its responsibilities, salary, demand, and advice on how to pursue that career path. 

These tools not only assist students in discovering potential careers and colleges, but also empower them to apply for financial aid and identify scholarships that align with their achievements and aspirations.

For instance, PowerBuddy for College and Career, the responsibly-built generative AI assistant integrated within college, career, and life readiness solution, Naviance — one of the most widely used CCLR solutions in the country— provides students with personalized guidance based on a multitude of factors. These factors include GPA, assessments, career interests, location preferences, aptitudes, personal goals, military interests, and scholarship qualifications. With PowerBuddy, students can craft a personalized postsecondary plan that highlights their ideal careers, the necessary skills, certifications, trainings, and education, and specific pathways to achieve their goals. This comprehensive support not only enhances decision-making but also paves the way for their future success. 

Improving access to school resources can also boost engagement 

AI is redefining how districts interact with their communities and stakeholders. Today’s AI tools can easily integrate into a district or school website, including parent portals, communication platforms, student information systems, e-learning platforms, analytics tools, and community engagement sites. AI assistants can help students and caregivers find information about policies, athletic schedules, after-school programs, student handbooks, school calendars, lunch menus, job postings and more. 

These tools represent a significant leap in empowering people with efficient, secure, and personalized access to critical information. Through natural language interactions, they can eliminate what has traditionally been a cumbersome barrier for students and families — time-consuming searches sifting through information online, or phone calls that tie up school staff.

AI also offers accommodations such as speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and speech-to-speech functionality — and the ability to operate in dozens of languages — which can help schools provide equitable access for all users. 

One of our recent survey findings revealed that families, particularly mothers, play a significant role in their children’s post-secondary decisions. AI tools can increase access to the information available to parents, aiding them as they guide their children through various options. Furthermore, the capability of AI to provide this information in the languages spoken at home is crucial for increasing access and support.

AI can help students maximize their full potential

Achieving any goal is rarely a straightforward journey. When students are informed about a variety of career opportunities, they can pivot and explore different paths to discover the best fit for themselves. With an AI assistant that comprehends their specific educational and career journeys, students will receive enhanced, personalized support in evaluating their options and making informed decisions about their futures. 

The power of AI is already making its way into schools as leaders realize its potential. According to our own 2024 Education Focus Report, 70% of district leaders now believe AI can enhance teaching and learning — up from 53% in 2023 — and 60% of school leaders and educators believe AI can enhance teacher practice and development.

These tools, when developed and used responsibly, hold remarkable potential to help young learners reach their goals—and often inspire them to aim even higher. In this sense, AI is not merely an accessory for a progressive school district; it is a fundamental element in improving educational outcomes and fostering meaningful engagement for everyone.

—

Shivani Stumpf is Chief Product and Innovation Officer at PowerSchool. Connect with Shivani on LinkedIn. 

The post AI Can Assist Students in Creating a Plan for their Future After High School. Here’s How.   appeared first on EdTech Digest.

It is the weekend before my students arrive for the new school year. I am in my classroom listening to Lofi beats, pondering what has been and what is to come. All around my room are reminders of my identity as a 6’2, 280-pound Black and Puerto Rican man, husband, father, math teacher and basketball coach. I have come to find solace here; yes, these are part of my identity, which I hold dear to my heart — but as I have grown older, I have learned that few people ever see beyond them, including those who I call colleagues and peers in this education system.

In these moments, I frequently return to my favorite book, “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison. The novel’s exploration of invisibility, identity and the struggle for recognition resonates deeply with my experiences in education. Much like Ellison’s protagonist, I feel I have only been viewed as other people's definition of who I am supposed to be. When my students arrive, I feel I am expected to perform certain duties outside my job description simply because of my identity. My ability as a leader is hardly recognized. The struggles of being a husband and father are ignored. My existence as a person feels like an afterthought. These are the challenges I’ve faced. I want to feel seen for the many contributions I make in my classroom, school and community. This work is not easy, and feeling invisible at the same time is exhausting.

Ellison’s “Invisible Man” resonates deeply with my experiences and those of many teachers of color face in education. The novel’s themes of invisibility and identity crisis mirror the struggles I have faced in a system that frequently fails to properly acknowledge my presence and contributions. I hope that making my story of invisibility visible to those who may understand my struggle will help fellow educators of color feel seen, heard, valued, and, more importantly, retained in the classroom.

Who Am I in Education?

My career in teaching began in the fall of 2017, right after I completed the first summer semester of my graduate program. Soon after, I began my first summer professional development at a school in the neighborhood I grew up in. One of the first things I noticed was that all the students had to abide by a strict uniform policy, including shoes, belts and school colors, and middle school-aged children were walking in straight lines through silent hallways. I don’t remember middle school ever being like this, and the fact that it was mostly students of color gave me pause.

After my first three months as a teaching resident, the master teacher I shadowed went on maternity leave and never returned. Our principal also left a couple of months into the year, which prompted a takeover by central office leadership — all of whom were unfamiliar white faces in a school full of Black and Latino children. Before I knew it, I was teaching a seventh grade math class with little support on a tiny salary and barely any teaching experience.

Needless to say, I was not prepared for the unrealized stress. I quickly learned that teachers needed to play many different roles, wear numerous hats and complete far too many additional duties. I would be pulled from teaching almost routinely to address students with whom leadership in the building could not reach; that is when I earned the nickname child whisperer. Instead of a badge of honor, it felt like another invisible tax associated with being a Black teacher. It felt like my value was dependent on my ability to maintain order. From fist fights to classroom struggles, I felt limited and held within a box of preconceived notions about my role as the enforcer of system norms, the very things I despise about discipline-first school systems. It was as though I was a puppet and Geppetto at the same time. I felt like I was upholding a lie, having my students believe this is how things should be. I questioned my place inside the school, wondering what role I was really playing in students' lives.

I pressed on, hoping to still unlock our children's brilliance. Still, the beginning of my teaching career indicated that sometimes you need more than hope to make it in this profession as a person of color and education leader.

The Journey to Inspire Change

In the last five years of my career, the pandemic put a spotlight on the needs of our schools, teachers and students as conversations around what and how our children deserve to learn became divisive and critical race theory, and DEI became the debates of the time. Motivated to change this conversation and influence policy at the state and local levels, I ran for school board in 2021. It seemed like a great opportunity to try and create true change for our children while also creating an identity for myself in education that didn’t just center on how I enforce school policy for children who look like me.

Before I decided to run, I spoke with a few close advisors and the amount of immediate support was validating; however, I quickly learned that politics are not for the faint of heart. Narratives about my values and who I was were being established by everyone else. I was being accused of becoming Puerto Rican for the sake of the campaign, completely ignoring my upbringing and familial ties. The feeling I had when my wife was cropped out of an advertisement outside my campaign was infuriating. The lies about my allegiances and intentions were draining. It did not take very long for me to feel like I was just a name and face — and everyone created their idea of who I was behind it.

The campaign became draining for my family and tested the values that I chose to uphold and run on. Still, I hoped that being the only teacher on the ballot and having a commitment to my community through service would push me to victory, regardless. Unfortunately, it was not enough, and I would lose the race by a very slim margin.

A crushing defeat in many ways that made me feel like a failure. Watching others — white men, in particular — get the same opportunity after achieving less than me made me not only question my ability but also further reinforced the role the system wants me to uphold. At that moment, it all made sense. People see me how they want to see me. They prefer to keep me in a box. So, I choose to stay in the box that I’m most comfortable in —my classroom.

Making Peace with Reality

It is here in my classroom that I contemplate how to fight against a system that upholds injustice, a system that fights against the brilliance of diversity. This system does not allow everyone a seat at the table.

Nearly a decade in education, and I still wonder if I’ve truly existed. Does anyone see past my physical appearance? Do my titles of husband, father, teacher or coach even matter? Have I left an impact on anyone or anything? Am I invisible? I just maybe, and over the years, I’ve become ok with that feeling of invisibility.

Like the protagonist in Invisible Man, I may have been “looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.” It took me a long time and a painful adjustment of my expectations to realize that I am nobody but myself.

I do not need your eyes in order to be seen, and I do not need your validation to continue fighting for what I believe. I am everything and nothing of what you think I am, and I will move as I see fit.

The speed of recent innovation is head spinning. Here’s some help. 

GUEST COLUMN | by Delia DeCourcy

“As artificial intelligence proliferates, users who intimately understand the nuances, limitations, and abilities of AI tools are uniquely positioned to unlock AI’s full innovative potential.” 

Ethan Mollick’s insight from his recent book Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, is a great argument for why AI literacy is crucial for our students and faculty right now. To understand AI, you have to use it – a lot – not only so you know how AI can assist you, but also, as Mollick explains, so you know how AI will impact you and your current job–or in the case of students, the job they’ll eventually have. 

What is AI Literacy?

Definitions of AI literacy abound but most have a few characteristics in common:

• AI literacy doesn’t mean deep technical knowledge or the skill to develop AI tools.
• AI literacy does mean being able to “identify, understand, and interact with AI responsibly and effectively.” 

Deeper dimensions of that second bullet could include knowing the difference between AI and generative AI; understanding the biases and ethical implications of large language model training; and mastering prompting strategies to name a few.

AI Literacy and Future Readiness

If the two-year generative AI tidal wave originating with ChatGPT going live isn’t enough to stoke your belief in the need for AI literacy, consider these facts and statistics:

• Studies from the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC) in 2023 show that 80% of the US workforce do some tasks that will be affected by large language models, and 20% of jobs will see about half their daily tasks affected by AI. 
• A poll conducted by Impact Research for the Walton Family Foundation revealed that as of June 2024, about half of K-12 students and teachers said they use ChatGPT at least weekly. 
• According to a June report from Pearson, 56% of higher education students said that generative AI tools made them more efficient in the spring semester, while only 14% of faculty were confident about using AI in their teaching. 
• AI is already integrated into many of the devices and platforms we use every day. That’s now true in education as well with the integration of the Gemini chatbot in Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft’s offering of Copilot to education users.

Supporting institutions, educators, and students with AI literacy

Institutions – Assess, Plan, Implement

Assessing institutional readiness for generative AI integration, planning, and implementation means looking not only at curriculum integration and professional development for educators, but also how this technology can be used to personalize the student experience, streamline administration, and improve operating costs – not to mention the critical step of developing institutional policies for responsible and ethical AI use. This complex planning process assumes a certain level of AI literacy for the stakeholders contributing to the planning. So some foundational learning might be in order prior to the “assess” stage.

‘This complex planning process assumes a certain level of AI literacy for the stakeholders contributing to the planning. So some foundational learning might be in order prior to the “assess” stage.’

Fortunately for K-12 leaders, The Council of the Great City Schools and CoSN have developed a Gen AI Readiness Checklist, which helps districts think through implementation necessities from executive leadership to security and risk management to ensure a roll out aligns with existing instructional and operational objectives. It’s also helpful to look at model districts like Gwinnett County Schools in Georgia that have been integrating AI into their curriculum since before ChatGPT’s launch.

Similarly, in higher education, Educause provides a framework for AI governance, operations, and pedagogy and has also published the 2024 Educause AI Landscape Study that helps colleges and universities better understand the promise and pitfalls of AI implementation. For an example of what AI assessment and planning looks like at a leading institution, see The Report of the Yale Task Force on Artificial Intelligence published in June of this year. The document explains how AI is already in use across campus, provides a vision for moving forward, and suggests actions to take.

Educators – Support Innovation through Collaboration

Whether teaching or administrating, in university or K12, educators need to upskill and develop a generative AI toolbox. The more we use the technology, the better we will understand its power and potential. Fortunately, both Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot have virtual PD courses that educators can use to get started. From there, it’s all about integrating these productivity platforms into our day to day work to “understand the nuances, limitations, and abilities” of the tools. And for self-paced AI literacy learning, Common Sense Education’s AI Foundations for Educators course introduces the basics of AI and ethical considerations for integrating this technology into teaching.

The best learning is inherently social, so working with a team or department to share discoveries about how generative AI can help with personalizing learning materials, lesson plan development, formative assessment, and daily productivity is ideal. For more formalized implementation of this new technology, consider regular coaching and modeling for new adopters. At Hillsborough Township Public Schools in New Jersey, the district has identified a pilot group of intermediate and middle school teachers, technology coaches, and administrators who are exploring how Google Gemini can help with teaching and learning this year. With an initial pre-school year PD workshop followed by regular touch points, coaching, and modeling, the pilot will provide the district a view of if and how they want to scale generative AI with faculty across all schools.

‘The best learning is inherently social, so working with a team or department to share discoveries about how generative AI can help with personalizing learning materials, lesson plan development, formative assessment, and daily productivity is ideal.’

In higher education, many institutions are providing specific guidance to faculty about how generative AI should and should not be used in the classroom as well as how to address it in their syllabi with regard to academic integrity and acceptable use. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, faculty are engaging in communities of practice that examine how generative AI is being used in their discipline and the instructional issues surrounding gen AI’s use, as well as re-designing curriculum to integrate this new technology. These critical AI literacy efforts are led by the Center for Faculty Excellence and funded by Lenovo’s Instructional Innovation Grants program at UNC. This early work on generative AI integration will support future scaling across campus. 

Students – Integrate AI Literacy into the Curriculum

The time to initiate student AI literacy is now. Generative AI platforms are plentiful and students are using them. In the work world, this powerful technology is being embraced across industries. We want students to be knowledgeable, skilled, and prepared. They need to understand not only how to use AI responsibly, but also how it works and how it can be harmful. 

‘We want students to be knowledgeable, skilled, and prepared. They need to understand not only how to use AI responsibly, but also how it works and how it can be harmful.’

The AI literacy students need will vary based on age. Fortunately, expert organizations like ISTE have already made recommendations about the vocabulary and concepts K12 educators can integrate at which grades to help students understand and use AI responsibly. AI literacy must be integrated across the curriculum in ways that are relevant for each discipline. But this is one more thing to add to educators’ already full plates as they themselves develop their own AI literacy. Fortunately, MIT, Stanford, and Common Sense Education have developed AI literacy materials that can be integrated into existing curriculum. And Microsoft has an AI classroom toolkit that includes materials on teaching prompting. 

The speed of recent innovation is head spinning. Remaining technologically literate in the face of that innovation is no small task. It will be critical for educators and institutions to assess and implement AI in ways that matter, ensuring it is helping them achieve their goals. Just as importantly, educators and institutions play an essential role in activating students’ AI literacy as they take the necessary steps into this new technology landscape and ultimately embark on their first professional jobs outside of school. 

—

Delia DeCourcy is a Senior Strategist for the Lenovo Worldwide Education Portfolio. Prior to joining Lenovo she had a 25-year career in education as a teacher, consultant, and administrator, most recently as the Executive Director of Digital Teaching and Learning for a district in North Carolina. Previously, she was a literacy consultant serving 28 school districts in Michigan focusing on best practices in reading and writing instruction. Delia has also been a writing instructor at the University of Michigan where she was awarded the Moscow Prize for Excellence in Teaching Composition. In addition, she served as a middle and high school English teacher, assistant principal, and non-profit director. She is the co-author of the curriculum text Teaching Romeo & Juliet: A Differentiated Approach published by the National Council for the Teachers of English. Connect with Delia on LinkedIn. 

The post AI Literacy: Getting Started appeared first on EdTech Digest.

A fintech for edtech is helping where it counts – in early childhood education. 

GUEST COLUMN | by Jamie Rosenberg 

Earlier this year, Ohio and Connecticut joined Michigan, Kentucky and North Carolina as the latest states to embrace the Tri-Share cost-sharing model — a creative solution to help parents afford early care and education (ECE) so they can return to work. 

‘Far too often, public childcare subsidy funds are inaccessible due to outdated administrative procedures, compliance challenges and inadequate financial technology tools.’

With few options available and childcare costs skyrocketing across the country, more parents are opting to stay home, worsening the U.S. workforce shortage and hindering economic growth. 

This trend is not only affecting parents and businesses but may also have an adverse impact on the children staying home. According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, preschool attendance was linked to a 6 percent increase in high school graduation, an 18 percent increase in on-time college attendance and a 5.5 percent increase in attendance at a four-year college.

An Innovative Public-Private Partnership

The Tri-Share model, pioneered in Michigan in 2021, is an innovative public-private partnership that divides the cost of childcare equally between the government, the employer and the employee. In effect, all three parties benefit from supporting working parents and investing in the next generation. 

While states are experimenting with slightly different iterations of the Tri-Share model, one fact remains consistent — the combination of public, employer and employee funds must be administered effectively to ensure any Tri-Share program’s success.  

Far too often, public childcare subsidy funds are inaccessible due to outdated administrative procedures, compliance challenges and inadequate financial technology tools. Fortunately, modern, purpose-built digital wallet solutions can help ECE program administrators efficiently allocate and track public funds. Such technologies amplify the impact of public funding for ECE programs like Tri-Share, helping children, providers, parents and employers thrive.  

Conflicting Priorities: Compliance and Accessibility 

All publicly funded ECE programs have extensive compliance rules and regulations. However, programs like Tri-Share are especially difficult to navigate because the ECE field is comprised of various programs and funding streams, which vary from state to state. Moreover, ECE program administrators are bound by burdensome administrative procedures and stringent protocols that dictate where and how funding must be spent. As a result, funding is often delayed and, in some cases, not distributed at all.  

Frequently, ECE program administrators struggle to maximize available funds because they lack adequate financial technologies to help ensure efficient distribution to providers and/or families. For example, program administrators may rely on manual payment and reimbursement processes or centralized procurement platforms, neither of which were designed to efficiently distribute public funds to a decentralized network of users. Without efficient payment processes, the impact of an ECE program like Tri-Share will be limited.

ECE program administrators can implement modern financial management technologies to help overcome some of these roadblocks. Digital wallets are one such technology that can help Tri-Share programs improve efficiency and remain compliant, while ensuring critical funding reaches ECE providers and children in need. 

Ensuring Funding Reaches the Right People the Right Way 

A digital wallet is an easily accessible, user-friendly online payment tool that government agencies and ECE programs can provide to an approved network of users. Users within the network can only make rule-based purchases, which preserves fiscal compliance and oversight.

Embedding compliance within the digital wallet application dramatically speeds up transactions between program administrators and beneficiaries. For instance, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) has used digital wallets to track, report and distribute over $140 million in grant-funded programs, completing more than 119,000 transactions and helping thousands of children and ECE providers. Programs like Tri-Share can use the same technologies to maximize efficiency and achieve parallel results.

DECAL uses an automated payments platform to distribute funds swiftly and securely, providing critical resources to teachers, ECE providers and children while also enabling fiscal accountability and transparency. By automating recurring tasks such as receipt collection, reconciliation, enrollment verification and payment processes, digital wallets alleviate significant strain on program administrators and ECE providers, saving valuable time for all parties involved. 

In addition to time savings, digital wallets offer benefits like peace of mind for administrators, ECE providers and government officials due to the reduced risk of fraud and increased transparency regarding the appropriate use of public funds. These platforms also dramatically improve the search and selection process, helping to empower and connect families with an ECE provider that best fits their children’s needs. 

Publicly funded institutions must be equipped with modern financial management tools to help innovative strategies like Tri-Share succeed. When public funding is easily accessible and securely managed, it maximizes the impact of taxpayer dollars and empowers state and local government agencies to deliver mission-critical funding to families, children and ECE providers.

—

Jamie Rosenberg is the founder and CEO of ClassWallet, a Hollywood, Florida-based financial technology company that has been used by state and local agencies across 34 states to maximize the impact of more than $4 billion in public funds. Prior to founding ClassWallet, Rosenberg launched the pioneering crowd-funding platform, AdoptAClassroom.org, which provided funding for teachers in 30% of schools and improved the learning environment of more than 3.5 million children. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of Miami School of Law, Rosenberg lives in Miami with his wife Lisa, his three children Ivy, Reid and Nica, and their dog, Lola.

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A student’s perspective on where the future of learning—with AI—should be headed.  

GUEST COLUMN | by Conrad Ingersoll Dube and William Saulsbery

Education systems, especially K-12, are the foundation of society’s future, meant to equip students with the knowledge and skills that reflect the present, grounded in lessons from the past, to prepare them for tomorrow. Yet, as the world evolves at an unprecedented pace we’re still clinging to outdated teaching methods from decades ago. It’s time to question whether we’re truly preparing the next generation for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

‘It’s time to question whether we’re truly preparing the next generation for the challenges and opportunities of the future.’

Modes of imparting education have improved. Digital, internet and media technologies are frequently employed in classrooms, homework is submitted electronically, classroom discussion and chat groups are formed online. Dissemination has improved, but the content being imparted has remained fairly constant. How can we take this well established, and irreplaceable foundation and evolve it to fully prepare the students of today for the world of tomorrow?

Beyond Fundamental Programming

Students can access courses in AI or in Python programming, but the overwhelming majority of our coursework remains consistent with the curriculum of the past. A large part of education continues to focus on memorization and regurgitation. In days where neuralink technologies are starting to make information available to us from the web at any time, we must focus on evolving education to meet the challenges of modern times. With the fourth industrial revolution upon us, we are entering into an algorithmic economy. For students to succeed in the coming world, they must be taught to think creatively and become experts at problem solving.

For example, take the curriculum around the United States Civil War.  We are commonly teaching students that; there was a Civil War, the North won, Slavery ended, President Lincoln was assassinated. This is an incredible lesson that must be taught, but we are not doing the event, and its participants, justice teaching facts and dates alone. What if instead educators talked through how the war was fought, how it was won. How did General Grant solve terrain, feeding troops, morale, delegation, and how did he grow as a leader throughout the conflict? Then, ask students to tie these learnings to either current personal challenges, or the current geopolitical landscape. Walk them through questions like “how did Lincoln build a coalition to end slavery in the legislature? What was his relationship like with Grant, Sherman, and his other generals?” What is the importance of a great leader to listen to those he has appointed and take their council? The Civil War could be used to give students skills for life and their coming careers. 

Simultaneously, our educators would unleash their creativity to its fullest potential and become excited again about their subject matter. Teachers become teachers because they want to help children learn and flourish. They want to prepare their students for the new world, they want to impart wisdom that was imparted to them, and sometimes wisdom that was not. Release them from “textbook to white board and back again,” quizzing kids on this date and that name. Place 30% of their lesson plans in foundational knowledge of events, and 70% in the hows and whys, and what this can teach their students about solving the challenges facing the world today. 

Free students for Creativity and Problem Solving

The future of work is not person and machine working at odds, or at parallel, but working directly together. We must teach our students to use machines to quickly complete all repetitive tasks, or gathering of common facts and dates. The next generation of careers require humans to act in tandem with machines to form a hybrid society.

Teach students how to leverage artificial intelligence to act as an augmenting agent assisting in tasks. How do we leverage AI to drive better decisions and improve outcomes? What are the prospective threats of AI, and how to protect against them? How do humans introduce ethics into these digital systems? How do humans best combat threats to privacy, safety and human dignity? These are the questions we must grapple with and solve for. Coursework in every dimension should include a hybrid methodology that allows human students to focus on creativity and innovation. 

Who is Leading the Way?

Estonia is emerging as a leader in digital teaching. Their “Tiger Leap” initiative, implemented over 20 years ago to introduce computers to students at an early age, has been a success. For multiple years they have been named as one of the top Programmes for International Student Assessment by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 

The UK is introducing computers and algorithms to children as early as 5 years old. Research shows that learning new languages is easiest when you are young, and computer languages are no exception. Whether you are programming using logic languages like Prolog, or writing object-oriented code in Java, learning the various dialects to converse with our digital colleagues should be as natural as learning new languages at an early age. 

A Digital Assistant for Every Student

AI shouldn’t be the centerpiece of education, but effective leveraging of a digital AI assistant should be a priority. When learning history, we should not be challenged to recall dates and events, these should be furnished by our digital assistant. 

Geography courses should focus not on the names of various straits and gulfs, but on the geographical challenges of these areas and how to best navigate them based on situational challenges and hypotheticals. Global warming, ecological threats, and biomedical solutions would all be engrossing topics for young minds. Again, use foundational curriculum as a basis for real world creativity and innovation. Walk students through the history of the Suez Canal and how it transformed commerce and the way of life for three continents. Then, ask students “what if a climate catastrophe closed the canal for 6-12 months?” What would the global consequences be? How many people would be adversely affected? Who would profit? Get them to think creatively on possible short, medium, and long term solutions. Educators and those running these institutions will become inspired at the possibilities of what scenarios they could create for their students, gaining ownership of the new educational system.

An Incalculable Impact

The United States is behind many in the industrial world in terms of science and math education. We need top governmental focus to catapult us to the front. We need to draw the brightest brains to teaching by arming them with a rock solid foundation honed over decades of practice, topped with a new problem solving focused end game. We must as a society make the choice to acknowledge and reward our teachers at an exponentially higher grade than today. They are molding the minds of our future society; should we not compensate them at top executive levels?

Strategic impact deserves more attention than the tactical quarterly impact that Wall Street seems to be focused on. Education and its overhaul has to become a central focus, as our future depends on it. Think of the cumulative benefit to the United States on the global stage—if every child is taught how to figure things out, creative problem solve, and be an innovator, the benefit to the nation would be incalculable. 

—

Conrad Ingersoll Dube (son of Chetan Dube, renowned futurist and founder of Amelia and Quant), is currently in high school in New York and his thoughts were the genesis of this piece. 

William Saulsbery is a former teacher and tutor who co-wrote the piece with Conrad. Connect with Will on LinkedIn.

The post The Future of Learning: Empowering the Next Generation to Lead the Digital Age appeared first on EdTech Digest.

Which tools, platforms, and technologies are worth keeping? More importantly, how can we ensure they’re used in ways that truly benefit student learning and achievement?

GUEST COLUMN | by Shannon LaFargue, PhD

In my youth, I was fortunate to be exposed to perspectives that challenged conventional wisdom. While most people adhere to the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” my father introduced me to Robert Kriegel and Louis Patler’s book, If It Ain’t Broke, Break It. That provocative message has shaped my approach to many aspects of life, especially education. It’s a mindset that invites us to examine the systems we assume are working, break them down, and rebuild them in a way that promotes true innovation.

‘…a mindset that invites us to examine the systems we assume are working, break them down, and rebuild them in a way that promotes true innovation.’

This approach is especially timely in education today, where technology’s role has dramatically evolved, particularly in the last four years. Prior to 2020, technology was making steady inroads into classrooms worldwide. It was seen as a tool for efficiency, better communication, personalized instruction, data aggregation, and student engagement. However, adoption remained cautious and incremental, often hindered by uncertainty and systemic barriers. That all changed in the spring of 2020.

Exposing the Weakness

COVID-19 didn’t just disrupt our lives; it exposed the weaknesses in almost every system we depend on, especially education. School systems around the globe were thrown into disarray, and with little preparation, the universal response was to lean heavily on technology to bridge the gap between teachers and students. The result? Mixed, at best. The consensus is often that virtual education was a failure during the pandemic. But was it the technology that failed, or was it our systems and our lack of preparedness?

Billions of dollars were spent to deploy technological solutions rapidly, and the aftermath has left educators and administrators questioning what was truly effective. As the financial influx subsides, school systems are now faced with a critical decision: Which tools, platforms, and technologies are worth keeping? More importantly, how can we ensure they’re used in ways that truly benefit student learning and achievement?

What Went Right

Rather than focusing on what went wrong, I believe we should be looking at what went right. Yes, there were failures, but those failures offered valuable lessons. Now, post-pandemic, the question of “What now?” can be answered with optimism. Educational stakeholders—teachers, students, and parents—are now equipped with technological skills they didn’t have before. That’s an advantage we should seize, rather than retreating to outdated systems.

The challenge we face is change itself. Education has always been slow to adopt new ideas, and this hesitation can sometimes be justified. However, without embracing technological advancements, we risk stagnation. Without innovation, creativity, and growth, our systems could become relics of the past, unable to serve the evolving needs of today’s learners.

As a former coach, teacher, administrator, and superintendent, I have always lived by the mantra, “Take advantage of your advantage.” Now is the time to apply that mindset to education. We are at a crossroads where technology, skills, mindsets, and achievements are converging in a way that allows for unprecedented growth. But to fully capitalize on this opportunity, we need to shift from a “Gotcha” mentality—where accountability systems are punitive and regressive—to a “Growth” mindset.

Historically, accountability in education has often been about catching mistakes, pointing out shortcomings, and holding educators to sometimes unrealistic expectations. This “Gotcha” culture creates an environment of distress (negative stress), which stifles innovation and creativity. What we need instead is a system that fosters eustress—positive stress that motivates and encourages growth. Technology should enhance instruction, not replace it, and when done right, it can transform classrooms into spaces where teachers are more engaged, students are more motivated, and learning becomes dynamic.

More Than Fixing What’s Broken

A “Growth, Not Gotcha” approach would mean embracing technology as a tool that supports the differentiated needs of all learners, allowing for real-time feedback, strategic planning, and personalized instruction. It would also mean empowering teachers to use these tools without fear of punitive measures but rather with the confidence that they are creating meaningful learning experiences.

The pandemic forced us to break what we thought was working in education. Now, we have the opportunity to rebuild it better. Technology, in the right hands and with the right mindset, can do more than just fix what’s broken—it can push us forward into a future where education is truly personalized, innovative, and, most importantly, effective.

Let’s not waste this moment by retreating into old habits. Instead, let’s take advantage of the tools and skills we now have and use them to create an education system that’s not only equipped for today’s challenges but ready to meet the needs of tomorrow.

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Shannon LaFargue, Ph.D., is a retired educational leader with experience as a coach, teacher, principal, COO, CAO, and superintendent. He currently serves as the Director of Coaching & Research at Bullseye For Schools. Bullseye is a customizable teacher coaching and walkthrough platform used by schools and districts around the US to support teacher growth. Connect with Shannon on LinkedIn.

The post Embracing Growth, Not Gotcha: The Future of EdTech Post-Pandemic appeared first on EdTech Digest.

Collaboration between AI and human expertise will help higher education remain innovative.

GUEST COLUMN | by Andy Hannah

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an integral part of decision-making processes across various sectors, including higher education. While some fear that AI might replace human judgment, the reality is that AI serves as a powerful tool to enhance human expertise. By understanding how AI can complement human decision making—particularly in admissions—institutions can harness the technology to support and amplify human insights, leading to better outcomes for students and educators alike.

‘By understanding how AI can complement human decision making—particularly in admissions—institutions can harness the technology to support and amplify human insights, leading to better outcomes for students and educators alike.’

In graduate admissions, for example, AI tools can assist in evaluating candidates by analyzing large datasets to identify patterns and insights that may not be immediately apparent to human evaluators. This is particularly useful in holistic admissions, when schools seek to align their selection criteria with their institutional mission and values. AI can map out desired qualities and experiences in candidates that are challenging to quantify, such as grit and empathy. By optimizing the composition of diverse student cohorts, AI makes sure that while certain criteria are met, the uniqueness of each applicant is preserved, preventing the formation of a homogeneous student body.

The Integration of AI in Higher Education Admissions

Successfully integrating AI into the admissions process requires a strategic focus on three key pillars: skill set, technology, and data. Institutions must cultivate a skilled workforce and prioritize staff training to fully harness AI’s potential. The complexity of AI demands professionals who can navigate its powerful tools and platforms effectively. In customer relationship management (CRM) systems, for instance, automating communication tasks offers significant benefits, but these can only be realized if employees understand and take ownership of the software.

Technology plays a pivotal role in both the challenges and opportunities associated with AI integration. Traditional statistical methods, such as correlations, often fall short in capturing the complexities of individual candidates. Institutions need to move beyond these linear models and embrace more sophisticated, nonlinear approaches that provide a richer, more nuanced understanding of applicants.

Finally, the accessibility and quality of data are critical. Despite the increasing availability of data, many institutions struggle with effective data collection and management, which is essential for AI to deliver accurate and meaningful insights.

Balancing AI and Human Expertise

Incorporating AI into data-driven decision making in education requires a careful balance between technology and human judgment. While AI offers powerful tools for analyzing data and identifying patterns, human expertise remains essential for interpreting these insights and making contextually appropriate decisions. Challenges arise when institutions rely too much on AI and risk losing the nuanced understanding that only human experts bring to complex situations. The potential for bias in AI-driven decisions is another major concern, particularly when algorithms are based on historical data that may reflect existing inequities. Institutions must confirm that their AI systems are designed with fairness and transparency from the outset.

To ensure AI enhances rather than replaces human judgment while remaining ethical, institutions should involve human oversight in the final decision-making stages, thereby preserving the integrity and inclusivity of their decisions. Institutions that adhere to the following best practices can use AI to enhance human judgment and contribute to better outcomes in higher education:

• Transparency: Clearly communicate how AI tools are employed in decision-making processes to build trust among stakeholders. Transparency helps all parties understand the role of AI in higher education in shaping outcomes.
• Continuous Staff Training: Invest in ongoing training so that users of AI systems fully understand their capabilities and limitations, enabling them to make more informed decisions.
• Rigorous Testing and Validation: Implement thorough testing and validation procedures to maintain the accuracy, reliability, and fairness of AI tools, making sure they perform as expected.
• Bias Mitigation: Regularly audit AI algorithms and use diverse and representative datasets to identify and mitigate biases, fostering equitable decision making.
• Ethical Use: Ethical considerations encompass a range of issues, including data privacy, consent, and the potential impact of AI on individuals and communities. Institutions must uphold ethical principles throughout their AI practices. 

As higher education continues to evolve, the integration of AI into decision-making processes presents both significant opportunities and challenges. By viewing AI as a way to complement rather than replace human expertise, institutions can enhance their decision-making capabilities while maintaining the critical human touch that defines education. Through careful planning and adherence to best practices, AI can increase efficiency, improve outcomes, and promote fairness. Ultimately, the successful integration of AI in higher education will depend on the ongoing collaboration between technology and human insight, keeping the future of education both innovative and inclusive.

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Andy Hannah is the president of Liaison’s AI and Data Science Solution, Othot. In his role, he promotes the use of artificial intelligence and prescriptive analytics, enabling colleges and universities to understand their students better and make informed decisions throughout the entire student-to-alumni lifecycle. Andy is also an adjunct professor of analytics at the University of Pittsburgh and chairperson of the University of Pittsburgh’s Responsible Data Science Advisory Board. Connect with Andy on LinkedIn. 

The post AI in Higher Education: Enhancing, Not Replacing, Human Decision Making appeared first on EdTech Digest.

Can you apply technology in ways that drive business outcomes?

GUEST COLUMN | by Sara Leoni  

Technology has upended the way many of us work, with no signs of slowing. Think about the core skills needed to do your job and how many are now influenced, streamlined, or even replaced entirely by software. Learning new tech-adjacent skills to stay competitive in the workforce can be dizzying. Especially as the “half-life” of new skills is as low as two-and-a-half years in some technical fields, according to the Harvard Business Review.

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, professionals across industries need more than just technical expertise—they need the skills to apply technology in ways that drive business outcomes. While much of the focus on workforce development has been around technical roles in software development or data science, a significant and growing demand exists for what we might call “tech-adjacent” skills – those that blend technology with business acumen. These skills are becoming essential for a wide range of professionals, not just those in traditional tech roles.

‘While much of the focus on workforce development has been around technical roles in software development or data science, a significant and growing demand exists for what we might call “tech-adjacent” skills – those that blend technology with business acumen.’

A recent labor market analysis by Lightcast spotlights the trend. Roles in project management, digital marketing, and data analysis are not just in demand – they’re booming. For instance, project management appeared in over 270,000 job postings and is projected to continue growing rapidly. Similarly, skills like digital marketing and data analysis are sought after and categorized as “rapidly growing,” indicating a substantial and increasing need in the market. This data aligns closely with sobering findings from the National Skills Coalition, which reported that 92% of jobs now require digital skills, yet a significant portion of the workforce lacks them.

Tech-Adjacent Skills: The New Professional Must-Have

The term “tech-adjacent” might not yet be part of everyday business jargon, but it’s a concept that’s quickly becoming a reality for many professionals. These roles aren’t about coding or developing the next AI breakthrough. Instead, they are about using technology to execute business strategies or enhance AI and, ultimately, skills needed to deliver on business goals to achieve better results.

Take project management, for example. Traditionally seen as a role focused on timelines and deliverables, today’s project managers need to be proficient in agile methodologies, understand the nuances of digital tools, and be capable of making data-driven decisions. It’s not enough to just manage a project – you need to leverage technology to streamline processes and optimize outcomes.

Then there’s digital marketing, a field that has transformed dramatically in the last decade. Where once a good slogan and catchy imagery might have sufficed, today’s digital marketers need to understand SEO, web analytics, and social media algorithms. They must use data to craft strategies that cut through the noise and reach the right audience. It’s a perfect example of a tech-adjacent role that requires a deep understanding of technology, even if the job itself isn’t about building that technology.

Bridging the Digital Divide

Despite the growing demand for these skills, there’s still a significant gap between what employers need and what the workforce offers. Lightcast’s analysis shows that, while there’s a high frequency of job postings requiring skills like project management, digital marketing, and data analysis, these skills are often underrepresented in professional profiles.

The National Skills Coalition also points to a digital divide, with one-third of U.S. workers possessing low or no digital skills. This divide isn’t just about access to technology; it’s about having the right skills to leverage technology effectively to drive business outcomes. The reality is that without continuous skills development, many professionals risk being left behind in an increasingly digital world. Continuous upskilling or reskilling is now an imperative for professionals at every career stage.

The Importance of Continuous Professional Development

So, what does this mean for today’s business professionals? It means staying competitive in the labor market is no longer just about having a degree or years of experience. It’s about continuously evolving your skill set to meet the demands of a changing landscape.

For those in tech-adjacent roles, this might mean gaining proficiency in digital tools, learning to analyze data to inform business decisions, or mastering the latest digital marketing strategies. It might also involve adopting new project management methodologies that leverage technology to enhance efficiency and collaboration.

The good news is that opportunities for skills development are more accessible than ever. Many higher education institutions and platforms offer non-credit programs designed to help professionals gain these in-demand skills. Programs are often flexible, allowing for learning alongside a full-time job, and are focused on delivering practical, applicable knowledge that can be used immediately in the workplace.

For example, Astra Dumbar, a digital marketing professional, completed a 10-week digital marketing course facilitated by my company, Ziplines Education,  landed her dream job, and doubled her salary. Being adept in today’s marketing tech stack provided a transformative career advantage for her. Still, more importantly, the industry-led community cohort helped Astra gain confidence and informed her decision-making, which are critical, durable skills for professionals who want to drive business outcomes.

Preparing for the Future

We live in a time of rapid change, where the skills required to succeed today might look very different just a few years from now. However, one thing is certain: The demand for tech-adjacent skills will continue to rise.

Whether you’re a professional needing to build project management skills, a marketer looking to deepen your understanding of analytics, or a business analyst eager to harness the power of data, the key to career longevity and success lies in learning, adapting, and growing.

As the labor market evolves, so must our professional development approach. Leaders would do well to recognize the demands of the rapidly evolving workforce and the need to offer industry-aligned courses to bridge the skills gap so that professionals can stay relevant and competitive in the workplace. With digital transformation impacting our daily work life, it’s mission critical to empower learners and earners at all levels with tech-adjacent upskilling that unlocks new career pathways for growth and innovation.

—

Sara Leoni is the CEO and Founder of Ziplines Education, a leading career accelerator platform partnering with universities to upskill professionals in tech-adjacent fields. Connect with Sara on LinkedIn. 

The post The Rising Demand for Tech-Adjacent Skills appeared first on EdTech Digest.

Considerations on a conduit for creating dynamic, engaging learning environments.

GUEST COLUMN | by Justin Louder

The ongoing debate about the role of mobile phones in educational settings is multifaceted. Critics often highlight the potential for distraction, citing the fact that an overwhelming 92% of college students admit to texting during classes. This concern is real, as smartphones can certainly pull attention away from the lesson. But focusing only on distractions misses the bigger picture. Mobile technology holds real promise for education, especially outside the classroom.  In today’s fast-paced world, where students frequently balance academic pursuits with work and family responsibilities, integrating mobile phones as learning tools isn’t just helpful—it’s necessary. 

‘Mobile technology holds real promise for education, especially outside the classroom.’

Mobile Phones as Classroom Tools

Properly harnessed, mobile phones are more than just a potential distraction—they are a conduit for creating dynamic, engaging learning environments. In an era where digital literacy is just as important as traditional literacy, having mobile technology in the classroom is invaluable. 

Educators continually seek strategies to capture and maintain student attention in lectures that can last upwards of two hours. Mobile phones, used strategically, offer a solution to this challenge. They facilitate the incorporation of instant quizzes, interactive activities, and other engagement tools that break the monotony of traditional lectures. This not only enlivens the learning experience but also fosters better retention and comprehension of course material, transforming students from passive listeners to active participants.

Furthermore, instant access to course materials via mobile phones supports any time any place learning, allowing students to draw connections within their curriculum and focus on core aspects of their studies with clarity and depth. This accessibility is a step towards accommodating diverse learning preferences and leveraging technology to fortify educational outcomes. Consequently, educational institutions should prioritize optimizing course materials for mobile platforms to support varied learning needs and amplify the effectiveness of education through technology.

Beyond the Classroom

Beyond their utility as in-class tools, mobile phones are indispensable for supporting students’ learning needs outside the walls of a traditional educational environment. For students juggling jobs, caregiving, family responsibilities, and coursework, having access to educational content on their phones turns downtime into productive learning time. 

The importance of mobile accessibility is underscored by a 2023 Anthology survey, which collected insights from over 2,700 students around the world on educational access challenges. The survey revealed that 55% of respondents relied on mobile devices for their studies, highlighting the significance of smartphones as educational tools. Surprisingly, it also found that 29% of students did not own a laptop, and 57% were without a desktop computer, pointing to mobile devices as a critical bridge to learning resources for many.

Students lacking access to traditional computing devices face heightened risks of educational discontinuation. Challenges in accessing course materials or completing assignments can have severe implications for mental well-being and increase dropout risks. What might seem like minor inconveniences are, for many students, daily hurdles magnified by broader challenges, emphasizing the need for educational institutions to ensure their systems and materials are universally accessible.

In response to these realities, it’s incumbent upon educational institutions to meet students where they are—on their mobile devices. Rather than viewing smartphones merely as potential distractions, it’s crucial to recognize them as indispensable educational tools. By doing so, institutions can ensure they provide a more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environment for all students.

—

Justin Louder is an experienced higher education and K-12 administrator and innovator focusing on online learning, student success, and pedagogy. He serves as Associate VP for Academic Innovation at Anthology. Justin earned a Doctorate in Education from Texas Tech University. Connect with Justin on LinkedIn. 

The post Mobile Phones: A Distraction or a Key Resource?  appeared first on EdTech Digest.

A school district’s director of technology confronts a myriad of devices and lives to tell the tale.

GUEST COLUMN | by Jason Schmidt 

I recently came across a report revealing that K-12 school districts in the U.S. are now using an average of 2,591 edtech tools—a dramatic rise from just 300 tools per district during the 2016-17 school year. While many of these are online platforms, classroom device usage has also surged. As the number of devices grows, so does the complexity of managing device refreshes.

‘As the number of devices grows, so does the complexity of managing device refreshes.’

Some of the most common devices used in classrooms today include tablets/Chromebooks, document cameras, smart boards, and 3D printers. All of these devices are aimed at improving learning and increasing student engagement. In the Oshkosh Area School District, we’re also equipping teachers with classroom microphones, ensuring they no longer need to strain their voices and students can clearly hear every lesson. All these devices have a finite lifespan, so staying ahead of refreshes is critical to ensure teachers and students have the tools they need. I follow several criteria that I stick to in my proactive refresh strategy that has kept our district ahead of the curve. 

1. Talk with and observe your teachers. The Tech Services team at Oshkosh collaborates closely with teachers to understand their classroom technology needs and challenges, allowing us to identify which tools are being used, which are underutilized, and what may be needed in the future. These conversations give us the opportunity to evaluate whether our educators’ needs are being addressed by a particular piece of equipment. We can also deprecate obsolete equipment. And if tech isn’t being used, we remove it from the classroom and our device refresh list.

GOOGLE MAPS OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

2. Understand and validate technology lifecycles. Some devices last longer than others. Keep this in mind when planning for a refresh so you can stay ahead of the curve.  For example, we replace student devices like Chromebooks every four years, whereas we expect our newest classroom displays to last up to 10 years. If you have an established replacement cycle, it’s easy to swap out devices on a regular schedule, such as summer break, so that there is little to no disruption in learning. 

3. Scope the project and meet the vendors. Once we’ve established our needs, we evaluate different hardware solutions to understand what’s available in the market. Talking to manufacturers helps us understand whether their solutions will meet our needs, how much budget will be required, and whether the vendors will become a trusted technology partner. With this in mind, I recommend talking directly to manufacturers to fully understand the direct capabilities of their products.

‘I recommend talking directly to manufacturers to fully understand the direct capabilities of their products.’

4. Choose the right tech, not the cheapest tech. While budgets always come into play, it’s critical to purchase technology that will last. The cheapest option is not always the best, especially when it comes to total cost of ownership, including setup, training and replacement. For example, we invested in some low-cost document cameras during the pandemic – mostly due to supply chain issues. We purchased several hundred, and within a year or two, more than half the cameras were broken due to faulty ports and cables. There was no real fix, so we had no choice but to e-cycle the cameras and replace them with Logitech Reach and Qomo document cameras. This is why build quality, warranty, and ongoing support play an important role in our RFP process. 

5. Implement a rollout plan. Whenever you’re introducing new tech tools, or even replacement devices, it’s critical to set clear objectives and establish a plan to train and support teachers. This helps guarantee they understand and feel comfortable with the devices before using them as part of their everyday teaching. At Oshkosh, we’ll often determine how many classrooms or buildings we can equip with an ideal solution versus trying to equip every room with part of the solution. We then take a holistic approach to refreshing that subset of rooms, which allows us to touch the classroom once and then leave it alone until its replacement cycle is due – whether that’s four, six, or 10 years depending on the technology we installed. 

6. Measure success and learn from your rollout. Anytime you place devices in the classroom, you’ll want to consider whether those devices meet your objectives. These may include if the devices are working the way they’re supposed to, staying within budget, and if there’s anything that could have been done better. It’s a constant evaluation, and based on the feedback we receive, our team can tweak things as needed and help drive student engagement, which is ultimately intended to lead to better student outcomes. 

Technology in the classroom is an important part of learning in today’s educational environment. But the overwhelming number of devices used in classrooms can be daunting, and the task of managing timely device refreshes can easily become a source of stress for IT departments. By proactively addressing technology needs in your classrooms, you can maintain a well-equipped learning environment that empowers both teachers and students.

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Jason Schmidt is a dedicated educator serving as the Director of Technology and eAcademy principal for the Oshkosh Area School District. With nearly two decades of experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and administrator, Jason brings a well-rounded perspective to his leadership roles. He is passionate about using technology to enhance teaching and learning. Jason is committed to fostering innovation and preparing students for success in an ever-evolving world. Connect with Jason on LinkedIn. 

The post Never Fall Behind: The Strategies Behind a Smart Device Refresh appeared first on EdTech Digest.

Innovative approaches to an AI-forward university.

GUEST COLUMN | by Julie Johnston

With the introduction of Generative AI (GenAI), one of the most disruptive technologies to date, universities across the nation are making strategic shifts to enhance their students’ college experiences. For example,  the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs offers a strategic AI program developed to streamline administrative processes and boost efficiency through automation and ethical technology use. 

‘… universities across the nation are making strategic shifts to enhance their students’ college experiences.’

Harvard University’s Information Technology department disclosed a comprehensive strategy that includes integrating AI to enhance administrative processes, academic tools, and research computing. The University of Michigan’s Vision 2034 incorporates strategic elements that focus on AI’s impact on various academic and administrative areas, emphasizing the integration of AI to streamline university operations. Finally, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) drafted AI strategies aimed at harnessing the power of AI to create meaningful and efficient administrative processes.

Sparking New Conversations

The concept of an AI-forward university is sparking new conversations about academic support and administrative processes. Campus departments that were once siloed understand this could be the opportunity to streamline and assist by developing efficiencies across campus. Historically, students have voiced concerns about navigating a plethora of administrative processes, with promises of improvement often falling short. 

In a recent conversation with an incoming first-year student waiting to hear about her admittance, she said she waited over 90 minutes on the phone with a college representative who was unable to locate her in the system due to a hyphenated name. Through an AI-powered contact center platform offering biometric authentication, the representative would’ve had a comprehensive view of past and current interactions with the student, leading to a more positive experience and sustaining the student’s enthusiasm for attending the university. 

Similarly, a university senior expressed frustration after being unable to connect with his academic advisor for a week. As a result, he was prohibited from enrolling in a required course for graduation, which delayed the completion of his program. AI services could have provided the necessary guidance and prompted deadlines, helping him enroll on time without waiting for human assistance.

Exploring Mission-Aligned Tools

Beyond administrative processes, universities are also exploring AI educational tools that align with their missions. Concerns about reliability, ethics, and data security have made universities more methodical in evaluating these tools. Dr. Alex Feltus, a computational biology professor at Clemson University, is a pioneer in this space leveraging AI to transform the classroom experience. He developed a tool called Pria, with the faculty perspective in mind, designed to address AI concerns about reliability and data security while enhancing his teaching.

One of the most revolutionary aspects of Dr. Feltus’ teaching is his use of AI to create a “professor in your pocket.” This concept allows students to access expert-level answers and support even when Dr. Feltus is not physically present. By using 28 trusted tools and integrating AI into his learning management system course, Dr. Feltus has created a personalized digital twin that mirrors his personality and behavior. Pria is listed as a co-instructor on his syllabus and provides students with a safe space to ask questions and seek help.

Elevating the Academic Experience

Students have also become creative in using this tool, taking personalized learning to a new level. The AI tutor can provide conversational assessments for a Socratic dialogue, asking questions, scoring responses, and suggesting additional resources based on trusted course content. Students can even upload rough drafts of assignments and receive instant feedback based on the course criteria. 

By integrating AI, universities are not only improving administrative efficiency but also elevating the academic experience, providing students with innovative tools and support systems to succeed. 

—

Julie Johnston is Executive Education Vertical Director at Avaya, delivering a more connected, mobile, and interactive learning experience. Connect with Julie on LinkedIn. 

The post The Future of Education is Now appeared first on EdTech Digest.

A well-known edtech presenter shares her journey in creating a meaningful book for educators.  

GUEST COLUMN | by Rachelle Dené Poth

I have always enjoyed being able to share ideas of what I’m doing in my classroom or something that I have learned with other educators and with my students so that I can also learn from them. For years I was writing blogs or presenting at conferences about what I was using in my classroom, whether it be a method or a certain digital tool. And I found that to be quite easy because I was just talking from experience. I was not stretching myself enough professionally. 

However, in August of 2017, as I had been a blogger for Getting Smart for a little while, I saw writing themes for the upcoming year, and AI was one of the themes for January 2018. It piqued my interest and instantly, I had thoughts of what I imagined AI to be. Learning about and sharing about AI over the past nearly seven years has been a rewarding experience and a great learning journey. 

A Bit More Confident

After writing that first AI blog and taking a tremendous course provided by ISTE, I felt a bit more confident diving into teaching about AI in my classroom and decided to submit a presentation at a conference—still not very knowledgeable about it, but wanting to also help other educators. Over the years, I would write and research and learn and write again. I would share that with educators that I came in contact with and have always really enjoyed it and walk away having learned something new, too. One day, somebody asked me why I didn’t think about writing a book about AI, and I started to, but I took a pause to work on my doctoral studies, which also coincidentally focused on artificial intelligence and the need for professional development. 

I’m glad that I waited so that I could provide what I believe to be the best resource for educators of any level to build confidence and comfort in bringing AI into any classroom. The book revolves around providing educators with accessible and practical tools to teach AI. I’m thankful to have students who are willing to try new ideas, and I’m also happy that I’m able to take the time to explore different tools for educators so that the big concerns when it comes to things like ethics, for example, are made easier to have actionable steps to take in our practice but also to help our students to learn about ethics and the many issues and challenges that come with emerging technology especially.

‘…I could provide what I believe to be the best resource for educators of any level to build confidence and comfort in bringing AI into any classroom.’ 

My Hope for Educators, What to Expect

My hope is that this book will be the one that educators feel they can pick up and find any idea for their work with students or colleagues, or if at an administrative level, that will help to guide them in their work with teachers and help them feel more confident in bringing AI to the classroom. 

So what can you expect from “How To Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area”? The book provides an overview of what AI is and how it works, where we see it, why we need to know about it, the prediction for the future need for skills in these areas, and why educators need to understand it and be proactive and intentional about choosing how to leverage AI in our schools. 

In “How To Teach AI,” I’ve done my best to help educators figure out how to go about doing this. There are seven chapters in the book, which progress from an overview of AI, the ethical implications of AI, the impact of AI in education and the world, and how to prepare ourselves and our students and the best practices to do so. 

The book includes a larger chapter focused on ethics with many resources for educators to explore and then dives into ways that educators can use a variety of tools to enhance their practice, increase productivity and efficiency, and, most importantly, help students become the creators and innovators and know how to ethically, safely and responsibly use the tools available. 

The book offers a lot of insight into actionable steps and some considerations when putting AI into the hands of our students. How can we shift from having conversations about AI to teaching students how to use it as an enhancer and not a replacement for their learning process? Finally, there are many resources available from organizations that are invested in providing educators with the current and essential materials they need to get started, including sample guidelines, policies, activities, and tools to use in the classroom. 

By incorporating guided instructions, example activities, and a variety of learning resources in the classroom, educators can create meaningful experiences that will best prepare students and themselves.

Why AI? Keeping it Relevant

In writing a book about AI, an area that is changing so rapidly, I was quite mindful of keeping it as evergreen as possible while yet offering suggestions for tools or resources to start in the classroom. A feature that I really love about this book is that I’ve created a QR code that readers can scan to find up-to-date resources as things happen, new features are added, tools change, articles come out, or news breaks. The QR code goes to a Wakelet, so if you’ve never heard of or used Wakelet, then now is your chance to learn another great tool for educators.

Why AI? Because it is all around us, and it is not going away. The World Economic Forum has AI and Big Data listed as number three on the Top Ten Skills Job Outlook for 2027. It is an area of tremendous interest, and with 7 years of experience in this area, I want to help other educators dive in, especially as we see it impacting education and the world faster than ever before. 

I’ve done countless trainings in my own school district, one-on-one, with large groups of the whole district. Over the years, I have traveled or done virtual workshops ranging from two to eight 8 hours, locally, nationally and nationally. I would love to work with more educators and help them to get started and of course, I’m going to keep learning myself. We can’t ever stop, and now with all of the increasing uses of AI in our work and, more importantly, in the world that we are preparing our students for, we have to know how to best provide opportunities to help them be successful. 

We have to teach them about protecting their data and being safe and secure when interacting online, especially with AI-powered systems. Many employers are seeking employees with skills in artificial intelligence, and educators beginning from preschool through 12th grade and onto higher education, need to provide learning experiences for all students.  

Connect with Me

Copies of the book are available via ISTE, Amazon, or through my website or book order form. I am scheduling AI training workshops with schools around the country, both in person and virtually. I also provide training on AI and the Law. You can connect with me via my socials or my contact form. 

Thank you to Victor Rivero for the opportunity to share my latest and ninth book, one that I am truly proud of. I am thankful for the whole ISTE team and some educators who contributed their own experiences, insights, and even cautions about bringing this powerful technology that we are still learning about into our classrooms. 

I hope that you will grab a copy of this book, share it with colleagues, and leave your feedback. Let me know what your thoughts are, what you tried, how it went, and, maybe most importantly—how I can improve and offer more support to you. Thank you.

—

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. She has more than seven years of teaching and presenting on AI in her classroom and working with educators worldwide. She is the author of nine books including her most recent “How to Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area.” Connect with Rachelle via bit.ly/thriveineduPD See her books here: bit.ly/pothbooks and find her writings here: www.Rdene915.com

The post How To Teach AI appeared first on EdTech Digest.

From teacher to leader, a founder shares his inspiring way forward.

GUEST COLUMN | by Philip Bowman

For too long, the role of teachers and school staff has been narrowly defined—focused primarily on individual student success, with only peripheral attention given to the broader structural changes shaping education. Our schools and educational systems need more than just capable administrators as leaders; they need classroom innovators who understand the evolving educational landscape at ground level and can drive the necessary changes for our students and staff to truly thrive.

‘Our schools and educational systems need more than just capable administrators as leaders; they need classroom innovators who understand the evolving educational landscape at ground level and can drive the necessary changes for our students and staff to truly thrive.’

The Urgent Need for Change

Our schools face unprecedented challenges. The global pandemic disrupted traditional learning models, and the rise in mental health concerns over the past decade has only increased the pressures on educators. Many have been stretched to their limits, leading to burnout for some. Yet, others have been tirelessly searching for solutions, experimenting with new approaches in their classrooms.

In my own teaching experience, I felt compelled to develop an effective pedagogical approach that facilitated short, meaningful one-to-one learning conversations, placing students at the center of their educational journey. A six-year retrospective study, led by UDL & MTSS expert Katie Novak and published in NASEN’s Support for Learning Journal, revealed that when implemented consistently, these reproducible five-to-seven-minute conversations have a significant impact, with an effect size of Cohen’s coefficient .91—ranking it in the top 5% of educational interventions.

Encouraged by my wife, also an educator, I began sharing this approach with colleagues, administrators, and eventually at international conferences. My head of school, principals, and supervisors recognized the positive change within our school and supported my decision to form an edtech company to extend impact beyond the walls of International School Bangkok.

Technology as a Tool for Enhancing Relationships

As we work to transform our schools, it’s crucial to recognize the role that technology can play—not as a replacement for human connection, but as a powerful tool for enhancing it. Technology has the potential to engage students in new ways, personalize learning experiences, and streamline administrative tasks. However, the true value of edtech lies in its ability to strengthen the relationships that form the foundation of effective education.

The most successful edtech solutions are those that prioritize relationships within the school community. Platforms like the one I’ve worked to build empower educators to track student progress in real time, offering insights into both academic performance and wellbeing. This data-driven approach allows teachers to respond more effectively to each student’s needs, ensuring that interventions are timely and targeted. These tools do not replace the personal connections between teachers and students; rather, they enhance them by providing educators with the resources to be more attuned and responsive.

In our schools, we must continually ask ourselves whether we are using technology to foster deeper, more meaningful interactions. Are we freeing up time for teachers to engage with students on a personal level? Are we leveraging the insights provided by edtech to better understand and support each student’s journey? The goal should always be to reinforce the human connections at the heart of education, not to replace them.

‘The goal should always be to reinforce the human connections at the heart of education, not to replace them.’

Embracing Leadership by Sharing Your Vision

As we look to the future, I urge all teachers and school staff to see themselves as leaders, both inside and outside the classroom. Each of us has the potential to drive significant change, but the true impact of our work can only be realized when we share our initiatives with others. Whether you’ve developed a new approach to student engagement, created a wellbeing program that’s making a difference, or harnessed technology in a way that transforms learning—don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with your colleagues, present it at conferences, publish your findings, and collaborate with educators worldwide.

When I first developed my pedagogical approach to one-to-one learning conversations, I had no intention of creating a company. I simply wanted to share something that works. But in doing so, I discovered that many others were looking for similar solutions and wanted to contribute to and improve upon what I had started. Less than two years after our beta platform launched, we are now in nearly 50 schools, helping to ensure that students are safe, ready to learn, and thriving. In multiple schools, we’ve already been credited with saving students’ lives.

By stepping forward and sharing your innovations, you too can contribute to a collective effort to reshape education for the better. In the process, you might see your impact grow larger than ever expected and inspire others to do the same. 

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Philip Bowman is co-founder and CEO of MARIO Education and a highly experienced special educator with a career that started in the U.S. and took him to the International School Bangkok, where he worked for 13 more years until the founding and rapid growth of MARIO Education necessitated his full-time leadership and a departure from the classroom. Philip has been named EdTech Digest’s School Leader of the Year for 2024. Connect with Philip on LinkedIn.

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An edtech founder provides advice applicable to anyone working in education and technology. 

GUEST COLUMN | by Nick Gaehde

The pandemic exacerbated a problem that has long existed: many middle and high school students are struggling readers. With learning interruptions and instructional inconsistencies (among other COVID-related disruptions), students who were already struggling to read fell even further behind in their literacy skills—even as they advanced to the next grade.

‘With the right professional learning and supporting materials, including age-appropriate reading content and tools for tracking and monitoring student performance, teachers in the middle grades can help close reading gaps…’

The latest Nation’s Report Card continues to demonstrate just how much work still needs to be done in this area. The good news is that we know from the science of reading, which components are most effective for teaching reading and which of those components need to be emphasized, and the intensity of instruction needed for students in middle and high school. And although there is often a focus on teaching elementary school teachers about the science of reading, it is equally important that we provide teachers in middle school and high school the same opportunity to learn. It is estimated that about 85% of curriculum is taught through reading so although many subject area teachers don’t think of themselves as reading teachers, students’ reading abilities impact their ability to access the content. Therefore, all schools should explore, high-impact professional learning around literacy for all of their teachers.  

A large body of gold-standard research collected by cognitive scientists and other reading experts, the science of reading, tells us how we learn to read and the most effective way to teach reading. Understanding the science of reading is critical for educators to provide the best possible literacy support to their students, and this includes students in the middle grades who still struggle with their reading skills. 

Improving Understanding and Comprehension

Students who still struggle to read in the middle grades are less likely to understand increasingly complex texts as their education advances. As a result, they’re more likely to hit academic failures that, in turn, lead to fewer opportunities once they become adults. The problems don’t end there: according to the Lucy Project, more than 40% of adults with the lowest literacy levels live in poverty. Low literacy is also linked to a greater likelihood of health problems and prison time. On the positive side, being a proficient reader can also directly impact informed decision making, active civic participation, personal empowerment and improved self-esteem.  

‘…being a proficient reader can also directly impact informed decision making, active civic participation, personal empowerment and improved self-esteem.’

Teachers can have a substantial positive impact on their students’ reading ability, but not all teachers receive the same literacy education training. And teachers of older students rarely get such training. With the proper professional learning and support, teachers of adolescent students can weave literacy skills and strategies into their instruction to help students learn how to read, comprehend, and articulate their ideas across various grade levels and subject areas.

For example, school-wide professional learning that incorporates the science of reading into literacy instruction can help all teachers accelerate student literacy, regardless if they are a reading teacher or a content area teacher. This doesn’t mean all secondary teachers need to become literacy experts. Instead, subject-area teachers can learn some simple ways to weave a few strategies rooted in the science of reading into their instruction to support students throughout their day, not just in their ELA class.

3 Steps to Better Professional Learning 

Training late elementary and middle school teachers in the science of reading and helping them understand how to include explicit reading instruction into their classroom curriculum, even content area classes, helps improve the reading abilities of adolescent learners. 

Here are three ways to deliver effective professional learning to teachers of adolescent learners:

1. Create the right content. Ground teachers’ lessons in the science of reading by focusing on what the research says about how students learn best. Lessons should address what adolescent learners require to improve their literacy, which should be informed by assessment data as we know the needs of adolescent students can vary greatly.

If students are struggling to read proficiently, they will most likely need explicit instruction in foundational skills such as decoding and language skills, like the structure of a sentence and vocabulary skills or if their skills are more developed, they may benefit from instruction in higher-level skills such as inferencing and synthesizing information across text.

The instruction should also emphasize that adolescent learners who are struggling to learn to read need age-appropriate texts and materials with proper support/scaffolding —not just resources for early readers that are repurposed for older students—to help them learn how to read.

Because every student has unique learning needs, the professional learning teachers receive should help them apply proven, evidence-based strategies to a classroom of students who have varying levels of literacy competency. For best results, professional learning should help teachers understand the tools and strategies that are best for specific students.

2. Deliver the professional learning in a flexible, engaging way. Teachers don’t have much time for professional learning in reading instruction, especially upper-grade teachers who are focused on their own specific content areas. Professional learning delivered online in flexible, bite-sized chunks lets teachers learn at their convenience and acquire the skills and strategies they need to support literacy for all students in a manner that fits into their busy schedules. Short, online modules can also be revisited as many times as necessary to support teachers’ ongoing development.

Every teacher’s learning journey is different, similar to how each student’s needs are different, and the professional learning they receive should reflect these differences by offering choices in what they learn through highly targeted, personalized, and scaffolded instruction. This will help instructors develop the skills needed to support students’ literacy in a relevant and engaging manner (i.e.., highlighting how some explicit strategies can be easily woven into content area classes to help more students access the content).

3. Give teachers the right tools and resources. Teachers don’t have time to hunt for specific resources to put their professional learning into practice. They need easy-to-access resources to ensure practical and transferable learning (i.e., ready-to-use materials they can implement immediately in their classrooms). They also need low-lift data tracking tools to measure their students’ growth in reading skills and adjust the instruction accordingly.

‘They also need low-lift data tracking tools to measure their students’ growth in reading skills and adjust the instruction accordingly.’

The professional learning teachers receive should be accompanied by powerful data that school and district leaders can use to monitor their teachers’ progress, provide guidance and direction, and celebrate teachers’ accomplishments. This information should help K–12 leaders visualize and understand the impact that professional learning is having on their district, schools, individual educators and ultimately the students.

Closing the Reading Gaps

Adolescent learners have unique requirements when it comes to literacy learning with needs ranging from reading at a level more consistent with first or second grade all the way through advanced reading abilities similar to a college level student.

With the right professional learning and supporting materials, including age-appropriate reading content and tools for tracking and monitoring student performance, teachers in the middle grades can help close reading gaps and ensure that their students have the foundational reading skills required for life-long success.

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Nick Gaehde is President of Lexia and a lifelong literacy advocate. His compassionate and respectful approach to customers, employees, and partners makes him an effective leader and mentor. Known for his ability to apply those leadership skills with a focus on growth, Nick has guided companies through successful transactions and launched numerous product lines and distribution channels. Nick holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus on early childhood development from Pitzer College and a master’s from Boston University’s School of Management. Connect with Nick on LinkedIn. 

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