The Point Where I Used to Stop

For most of my life, I assumed coding belonged to other people. It was for developers, programmers, and those who understood what all those brackets and symbols meant. I had taken AP Computer Science in high school, but that experience only reinforced the idea that coding was not for me. I remember making it through “Hello, World!” before becoming lost somewhere between functions, variables, and whatever came next. Whether “Hello, World!” was an assignment, a function, or simply a warning sign, I am still not entirely sure.

After that, I stayed away from coding. I could appreciate what technology made possible, and I had dabbled with formulas and macros, but I still did not see myself as someone who could build anything with code.

What I have never been good at accepting, though, is an inefficient process. When I run into a repetitive administrative task that feels more complicated than it should be, I usually start looking for a better way to do it. I search the web, try different features, look for extensions or add-ons, and, more recently, ask AI for ideas.

Quite often, I eventually reach the same answer: the solution involves code. That is usually where I stop. I still cannot sit down with a blank screen and independently create a Google Apps Script, Google’s tool for using code to automate tasks across apps such as Sheets, Docs, Drive, and Gmail.

What I can do is identify a frustrating process, explain what I want to happen, follow clear directions, and keep asking questions when something does not work. As I learned during this experiment, that combination can be enough to get surprisingly far.

One day, I wondered why I was stopping at that point. If AI could help me find the solution, could it also help me write the code? That question became an experiment.

The Annoying Problem That Got Me to Try

My experiment grew out of a task that was not especially difficult. It was simply annoying.

Whenever I needed to share materials with a principal, colleague, or student, I typically would create a folder, name it, grant access, copy the link, send it, and then keep track of where everything was located. Doing that once was manageable. Doing it over and over was the kind of small administrative task that quietly eats away at your time.

Normally, I would have searched for a tool that could help. This time, I described the entire problem to Gemini instead. I explained that I wanted to start with a spreadsheet containing names and email addresses, create an individual folder for each person, assign the appropriate access, and have the folder link automatically written back into the spreadsheet for my reference.

Gemini generated the code, but the code by itself was not what made the experiment possible for me. It also showed me where to open Apps Script, where to paste the code, what I needed to change, and what to click.

When an error appeared, I copied the message into Gemini and asked what it meant. When the script did something I did not expect, I described what happened and asked it to fix the problem. I did not suddenly understand programming; I simply kept following the directions and asking the next question.

Eventually, the tool worked. I could identify a main folder, add names and email addresses to a spreadsheet, and run the script. It created an individual folder for each person, assigned access, and placed the link back into the spreadsheet. The same basic idea could also be adapted to create individual Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides from a template.

Of course, there are other ways to solve a problem such as this. Extensions, add-ons, and tools in the Google Workspace Marketplace may already do some or all of these things, and sometimes may even be the better solution.

What was different this time was that I was not trying to fit my workflow into someone else’s tool. I started with the workflow I wanted and built the tool around it. I could decide what information appeared in the spreadsheet, how folders were named, what the script did, and what information it returned to me.

For a developer, this may be an ordinary project. For me, it represented a significant shift. I had moved from thinking, “There must be a tool for this somewhere,” to realizing, “Maybe I can build the tool I actually want.”

Before using it with real recipients, however, I tested it with sample accounts, checked the folder locations, and verified the permissions. A mistake in an email address or sharing setting could give access to the wrong person, so the ability to automate something did not remove the need to check my work. I also asked a friend who teaches computer science to review both the tool and the code to make sure I was not missing anything important, and I made sure everything aligned with my organization’s policies before considering it ready to use.

Once I Built One Tool, I Started Seeing Other Possibilities

Getting the first script to work changed the way I looked at other repetitive tasks. Instead of immediately accepting a cumbersome process, I wondered whether I could build something to make it easier.

One example involved receiving a large master spreadsheet containing information that needed to be separated and distributed to different people. The manual process required filtering the file, copying the correct rows, creating separate documents, reviewing each one, and preparing the corresponding emails.

I asked Gemini whether a script could handle some of those steps. Together, we developed a tool that could separate the spreadsheet into recipient-specific files and prepare the corresponding emails. Rather than spending my time repeatedly filtering, copying, and creating files, I could spend more of it reviewing the results.

This example also showed me where the limits of my experimentation needed to be. An incorrect filter could place the wrong information in a file or send it to the wrong recipient. I would avoid using an AI-generated tool such as this with student-level data because the consequences of an error could be significant. I would limit it to information that could be safely distributed and that complied with my organization’s policies.

I also preferred to have the script create email drafts rather than automatically send anything. That gave me the opportunity to check the recipient, attachment, subject line, and message before anything left my account. Saving time was useful, but not at the expense of judgment.

Another experiment came from a similar frustration. I often work from spreadsheets containing names, roles, schools, and email addresses, so I wondered whether the spreadsheet itself could become a more useful communication tool.

With Gemini’s help, I created a script that allowed me to select people from the spreadsheet and decide how I wanted to contact them. Depending on the situation, I could place recipients in the To, CC, or BCC field or create an individual draft for each person. The subject line and message could also be pulled directly from the spreadsheet.

None of this is revolutionary technology, and that is actually part of the point. I was not trying to create the next great software platform. I was solving small problems in my own work and shaping each solution around how I actually worked.

The Skill Was Not Really Coding

Someone who knows how to code would already understand functions, debugging, onOpen(), and many of the other concepts that still feel unfamiliar to me, and they would almost certainly produce cleaner and more sophisticated code than I could. But that was not the expertise I brought to the experiment.

What I brought was a clear understanding of the problem, a solid grasp of the workflow, and a sense of what I wanted to happen. I could recognize when the result was wrong, describe the desired outcome, follow instructions, test what AI produced, and explain what needed to change.

Those abilities are not unique to programmers. Educators and school leaders use these constantly. We identify problems, explain processes, coordinate people, review information, and revise plans when something does not work.

Working with AI made me realize that those skills could also be part of building a technical solution and could help democratize solutions to everyday problems. I did not need to understand every line of code before I could experiment with it, but I did need enough understanding to test the tool, question the results, recognize the risks, and know when I was moving beyond what I should attempt on my own.

AI Did Not Make the Problems Disappear

Of course, the experience was not as simple as telling Gemini what I wanted and immediately receiving a perfect tool.

Sometimes a column heading was wrong. Sometimes the script could not find the folder. Sometimes it created duplicate files or stopped before finishing. At other times, I received an error message that meant almost nothing to me.

Previously, that would probably have been the end of the experiment. This time, I went back to Gemini, described what happened, shared the error message, and asked what needed to change. Sometimes the repair worked immediately, while other times it introduced a different problem that required another round of questions.

I was still debugging. I just had help doing it.

AI did not remove the frustration of getting something to work, but it changed what happened when I became stuck. Instead of reaching the limit of what I knew and abandoning the idea, I had somewhere to take the next question.

The Guardrails Still Matter

None of this means that someone should copy AI-generated code, approve every permission request, and hope everything works. Schools and districts may have policies governing Google Apps Script, external AI tools, automated emails, data access, and file sharing, and those policies need to come first.

Privacy matters during development as well. Gemini does not need actual student names, email addresses, identification numbers, grades, or confidential district information to help me write a script. I can describe the structure of a spreadsheet, provide column headings, and use invented names and sample data.

Testing matters just as much. Before using a script with real recipients, I can test it with sample accounts, review permissions, inspect drafts, and confirm that the correct files were created. When the stakes are higher, having someone with more technical expertise review the code can provide another important layer of assurance.

AI can help me debug the code, but it cannot take responsibility for what I choose to do with it. That responsibility remains mine.

Moving Past the Place Where I Used to Stop

What surprised me most during this one-day experiment was not that AI could write code. I already knew that. What surprised me was what happened when I stopped treating code as an automatic dead end.

For years, my question was simple: “Do I know how to code?” Since the answer was no, that usually ended the conversation. AI has given me a different question: “Can I clearly explain the problem I am trying to solve?”

That shift matters. AI does not make me a developer, nor does it replace the expertise of people who actually know how to code. What it does is give me a way to experiment with everyday problems that I once assumed were beyond my technical reach.

I am still not sure I have fully recovered from AP Computer Science. But now, when the answer to a problem involves code, I do not automatically stop there. I might just ask the next question.

Courage isn’t a destination but a muscle that requires training and practice, says Juan Bendaña, keynote speaker at the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents National Summit on Education, October 15-17.

If an assistant principal is set to present at a superintendents’ meeting for the first time and wants to project confidence, she should start by pouring energy into the preparation, Bendaña says, emphasizing his confidence cycle of energy, courage, action, and proof.

“Once you have enough energy poured into that thing, it facilitates courage,” says Bendaña, who’s also the author of Confident by Choice: The Three Small Decisions That Build Everyday Courage.

Bendaña, who has researched confidence across high performers from CEOs to Olympians, spoke in schools early in his career. He started at assemblies for high school and college students, which led to leadership development for parents, school faculties, and school boards.

Education leaders can influence students’ lives for decades, Bendaña says, noting that he hopes to help those at the ALAS summit “inspire confidence in the next generation, but also give them the mindset, the tools, the resources to be able to be successful in that new version of what the future holds.”

Confidence Cycle

Bendaña’s confidence cycle framework has four steps that starts with energy, or a spark that sets off the cycle. The most difficult thing about running can be tying your shoes, he says. Or for the assistant principal, it could be getting ready for the presentation to the superintendents. If you don’t shy away from the discomfort or self-doubt, the energy you exert can facilitate the next step: courage.

A decision to improve something is the courage piece of the framework, which comes after you’ve tied your shoes or prepared for the presentation. Bendaña cites a study in which participants had to go to the gym for 30 days but could stay only five minutes. Eighty percent kept going to the gym when the study ended.

“Why? Because the hardest part was the initial inertia, the energy at the beginning to get themselves to make the decision, take the courageous decision to get into the gym,” Bendaña says.

Going for the run, finishing the gym workout, or delivering the presentation are the action steps.

“Then what happens after?” Bendaña asks. “There is a result, either in success or failure. Either it goes well, or you get tomatoes thrown at you.”

If it goes well, you get a little boost of energy, another spark, the proof that starts another revolution of the cycle. If it doesn’t go well, it’s a different form of proof, indicating an area in which you can grow. In either case, it sparks another round of the process.

Put It To Work

Bendaña encourages leaders to go beyond sharing the ideas that they think people want to hear.

“That's not the one that I'm talking about,” Bendaña says. “I'm talking about the one that you actually think, that you're nervous to share because you're afraid of the impact or the result of you sharing that thing.”

In addition, educators who reach a certain level of success could be lulled into complacency and no longer train the courage muscle. He suggests that to keep practicing, do something a little scary and make the bold ask that makes you nervous.

Every time leaders complete a revolution of the confidence cycle, it becomes more ingrained in their identities as something they are, rather than something they do. After enough rounds of the cycle, leaders could reach a point when they ask how much more they can achieve, or how long they can sustain their success.

Bendaña urges such high performers to compare themselves not to others but to who they were six months or a year ago. “You can check in with your growth trajectory every single month, and then every few months, and be like, ‘At least I'm becoming the kind of person that I said I was going to be.”

NowComment is a free online tool that lets teachers bring students together around the same learning materials, with annotation and discussion built into the experience.

NowComment is designed around the idea that giving students a place to work with shared materials and discuss what they find with their classmates helps. It can be used with a range of content and across different types of classroom activity, from individual work to group discussion.

For teachers, it offers a way to make student thinking more visible while keeping the focus on the material being studied. Here’s what educators need to know about NowComment, and how it can be used in the classroom.

What is NowComment?

NowComment is an online space for discussing and annotating documents. Teachers can upload reading material and invite students to comment on it, with each comment linked to a specific part of the document.

The platform works with text, images, and video so it can be used for more than traditional reading activities. Students can comment on a particular passage, highlight an area of an image, or start a discussion while a video is playing.

Documents can be kept private and shared with selected students or groups, or made public when appropriate. Teachers can also organize students into groups and use collections to keep related material together.

How does NowComment work?

Teachers start by uploading a document to NowComment. Supported formats include Microsoft Word, Excel, PDF, images, plain text, and web content. Video and audio can also be included through embedded media.

Once the material is uploaded, students can be invited to view and comment on it. In the standard two-pane view, the document appears on one side of the screen and the comments on the other, making it easy to see to which part of the material each discussion relates.

Students can start a conversation by selecting text, an area of an image, or a point in a video. Other students can then reply to the comment, creating a threaded discussion around that particular piece of material.

For a teacher, this could be as simple as uploading a reading and asking students to identify an important point, question an argument, or respond to a particular passage. The resulting comments can then form the basis of a class discussion or provide evidence of how students have engaged with the material.

What are the best NowComment features?

The main strength of NowComment is its in-context commenting. Rather than having students write their thoughts in a separate discussion forum, comments stay attached to the section of the material that prompted them. This can make it easier to follow a discussion, particularly when several different points are being discussed at once.

The image tools extend that idea beyond text. Students can identify and comment on particular areas of an image, which could work well for analyzing photographs, artwork, maps, diagrams, or other visual materials.

Useful controls are available for teachers. Assignments can have minimum or maximum comment requirements, deadlines, and email reminders, while time controls can determine when students can view a document or post comments. Teachers can also hide other students' comments until a specified point, which could be useful when you want everyone to make an initial response independently.

Groups make it possible to organize students and share documents with particular classes or teams. Once students are members of a group, new material can be shared with that group without having to invite every student individually each time.

For teachers who want to see how students are using the platform, NowComment also has analytics reports that can sort and tally comments and document visits across multiple documents. Download and export options are available as well, so material isn't locked into the platform.

How much does NowComment cost?

NowComment is free to use.

The platform says there is no charge for creating an account, uploading documents, or inviting others to view and comment.

NowComment Tips

• Start with a short text
  Don't make the first activity a huge reading. Give students something short enough to annotate in one sitting so they can get used to selecting material and joining conversations.
• Set a clear question
  Give students a specific reason to comment rather than simply asking them to discuss the document. A question about evidence, an author's argument, or a particular character can give the activity much more focus.
• Use hidden comments
  If you want students to develop their own response before seeing what everyone else thinks, use NowComment's controls to hide comments from other students initially. This can help prevent the first few responses from steering the whole class.
• Try visual material
  Use the image commenting tools for photographs, artwork, maps, or diagrams. Asking students to identify a particular detail and explain why it matters can make a simple image into a useful discussion starter.
• Review the discussion
  Don't let the comments become the end of the activity. Pick a few interesting or contrasting responses and bring these back to the classroom for discussion, using the annotations as evidence for the conversation.

Being a new assistant principal has to be among the biggest challenges in school leadership. It can feel thankless, like the time I had to call the parent of a child who had made racist comments and aggressive actions toward another child after school on the way home. As typical as that kind of issue sadly is, what made it worse was calling the parents of the offender and being met with equally racist rhetoric and a lecture about how white people were being disenfranchised ….

That was nearly three decades ago, not yesterday. My favorite answer for an aspiring principal who asks (and many do ask), “When do you know when you're ready to be a principal?” is so simple, it may surprise you: You know you’re ready to be a principal when you hang up the phone with a parent after telling them their child was disciplined for (fill in the blank) and they thank you.

I refer to this previous article, explaining school leaders can successfully balance competing demands from passionate educators and defensive parents by anchoring disciplinary decisions in objective principles rather than emotional conflicts, all while coming across supportive and understanding to both sides.

I was a new administrator then and didn’t have advice from someone else, so I am glad I can share now with emerging and current school leaders. We will always have moments when we will face what feels like an onslaught of challenges during which we have to sit squarely in the middle. We are, after all quite literally, middle management. Yet there are ways to throw off the scent of those wishing us harm, and still keep our balance while we work to help students thrive.

‘What Are You Gonna Do About It?’

Another experience that remains firmly in my memory illustrates the importance of managing my own reactions and how fortunate I was to get it right that time by chance, which is something I follow now with intent. This was years ago as a young new assistant principal. I had just been faced with issuing a fair amount of discipline that warranted me suspending not one but a number of students for issues that surfaced on a Friday. I am not someone who had or ever will enjoy suspending children, and I know the negative consequences that go beyond school. Yet at this time and with our school’s code of conduct calling for it, I had no other choice.

Mind you, I’m grateful to have come up with programs since then through research, trial, and error that have become recognized as ways to help children, especially those at-risk. Programs such as schoolhouse adjustments, which helped me drastically reduce suspensions. And Middle to Littles, which helped at-risk children find a unique way to be positively recognized and for it to be cool to care.

But before I had those ideas firmly in place, I had to survive with preexisting traditional methods.

Returning to school the following Monday following the suspensions, I was outside greeting students when there seemed to be a strange vibe. Soon, a young man approached me and said rather confusingly, “What are you gonna do about that?” I turned to him and asked, “Do about what?” As middle schoolers would be expected to do, he turned and said, “Never mind!”

I made my way over to where there seemed to be an unusual amount of attention–a three-foot-high curb, which served as a base for a tree bed and a spot popular with skateboarders, who often used skater wax (that custodians had to clean off regularly) to slide across at night and on weekends. The curb was an ideal height to make a jump and slide, so we were used to seeing wax there.

But this time was different. This time, a skater had drawn with the wax words I cannot quote here about my wife….

The student asked again, “What are you going to do about that?” To which I replied in the blink of an eye, “Nothing, it doesn’t matter, it’s not true.” I walked away smiling, hiding my real emotions inside. As the bell rang and students entered the building, I immediately went to the head custodian and asked him to remove the wording.

Later, I learned that the students were expecting a reaction that would have entertained them. Me, upset, yelling, demanding, etc. That’s because a prior assistant principal would put his hands in his hair and scream with outrage. I didn’t know at the time whether my reaction was effective leadership sense or just plain logical.

I later learned that my response was smart on-the-fly leadership instinct. I didn’t give the expected attention/outrage to the incident, which rendered it anticlimactic. A broken clock is correct twice a day, and I got it right at that moment! Yet it helped me remember that many micro moments call for quick thinking on your feet if you are to be any good at leading.

Leaders are tested as middle managers, by parents questioning our decisions, teachers complaining about our decisions, and yes, skaters laying offensive words across the curb about your wife.

Were they trying to hurt me? Of course, but by not showing any injury, it wasn’t fun anymore. I never saw skater wax with anything about me, or my wife, again. It was just one of those lessons I learned. The “never let them see you sweat, because everyone is watching the person in charge,” kind of a lesson.

Tech and Learning’s "EdTech to Watch Virtual Playground" webinar, hosted by Jess Steinbach and sponsored by Clear Touch, MagicSchool, and Vivacity, focused on award-winning back-to-school edtech designed to enhance teaching, broadcasting, and professional development.

During the event, each of the sponsors presented live demonstrations of their products, and fielded questions from attendees.

Watch the webinar on demand free here

Clear Touch: Command Studio

Tristan O'Connor, Product Solutions Manager at Clear Touch, presented the Command Studio, a portable video broadcasting solution designed for schools.

“We saw the value in making a self-contained video broadcasting solution that is not only self-contained, but also affordable,” O’Connor said. “The vision here was not only to simplify a teacher’s life, but also leaning into those podcast spaces, and those content-creation spaces that are so big now.”

Core Features: The system includes a control console, two to three cameras, and battery-operated microphones with a 6-hour battery life. It can establish its own local network without requiring internet connectivity.

Functionality & Integration: Supports multi-platform streaming (such as YouTube and Twitch via stream keys), local recording, and direct decoding on interactive flat panels via HDMI/USB.

Advanced Tools: Features AI camera tracking, green screen capabilities with virtual backgrounds, built-in audio mixing, and upcoming support for smartphone camera integration.

Educational Impact: Simplifies morning announcements, graduation recordings, and media studies programs, making professional-quality broadcasting accessible without dedicated production spaces or technical staff.

MagicSchool: Presentation & Image Generators

Caroline Humphrey, Staff Product Manager at MagicSchool and a former educator, introduced the latest features of MagicSchool, an AI-powered platform designed to combat teacher burnout.

“Everything we build starts with what teachers need in their classrooms,” said Humphrey. “We use the best frontier models, which have been vetted for education, and we have partnerships with those platforms that help us create really enriching, pedagogically aligned content.”

Platform Overview: MagicSchool provides purpose-built tools for lesson planning, differentiation, and student engagement while maintaining strict data privacy (user data is never shared with frontier models).

Presentation Generator: Allows teachers to generate slide decks by specifying grade level, length, topic, and learning objectives. Users can select from various themes and layouts, edit content directly or via AI prompts, and incorporate image placeholders.

Image Generator: Enables educators to create educationally aligned images across 15 different styles (such as photorealistic, watercolor, or labeled diagrams and anchor charts).

Safety & Moderation: Utilizes a proprietary moderation pipeline to ensure all generated content is safe, age-appropriate, and pedagogically sound for K-12 classrooms.

Vivacity: V Guide Learning Hub

Kendal Shomura, Google Partner Services Leader at Vivacity, announced the official launch of the V Guide Learning Hub.

“It is free, but it’s not just a free tool we threw together and then threw out there into the world,” Shomura said. “The cool part is that we created and designed it for K-12, and exactly what instructional and technical folks need for their PD requirements.”

Platform Overview: V Guide is a 100% free, centralized LMS designed for K-12 professional development, covering both instructional and technical Google tools.

Key Offerings:

• Curated Courses & Learning Paths: High-quality modules on Google Admin, Chromebook Plus, Gemini Essentials, and more.
• The Toolkit: Automatically compiles all resource links, slide decks, and materials from course modules into an accessible package.
• The Pulse: Provides updates on Google Workspace features along with expert commentary on the practical impact on K-12 education.
• AI Educator Series & Trophy Case: Tracks PD progress and displays earned credentials and badges.

District Management: District leaders can create custom courses (using up to 3GB of storage or external links), organize learning cohorts, set assignment due dates, and track engagement through detailed analytics insights.

Artificial intelligence was used to help transcribe this webinar.

A group of speech pathology graduate students are standing in front of a “patient." They listen as she tells them about the difficulties she’s encountered since returning to work after getting treatment for cancer.

“Everyone tells me I look great,” the patient says, “but I still don't feel like myself.” She adds that she gets tired easily and has started to cough when she eats, which she finds embarrassing.

One student asks her how often she gets the coughing sensation.

“Usually if I drink too fast or I’m not paying attention,” she says while looking at the student. She also provides more details about her symptoms.

The “patient” is an interactive AI hologram speaking from within a lifelike holographic display, a device about the size of a refrigerator that creates the illusion of a 3D and life-size person. It’s all part of a pilot program at the University of Central Florida designed to utilize holographic AI avatars to help give students the experience of interacting with actual patients.

Bari Hoffman, Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs and Healthcare Innovation, is leading this effort and is a proponent of hologram use in education. In 2024, she spoke with Tech & Learning about how holograms can provide lifelike lessons in STEM and other fields. The tools allow educators to “beam” in experts to speak in class, display intricate machinery, and provide more immersive examples of various kinds.

Hoffman has also recently begun using the technology in coordination with AI, a pairing that she believes will have significant impact for her students.

AI Holograms

The term “AI hologram” conjures all kinds of science fiction imagery, but in practice it can be a way for students to get more real-world, hands-on experience and be better prepared for careers. Students, such as the ones in the YouTube clip above, get a chance to learn more about what it’s like to interact with a real patient.

Traditionally, health students at the UCF have had the opportunity to interact with real patients who volunteer to come to campus, but such an opportunity is limited out of necessity.

“Somebody who has maybe some mobility challenges or other health-related challenges, it isn’t necessarily safe or easy for them to come to campus,” Hoffman says. So AI and hologram technology have allowed the school "to create something that is reproducible across programs, across days, across semesters; it allows us to really scale those experiences,” she says.

This principle extends beyond just working with AI avatars. Hoffman’s institution has also created realistic 3D videos of actual patients discussing their treatments and struggles. These stories can be replayed via hologram technology, and AI can make these even more accessible through its ability to translate patient testimony (with permission of course) into various languages that can reach students from different backgrounds, and be used for other educational purposes.

“We’ve been able to take our existing content and really translate that in any language, and that's allowed us to scale application and integration in a more culturally sensitive way, and even to expand our work in collaboration internationally,” Hoffman says.

The Power of The Hologram

Hologram technology goes beyond what students might glean from an AI avatar alone on a standard computer screen, Hoffman says. One of the reasons is what is called “copresence.” Holograms seem to fill up the room the way a real person might.

“You get that sense of realism, that eye contact," Hoffman says. "When you create your content properly, the content kind of has this Mona Lisa effect, where anywhere you are in the room, those eyes are going to follow you."

For example, Hoffman points to pediatric physical therapy students. “The students are able to do assessments with children two months of age to 10 years of age, and looking at individuals with low muscle tone or spasticity, that volumetric image allows the students to appreciate the center of mass and subtle changes in muscle tone that often are lost on traditional 2D platforms,” she says.

These types of realistic insights for students are part of why Hoffman's become such a strong proponent of the technology. She regularly hears from educators at other institutions and even some K-12 leaders looking to learn more about how hologram technology might fit into their institutions. She always advises teachers to find faculty champions, and make sure to keep learning objectives and the student experience in mind.

Hoffman also urges educators who are using holograms to think about how the technology can be used to create meaningful experiences for students. Then it’s important to measure that experience in some way, either through objective or qualitative data, that shows how holograms were used to achieve something new or different.

“That's got a lot of ROI to faculty, to programs, and to institutions,” she says.

Much of the conversation about students and AI has focused on cheating. Even esteemed tech reporter and columnist David Pogue recently framed student AI use through that lens in an online exchange we had. But what if we shifted the conversation from detecting AI use to thinking about the learning itself?

Instead of focusing on whether students used AI to complete an assignment, we can ask two more useful questions: Why are we giving students assignments AI can easily complete in the first place? And how might students use AI and/or other tools to support their thinking and learning?

Multiple-choice tests. End-of-chapter questions. Worksheets. Book reports. Generic essays. These assignments were problematic before generative AI. AI just magnified the problem and made it much harder to ignore.

That's why Michael Hernandez's work on Uncheatable Assessments caught my attention. Rather than focusing on catching students after the fact, Hernandez turns the lens back on us. What are we asking students to do, and is it actually worth doing?

Put Your Assignment to the Test

Hernandez created a tool that gives educators an Assignment Vulnerability Report. His Cheat Vulnerability Index scores assignments from 1 (vulnerable) to 10 (cheat-resistant).

The report looks at things such as originality, AI resistance, evidence requirements, personal or local connections, scaffolding, modality choice, authentic audience, reflection, and what we are actually assessing. Hernandez explains more about the thinking behind this approach in I Used AI to Build AI-Resistant Assignments.

I tried the tool with several assignments. A traditional worksheet earned just 1.3 out of 10. It lacked authentic purpose, evidence, meaningful choice, and personal connection. AI could complete it easily, but the real problem was the assignment.

Creative Doesn't Automatically Mean Uncheatable

A stronger assignment that gave students multimodal choices and asked them to explore human creativity and AI jumped to 5.9. It scored well for AI resistance, originality, and modality choice, but poorly for personal connections, authentic audience, and reflection.

That's important. Swapping a worksheet for a podcast, video, or presentation isn't enough. Students need something meaningful to do and a reason to do it.

This is something I've written about for years. In 5 Innovative School Models You Might Not Know, I looked at schools where students pursue interests, work on projects, learn in their communities, and demonstrate learning through real work rather than just tests and assignments created for the teacher.

What Might an Uncheatable Assignment Look Like?

Let's say students are studying pivotal moments in recent history. We could assign questions, a test, or an essay about how an event affected Americans. AI can do all of that pretty well.

Or we could ask students to interview an adult about pivotal historical moments they lived through. Now the student has something AI doesn't have: that conversation. They have to listen, ask follow-up questions, connect history to lived experience, and decide what matters.

Then give students agency over what they create: a podcast, picture book, video, biography, artwork, song, or another format. Give them examples and a rubric so they know what strong work looks like without requiring everyone to show learning the same way.

The audience matters, too. The person whose story the student is telling is an obvious place to start for finding an authentic audience. Students could also share their work with classmates, families, or the larger community. As I've written before in 5 Steps to Help Students Connect With Real Audiences, audience shouldn't be something we figure out after the work is finished. It should be part of why students are doing the work in the first place.

Reflection can be simple: What surprised you? What are you most proud of? What do you want others to understand? How did feedback affect what you created? Now we're seeing the thinking behind the product, not just grading what landed in the teacher's inbox.

I put this assignment into Hernandez's tool too. It scored 7.8 out of 10, including a 10 for local/personal anchoring, 9 for originality and authentic audience, and 8 for AI resistance and evidence. Because students gather primary source material themselves, the feedback called it "genuinely hard to fake or automate."

It still wasn't a 10. The tool flagged clearer expectations, stronger reflection, and more flexibility in how students present their work. I had already envisioned multiple formats, but making those choices explicit would make the assignment stronger.

Uncheatable Doesn't Mean AI-Free

Here's another thing I like about Hernandez's approach: uncheatable doesn't mean AI-free. He used AI to help build a tool for creating AI-resistant assignments.

Students could use AI to brainstorm questions, organize ideas, consider formats, or get feedback. AI can help students think more deeply without replacing their thinking. The goal isn't to prevent AI use. It's to create learning students can't outsource to AI.

AI happens to be very good at the recall, regurgitation, and generic production schools have assigned for generations. Those problems existed long before AI, which is part of the argument I've made about why we need to stop romanticizing school before technology.

AI didn't create the problem; it exposed it. We can spend our energy trying to catch students and preserve outdated assignments, or we can create work students actually have a reason to do. Then educators can stop trying to detect AI and start creating better assignments.

Welcome to the October 2026 Edtech Show & Tell, in which our editors share some of the new edtech products that have caught our attention this month. These are not reviews or endorsements, but a showcase of education-friendly items, platforms, and more that we think might be noteworthy for you.

This month's new offerings include new virtual and augmented reality solutions for history, math and language; clearer classroom sound technology; a free K-5 digital literacy resource with no advertising, and much more.

Avantis Education | Eduverse+ New Math and Language Learning Experiences

Avantis Education, creator of ClassVR virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) solution, has expanded its Eduverse+ platform with two new immersive learning libraries for math and English/Spanish language: EscapeRooms and LingoLab. Designed for use with ClassVR headsets, these suites provide immersive experiences designed to support a broad range of curriculum areas and learning needs.

Avantis Education| EduverseSTEM

EduverseSTEM combines ClassVR Xcelerate 6DoF headsets, with a content library mapped to standards, including NGSS. With more than 500 STEM experiences and unlimited creation opportunities, it supports hands-on learning across biology, chemistry, physics, engineering & technology, and computing. EduverseSTEM also includes modules that support project-based learning.

Captivate | CP-PVOT-C1622 AI dual-lens camera

Captivate today announced the CP-PVOT-C1622, a 4K AI dual-lens camera built for conference rooms, training facilities, classrooms, and streaming setups. The camera pairs an 8 MP PTZ main lens with 3x optical zoom against a 2 MP panoramic lens covering 120 degrees, so AI tracking modes can frame the room and follow whoever is speaking without an operator at the controls.

Common Sense Media | Tech in Schools Toolkit

Designed to establish evidence-based best practices for kids, the Tech in Schools Toolkit is a collection of free resources to support families, educators, and district leaders in making appropriate decisions about classroom technology use. The toolkit includes resources tailored to the needs of teachers, including templates and presentations to drive effective communication around tech with families.

Cyark| Tapestry

Tapestry helps students explore history and heritage through photorealistic 3D environments, with more than 70 experiences ranging from the George Wythe House at Colonial Williamsburg and Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde to the Great Mosque of Djenné, Mount Rushmore, and humanity’s legacy on the Moon. Tapestry connects historical narrative, archival material, oral testimony, photographs, video, and other evidence to the 3D environment.

Coursera | New partners and certificates

Coursera has added 17 new university and industry partners, more than 5,000 new Udemy instructors, and more than 20 new professional certificates, alongside new specializations and courses. Coursera’s micro-credential catalog has grown 90% to more than 3,000 programs. New partners include Asana, Harvard Business School, GitHub, Perplexity, Texas State University and the American Medical Association.

Edlio | Edlio Accessible Documents

As schools and districts work to improve digital accessibility ahead of upcoming ADA Title II deadlines, PDFs have posed a challenge, as they are not easily remediated. Edlio Accessible Documents improves PDF accessibility in multiple ways, creating HTML versions of each document while also providing tools to remediate the original PDF.

iCEV | Partnership with Simformotion LLC

iCEV, a leading provider of Career and Technical Education (CTE) solutions, has partnered with Simformotion LLC, the exclusive licensee of Caterpillar Inc.’s heavy equipment simulator training, to make it easier for learners to earn heavy equipment operator credentials. The partnership will create a path from training to credential for students, career and technical education programs, and workforce training providers.

IXL | LevelUp Diagnostic Snapshot

IXL's LevelUp Snapshot is a new type of assessment window that gives administrators a quick read on student performance in as little as 15 minutes. LevelUp Snapshot delivers interim data that districts can use to track growth over time, compare performance across schools and classrooms, and monitor trends between major assessment windows.

Learning Commons | Learning Commons

Learning Commons' platform give education technology organizations access to the datasets, evaluations, and instructional workflows that ground AI in learning science. Canva Education, Level, MagicSchool, OKO Labs, Really Great Reading, and TalkingPoints also announced that they are integrating Learning Commons into their platforms, adding to existing collaborations with Anthropic and OpenAI.

Logitech | Rugged Combo 4c

The Rugged Combo 4c keyboard case provides protection for iPad (10th gen and A16) and features an additional USB-C connector allowing students to charge their iPad and use a wired headset simultaneously; a large asset tag window and QR code for simplified device deployment at scale; military-grade drop protection; smart connector; secure digital pencil storage; and a sealed, spill-resistant keyboard.

Other World Computing | Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI

The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI one connection provides the displays, storage, networking, power, and connectivity of an enterprise-class desktop workstation – without the need for adapters and workarounds. Features include: two HDMI 2.1 ports built in; everything through one cable as a single Thunderbolt 5 connection delivers dual displays, wired networking, storage, card readers, and full laptop charging simultaneously; and 140W Power Delivery.

Panopto | Folio

Panopto has launched new capabilities designed to make trusted video knowledge easier to find, learn from, and use in education. Folio turns trusted content into study guides, flashcards, practice quizzes, and AI tutoring, while MCP Server securely connects Panopto knowledge with approved AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, and Microsoft 365 Copilot while preserving existing permissions and controls.

Riedel Communications | OnAir Headset platform

The new OnAir headset platform is a family of professional intercom headsets for broadcast, live entertainment, sports, and other live production applications. The platform includes the OnAir 200, 400, and 500 Series, covering applications from lightweight single-ear communication to dual-ear headsets for high-noise environments. Riedel developed the OnAir platform with a focus on speech intelligibility, ergonomics, integration, and serviceability.

Shotoku Broadcast Systems | Aura E2 PTZ Elevator

The Aura E2 PTZ Elevator is a studio pedestal designed specifically for PTZ production, providing smooth elevation of the PTZ camera – and the P2 panner when teleprompters are in use - to accommodate different production styles or presenter heights. Its self-contained two-stage elevator provides more than 1.2m (47”) of variable-speed elevation control.

SMART Technologies | SoundFlow

SoundFlow is a classroom audio accessibility solution that brings clearer, more flexible sound to everyday instruction. Using Auracast technology, it creates a simple one-to-many audio broadcast from a SMART Board display to students’ compatible hearing aids, earbuds, headphones, personal listening devices or speakers. This gives students clearer access to lesson audio from anywhere in the room.

TypeTastic | Ad-Free K-5 Digital Literacy Curriculum

TypeTastic.com has relaunched as a broader K-5 digital literacy resource. Alongside typing, it now covers digital citizenship, digital literacy and computer science for K-5, plus AI literacy lessons for grades 3-5. The site is free and ad-free, with no login required, so a teacher can open a lesson and start.

Wiley| Artificial Intelligence (AI) zyBook

zyBooks are interactive learning solutions that replace traditional textbooks with digital courseware. The new AI zyBook is intended for upper-level computer science, data science, engineering, and other technical majors, designed to give them the real-world experience and practical skill set that AI-related jobs now demand, including emerging roles such as AI developer.

WordFlight® | Fluency Kit

WordFlight®, a literacy intervention solution, has launched new research-backed resources—including an e-book, quiz, discussion guide, and observation checklists—to support educators with reading intervention and instruction. The resources are available to download for free on the Fluency for All website

• Edtech Show & Tell

Mental health can often mean another program, another training course, or another thing for teachers to squeeze into an already packed school day.

Mood Classroom delivers simplicity by offering 20 free lessons that can be delivered directly in the classroom, with no teacher training or preparation required.

Designed for children in grades 3–8, the lessons take around 20 minutes and introduce simple strategies for dealing with everything from frustration and overstimulation to anxious thoughts and difficult emotions.

The material comes from MOOD, a mental wellness organization focused on giving children and teenagers practical tools for managing everyday emotional challenges.

What is Mood Classroom?

Mood Classroom is essentially a ready-made mental wellness curriculum that teachers can use whenever their class needs a short emotional reset or wants to explore a particular coping strategy.

It offers 20 lessons in total, covering techniques including breathing, movement, progressive muscle relaxation, sensory grounding, tapping, and thought-shifting. Lessons have accessible names such as, "Name It to Tame It," "Surf the Wave," "Just Move," and "Use Your Senses," to help turn potentially abstract ideas about emotional regulation into things children can actually remember and use.

MOOD says the activities are based on proven psychological techniques, adapted to make these appropriate and accessible for children. Its wider collection of Mood Tools draws on approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

Mood Classroom isn't presented as a replacement for professional mental health support. Instead, it gives teachers a set of simple classroom activities that can help children develop emotional awareness and practical coping skills.

How does Mood Classroom work?

Getting started with Mood Classroom is super straightforward. Head to the Mood Classroom website, choose one of the 20 available lessons, and open it on the classroom display.

The lessons are designed to take 20 minutes or less, so these can fit into the school day without the need to carve out a whole lesson. You could use one during morning meeting, as a transition between activities, after break or lunch, or when the class needs a change of pace.

Each lesson focuses on a single technique and guides pupils through it. "Hand Breathing," for example, uses the movement of tracing around a hand to pace breathing, while "Tighten, Hold, Relax" introduces progressive muscle relaxation. Other sessions use movement, sensory awareness, visualization, or ways of approaching difficult thoughts.

The 20 lessons don't need to be followed in a particular order, either. Teachers can choose an activity that fits the class, or work through the collection over time so pupils are exposed to a range of different techniques. That also means a teacher can return to a familiar exercise when a particular approach has worked well for their pupils.

The idea is to provide children with practical strategies they can try for themselves. Once pupils know the techniques, the activities can also be revisited outside the formal lesson, giving them something familiar to turn to when they feel overwhelmed, distracted, or stressed.

What are the best Mood Classroom features?

The appeal of Mood Classroom is largely in its simplicity. Yes, there are 20 lessons to choose from, but they aren't 20 versions of the same mindfulness exercise. The collection moves between breathing, movement, relaxation, sensory grounding, visualization, and cognitive techniques, giving teachers plenty of different ways to approach emotional regulation.

The lessons are also short enough to really work in a busy classroom. The roughly 20-minute format makes it easier to build the activities into existing routines. This is an ideal way to make wellbeing activities a regular part of the week.

Another useful feature is the way the activities turn quite complicated psychological ideas into things children can do. Pupils are shown a breathing technique, asked to notice their senses or guided through a physical relaxation exercise. The emphasis is on practicing a skill rather than simply learning about one.

Plenty of flexibility is available in how the resource can be used. A teacher can introduce the whole class to a new technique, revisit an activity pupils already know or pick something that suits a particular point in the school day. Because the lessons don't require specialist training, they're also accessible to teachers who aren't mental health professionals.

While Mood Classroom is designed to stand on its own as a free classroom resource, it's part of MOOD's wider collection of mental wellness tools. That includes its Mood Tools app, which gives children and families access to additional techniques for managing emotions beyond the classroom.

How much does Mood Classroom cost?

Mood Classroom is completely free.

All 20 classroom lessons are available to access online without a subscription, and MOOD also makes its wider collection of Mood Tools freely available.

For schools, there's no software licence to negotiate, no specialist hardware to buy and no training programme to organise before teachers can try it.

Mood Classroom Tips

• Don't wait for a crisis
  Introducing the tools when things are calm gives children a chance to learn the techniques before they might need any.
• Build a regular routine
  Regularity and familiarity should make it easier for children to recognize and use individual techniques independently.
• Let children find their favorites
  Not every strategy will work equally well for every child. Give pupils opportunities to try different approaches and identify the ones that feel most useful to them.
• Use movement as well as mindfulness
  The collection includes physical activities alongside breathing and thought-based techniques. That's useful for classrooms where sitting quietly and focusing inward isn't necessarily the most effective way to reset.
• Keep the conversation going
  The lesson itself doesn't have to be the end of the activity. Use it as a starting point for talking about emotions, stress and the different ways people respond when they're struggling.

For years, district leaders have understood the importance of family trust. But in today's environment, trust is no longer simply a byproduct of good schools; it has become a strategic priority.

Families have more ways to engage with schools, greater access to information, and higher expectations for transparency and communication than ever before. As a result, trust increasingly shapes how communities respond to district decisions, how families engage with schools, and how effectively students are supported both inside and outside the classroom.

While it may not appear on accountability dashboards or state report cards, trust plays a critical role in a district's ability to achieve its goals.

In McDowell County Schools, we've learned that trust is rarely built through major initiatives or strategic plans. Instead, it develops through hundreds of interactions between schools and families throughout the year. Every classroom update, parent conversation, district announcement, and school event contributes to how families perceive their relationship with the school system.

Today's families want more than information. They want transparency, consistency, and confidence that schools view them as partners in their children's success. Trust is built, or weakened, in those everyday moments.

Family Engagement Starts with Trust

Research consistently shows that family engagement contributes to stronger student outcomes. Students whose families are actively involved in their education are more likely to succeed academically, demonstrate positive behaviors, and remain engaged in school.

Yet engagement cannot be mandated. Families are more likely to participate when they feel informed, respected, and connected to their child's school community. Trust creates the conditions that make those partnerships possible.

When families trust their schools, they are more likely to attend events, respond to outreach, support learning at home, and work collaboratively with educators when challenges arise. For district leaders, that means viewing trust not as a separate initiative, but as a foundation for meaningful engagement.

Consistency Creates Confidence

One of the most important lessons we've learned is that consistency matters as much as content.

Families receive information from a variety of sources, including district websites, social media accounts, emails, text alerts, newsletters, and classroom communications. While each channel serves a purpose, too many disconnected communication streams can create confusion about where families should look for reliable information.

When families receive conflicting messages or struggle to locate important information, frustration often follows. Clear, predictable communication creates confidence because families know what to expect and where to find information when they need it.

Consistency may not seem transformational, but its impact compounds over time. When families regularly receive timely, accurate information, trust continues to grow.

The Importance of Tone

Consistency is important, but how a message is delivered can be just as influential as the information it contains. For many years, school communications often reflected the language of policies, procedures, and compliance requirements. While those elements remain necessary, families connect with schools through relationships and shared goals.

Several years ago, our district began taking a closer look at the tone of our communications. We realized some messages unintentionally emphasized rules and consequences when our goal was partnership and support.

Attendance communications provided one example. Like many districts, we needed families to understand attendance expectations and the importance of being in school every day. As we reviewed our approach, we shifted from leading with consequences to emphasizing why attendance matters and how schools could work alongside families to support students.

The information remained the same, but the tone became more personal, supportive, and focused on shared goals. Those small adjustments changed the nature of many conversations and strengthened family relationships.

Small Moments Matter

Another lesson we've learned is that trust is built through positive communication, not just problem-solving. Too often, families hear from schools only when there is a concern about attendance, behavior, or academic performance. While those conversations are necessary, they should not define the relationship between schools and families.

Some of the most meaningful communication occurs when educators share everyday successes—a student helping a classmate, a classroom project that sparked excitement, or a note recognizing effort and growth. These moments help families feel connected to their child's daily experience and reinforce the positive work happening in schools.

That kind of personal communication is also what many families value most. According to Project Tomorrow's 2025 Speak Up Research, 91% of communication leaders believe parents are satisfied with the student-specific information they receive from teachers, while only 56% of parents agree. The gap suggests that families are looking for more meaningful, personalized communication about their own children—not just schoolwide announcements and operational updates.

Our district has used ClassDojo for Districts to create more consistent communication and strengthen connections between schools and families. But the platform itself is not the story. The real story is what happens when communication becomes a tool for building relationships rather than simply delivering information.

Building Trust One Interaction at a Time

At a time when public institutions face increasing scrutiny and community expectations continue to evolve, trust has become one of the most valuable assets a school district can possess.

It is built gradually through consistent actions, clear communication, and genuine partnership with families. Every interaction matters because every interaction contributes to the relationship between schools and the communities they serve.

When trust grows, engagement follows. Families become more involved, communication becomes more productive, and students receive stronger support both at home and at school. That is why family trust is not separate from student success—it is one of the conditions that helps make student success possible.

Tech & Learning talks to Andrew Vollavanh, Senior Project Manager Edtech R&D, and AJ Foster, Project Manager Edtech R&D, for Digital Promise, covering the edtech procurement framework.

Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the passion of its education leaders for guiding their students to successful learning outcomes. During the recent Tech & Learning regional summit at the TCEA Conference Center in Austin, that elevated dedication was on display throughout the day.

The Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit brings together superintendents, CTOs, CAOs, and instructional and tech district leaders to share ideas, best practices, and solutions to help to reshape and reimagine the future of education. One of the best ways that happens is during the table discussions scheduled throughout the day.

During each 20-minute session, attendees can choose from various problem-solving discussions, which range in topics from screen time and professional development to cybersecurity and student engagement. A fellow attendee who has experience in the subject facilitates each discussion, although everyone at the table is encouraged to share their thoughts, experiences, solutions, and advice.

Here are takeaways from a few we sat in on:

Screentime and AI: Calming the Chatter

Discussion moderator Kari Murphy, CTO for Deer Park ISD, started this discussion by asking attendees what kind of communications and suggestions they were getting from their communities. A few heard comments such as “Take devices away at lower levels,” but attendees pointed out that it was up to them to point out the difference between perception and reality, or how much the community thinks screens are being used versus the actual totals, as there’s generally a big disconnect. Attendees also discussed how it’s important to drill down into and be transparent about what students are doing with devices.

The discussion then turned to what various leaders are doing to address the issue. Maurie Beasley of Llano ISD reported that their school board is digging into data to develop a long-term plan–one of the issues with taking away screens in early grades is that a major state assessment is given on screens only in third grade, so students need to be comfortable with devices so that’s not an issue when it comes time to test.

Quinton Shepherd of Pflugerville ISD says he’s met with the Lieutenant Governor three times to talk about screen time, and is in the process of drafting policy with the school board.

The group mentioned how active screen time is “another whole ball of wax” compared to passive screen time, and it was necessary to dig into the different types. It is an inherently complex subject, so part of the solution is having conversations with the community to help build decision-making. And by being proactive first, then legislators don’t have to legislate later.

Murphy talked more about being proactive, looking at data, and creating intentional use policies. Her district also sought out the most vocal community members to be part of the conversation in the hope of converting them to be advocates for productive screen time. She also mentioned the challenge of trying to regulate screen time at schools when we can’t control it at home

Frank Murray of Belton ISD shared how his district has done the screen time research, and it’s less than 30 minutes per day for his students. He also touched upon the need to partner with parents to limit screen time at home as well, and suggested sharing screen time totals with principals so they can post it.

Finally, Kyle Berger of Arlington ISD suggested surveying parents and the community to create guidelines. He also said we need to show that it’s not “a free for all” on YouTube, and that we have to educate parents on edtech vs. consumer tech.

Scaling and Implementing Digital Literacy

During the “Scaling and Implementing Digital Literacy” roundtable, attendees talked about how schools are moving digital literacy beyond one-off lessons and toward a more coordinated, districtwide approach. That includes connecting digital citizenship with social-emotional learning, curriculum and professional development. Annababette Diemecke, Systems & Digital Learning Coordinator for Copperas Cove ISD, and Jessica Bredwell, Director of Digital Learning for Copperas, led a conversation about resources such as Common Sense Education’s Digital Citizenship Curriculum, which participants said can be relatively easy to implement across a district.

Participants shared several ways schools are building digital literacy into the school day, including grade-level scope and sequences, advisory periods and scheduled SEL time. Counselors and librarians also play a role in addressing topics such as cyberbullying and responsible technology use. Student check-ins, classroom walkthroughs, student work and feedback can help schools gauge whether those lessons are actually meeting students’ needs.

Librarians were another important part of the discussion, particularly as schools rethink how digital literacy connects with library, STEM and innovation programs. Rather than eliminating the librarian role, some districts are expanding it to include areas such as STEM, maker spaces, gifted education, and innovation.

A key theme from the roundtable was that scaling digital literacy requires more than choosing a curriculum. Participants discussed the need to connect technology and academics, create time for instruction, and give educators practical tools they can actually use across different campuses.

Effective Cybersecurity Programs

During the “Effective Cybersecurity Programs” roundtable, Chaz Quilter and Caroline Lightfoot of Dickinson ISD led a discussion on how school districts are strengthening cybersecurity, from employee training and phishing simulations to technical safeguards and student education.

Participants came back often to the role employees play in protecting school systems, and shared examples of using platforms such as KnowBe4, Vector, Microsoft tools, and CyberNut for training and simulated phishing campaigns. Some have even turned the exercises into friendly competitions, using leaderboards and other incentives to engage staff.

The conversation also touched on how cyberattacks are becoming more subtle. Instead of relying on obvious malicious links, attackers are increasingly using conversational approaches, such as asking employees to respond, share a personal phone number, or continue the conversation over text. Participants discussed layered defenses such as MFA, VPN restrictions, geofencing, threat detection, and zero-trust approaches, while noting that automated systems can still miss more complex attacks.

Student education was another part of the discussion, with districts incorporating internet safety, cyberbullying, and AI awareness into instruction. Some are also giving older students more specific guidance around email and account security as they prepare for college and the workforce.

Overall, the discussion highlighted how cybersecurity is becoming an ongoing part of school culture, with districts relying on a combination of technology, employee awareness, and student education.

The Best of Both Worlds: Crafting the Modern Technology & Literacy Specialist

Kelly Grigg, CTO of Deer Park ISD, led off this discussion describing how her district of 12,000 students recently consolidated the roles of tech integration coaches (TICs) and librarians into single positions at every elementary school, which when the dust settled, resulted in a 50/50 mix of librarians and TICs being retained.

To address this disparity, Grigg then had to develop a training/prep program for the one position in a way that balanced the strengths and deficiencies of both groups. Those in this new position came back nine days before school for team bonding and PD. Grigg used Future Ready Schools resources to help define roles, and each group is mentoring the other in the key aspects of their jobs. Lead librarians and TICs at high school level are helping to manage some of the specific duties such as buying books, balancing budgets, etc. They have also all been given new computers and other necessary equipment.

To also aid the transition, they have no classes on Mondays, which is a PD and catchup day for other tasks such as dealing with technology and PD for tech. Grigg has also divided the month into two weeks in the library and two weeks in classrooms with teachers.

The biggest challenge, however, has been trying to manage the district’s teachers’ expectations, who were expecting the transition to be seamless, and it hasn’t been. Teachers were also upset that they weren’t getting lessons every week, and are still working through that it all doesn’t look the same. “The library of today is not the library of old,” Grigg said. “But we’re building the plane while flying it as it’s year one.”

Professional Development Through Professional Learning Networks

During this roundtable, Teeya Davis, Process Improvement Coordinator for Harris County Department of Education, discussed how educators can use professional organizations, conferences, committees and online communities to build skills and connections beyond their own districts.

Davis shared how professional organizations supported her transition into education after more than a decade in healthcare. Participants talked about how professional networks can provide access to thought leaders, emerging trends, certifications, conferences, webinars and leadership opportunities. One participant also highlighted recent Google and ISTE training on bringing AI micro badges into districts, noting that the experience was especially useful because the team could immediately start working on a district rollout plan.

The conversation also went beyond formal training. Attendees highlighted the value of joining committees, volunteering, attending local chapter events and helping organize programming as ways to build relationships and develop leadership skills. LinkedIn, free webinars, and other online resources were also mentioned as easy ways to stay connected and keep learning.

Attendees recognized that choosing where to invest time can be difficult, especially when it is unclear what a particular organization or event will offer.

Overall, the discussion highlighted that PD can happen through relationships just as much as formal courses. Being active in professional networks can help educators learn from others, discover new opportunities and build the experience needed for future leadership roles.

Student and Staff Programming for Well-Being/Wellness Days

Lindsey Brewer-Munoz, Coordinator of Library & Media Services for Stafford Municipal School District, led this discussion about what she’s doing in her district to support student and staff wellbeing and wellness.

Brewer-Munoz has instituted half-day wellness days on early dismissal days – teachers have PD in the afternoon, so the activities to engage kids are scheduled in the morning. Kids choose what activities they want to participate in, which range from pickleball to gaming to dancing and karaoke, a Lebron v. Jordan debate – just a wide assortment of fun things for kids. Students sign up and are engaged because they’re interested.

For adults, the program featured a full day of PD, with standard PD in the morning, and then in the afternoon, it’s fun and wellness activities, such as archery, hummus tasting, floral design, and painting. Although it was “mandatory fun,” staff got frustrated because they’d rather have time to grade/plan, etc. So Brewer-Munoz asked what they wanted to do instead.

The result was a “Beyond the Bell” program for weekend and afterschool activities for teachers, like a “choose your own adventure,” with mostly free programs and activities put together in conjunction with the community and staff who have passions and hobbies that they want to share with others.

Brewer-Munoz also has started an “Underground Spirit” day for staff during which they will randomly dress up on random Thursdays with no explanation to students, with themes such as “Dress like your grandma’s couch” or “Disco.” Teachers have fun conspiring together and seeing the students’ reactions.

For a long time, whenever I heard the phrase “teaching critical thinking,” I got something like what the kids call “the ick.”

First, it seemed redundant to me. If you’re not teaching critical thinking, then what exactly are you teaching, I wondered?

As I’ve matured both as an educator and person (hopefully), I’ve realized that in fields other than writing, there can be a tendency to lean toward rote memorization assignments that avoid critical thinking. I’ve also seen that there are certain times when critical thinking lessons seem extremely necessary. The rise in "fake news" has been one such era, and our current AI age is another.

Here are some of the critical thinking writing techniques I try and stress all the time but am putting particular emphasis on now. These broad strategies range from good-old-fashioned writing and rhetoric advice to some basic science literacy.

1. Critical Thinking and Writing: Source Evaluation

Most of us intuitively realize that a reputable news source is more likely to have correct information than a social media post, but that’s just the start.

I encourage my students to look up the publication and authors they are reading and citing. Then I have them examine what bias the publication or author might have? For example, what reasons they’d be putting out this story, and what narratives, sources, and aspects of the story/subject are not included.

Then we take things a level deeper and interrogate the info in the story. If it’s a story about a new medical study, let’s find the actual study, see how it was performed, and how participants were included.

Finally, let’s examine our own biases. Do we find the study convincing? If so, why, and is it because we want to believe it? In other words, is it a form of confirmation bias?

2. Writing Not Regurgitating

When it comes to actually writing, I try to structure all my assignments in a way that encourages, and in some cases even requires, students to say something new about a topic.

Instead of a book report, which always seems to me to be about proving that you’ve done the work, I want students to produce a unique response to the book through something such as a related research project, or a more critical response to a reading. This not only makes the assignment more engaging, it forces them to exercise their critical thinking muscles as they explore the concept.

Proving what you know is never fun, but discovering and saying something new can be both fun and rewarding educationally. Additionally, with the rise of AI writing, originality is an even more important criterion in student work.

3. Learning To Steelman

One of the best ways to think about different perspectives is to “steelman” the opposing arguments. By learning and thinking about the best version of an opposing argument, students get a better understanding of where others are coming from and learn more about the issues being debated.

This is also ultimately a more persuasive rhetorical strategy than the more common strawman arguments. Arguing against strawmen doesn’t really engage with the issue or move the conversation further.

On the other hand, building strong steelman counter arguments can help students clarify their own thinking and recognize where they might have common ground with those who disagree with them.

4. Difference Between Causation and Correlation

Learning the difference between causation and correlation is such a big step to becoming a more logical thinker, I believe. Issues around this are common in debates about everything from healthcare to education and more.

The way this was taught to me in my freshman psychology class always stuck with me. The instructor told us that a city’s crime rate had increased as its number of schools increased and asked us if that meant that schools were causing the crime rate to spike. The answer is, as is easy to guess, of course not. Instead, the increase in schools was likely due to an increase in the city’s population that also led to an increase in crime. Though assigning causation is very difficult, and we shouldn’t even assume population increases alone was to blame.

This may be an obvious idea in this type of example, but it tends to be forgotten too often in everyday life, especially in more subtle instances or when the correlation tends to agree with what we want to believe. For instance, if more schools were correlated with a decrease in crime, we should still question whether that was the cause, though many people wouldn't because schools lowering crime rates sounds good to us.

5. Asking The Right Questions

I try not to tell my students what, or even how, to think. Listening to anyone’s advice on that can often be the opposite of critical thinking. But I do encourage them to learn to ask the right questions.

Research suggests this type of critical thinking can be taught. For instance, currently, the debate around the dangers of AI has intensified. How dangerous is AI to the future of humanity? I’m not sure anyone knows the answer to that for certain, but if students can ask the right questions, they can get closer to that. Who is arguing that AI is safe and shouldn’t be regulated? Who is arguing it should be regulated? What do both sides stand to gain or lose? And, perhaps even more importantly, what is the content behind the headlines of each side’s arguments?

I find asking these types of questions and giving students space and time to investigate their answers can be a productive way to explore these and many other issues.

What does a "Portrait of a Graduate" look like in the age of AI? As the future workplace grows increasingly unpredictable, district leaders must rethink how they equip students for success.

During Tech & Learning’s recent regional leadership summit in Texas, a panel of district leaders discussed evolving workforce readiness strategies and what districts can do to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.

The panel included:

• Quintin Shepherd, Superintendent of Schools, Pflugerville ISD
• Kyle Berger, Chief Technology Officer, Arlington ISD
• Melissa McCalla, Chief Technology Officer, Pasadena ISD
• Frank Murray, Chief Technology Officer, Belton ISD

“What’s a skill that has actually become more important because of AI, not less?”

Berger: A skill now becoming more important is human judgement. And just the ability to think critically.

McCalla: Critical thinking plus accountability. If we’re making decisions about AI, are we thinking critically about it down the road, and the impact that will have.

Murray: We’ve always taught kids to evaluate output, but now AI is gaslighting everyone so much, you don’t know what to believe. So they have to be able to evaluate that.

Shepherd: Leadership is a key skill. Finding that relationship between people who want to bring about meaningful change. And now that goes beyond just human relationships, especially with AI agents. So how do you lead humans and agents who intend meaningful change in your organization?

“What’s one thing schools need to be doing if we’re serious about preparing students for an AI-shaped workplace?”

Shepherd: The tools are there for them to succeed, so our job is to make sure they know they’re there and can avail themselves of these tools. It doesn’t matter what job they go into, but it’s going to be a world in which an agent force will be working alongside them, and how they can prepare for that.

Murray: We’ve embraced AI in our district – we know that by 2030, the top skill they’re going to need is how to use AI for work, so we have to prepare them for that, especially when it’s going to be around for the rest of their lives. They’re already using AI as a thought partner, not so much to cheat.

McCalla: Are we building the practical workforce we need for the future? Are we doubling down on the careers beyond AI (trades, etc) we will need in 13 years, especially with so much of the current service workforce, such as electricians and plumbers, retiring.

Berger: We need to be working together with students as a partner in AI.

Murray: We also need to be teaching them about using AI and making a human connection. It’s not about the tools we’re giving teachers, but teaching them to use those tools so that they can have more time with students.

Shepherd: When you think of evolution, I think we’re in a phase of punctuated equilibrium for AI. And I think we’re not that far off from getting the best model, but that’s going to be shut off from the general population, and we’re gonna be told, “It’s too dangerous.” So it’s going to be “This is for Thee, and this one is for Me.” The top models will be for governments and high-end business. So consequently, if we are close to the final model of available AI, then it’s okay for teachers to finally really start learning it now so that they can start introducing it in the classroom. It’s leveled out a bit so this is the version we can teach around.

“What are employers telling you they want from graduates that might surprise educators? Has anything you’ve heard from employers actually caused you to change what you’re doing?”

Berger: Employers want employees who can actually communicate and type their own emails. Employers want that level of authenticity, but also the critical thinking piece of it. We can all find the right answer now, but do you know how you got to it? The human element in the loop.

McCalla: They want to see resiliency – do our graduates have the ability to take feedback and move forward. How are you teaching that when they hit failure, they don’t get defensive, and then learn from that. Also, are we creating opportunities to not be task-completion focused.

Shepherd: I’ve been a superintendent for 22 years, but three years ago, an employer said to me, “If an employee has to be managed, then they’re unemployable at any level of our organization.” So how are we teaching kids to self-manage themselves?

Murray: I would echo resiliency. Simply teaching kids not to quit.

“What’s one thing schools need to STOP doing if we’re serious about preparing students for an AI-shaped workplace?”

Murray: Why are we not grading along the process rather than just the final product? We need to change the approach and pedagogy because of AI.

Shepherd: It might be more productive if we could walk away from grading in general altogether.

McCalla: Again, we need to get out of the task-completion process. We need to ask where’s the design process, where’s the feedback loop – we need to stop the current cycle to actually learn. We need to get away from “Just tell me what the answer is” thinking. It’s about the learning process.

Berger: Again, moving beyond grades and final product. We have to break the cycle, and focus on the process of learning. Getting the depth of understanding going beyond there and how we got there.

“What’s one thing schools need to START doing if we’re serious about preparing students for an AI-shaped workplace?”

Shepherd: Teaching kids how to make a job, not get a job. How though? I would tell them to find something that you love, and then find something completely different that you love, and then that find the infinitesimally small space where those come together, and that’s where the job is.

Murray: We need to help them create their own careers. One student built his own very successful site after he came to me, and rather than just saying, “No,” I encouraged their innovation.

Berger: Yes, we need to start “stop!” preventing access, and really engage in the conversations to support innovation. We have to stop blocking all the time, and teach the proper way to innovate with AI and other tools in the real world, the right and ethical way.

McCalla: It’s tough seeing kids in elementary school stop loving to learn, so we need to think about why that happens, and how we can change it so they keep on loving learning. So when they get out of our doors and into the real world, they believe that learning is a lifelong process, and that will help them guide them to those jobs and careers.

Shepherd: We need to teach them that it goes beyond the simple pursuit of happiness, which I see as one part of enjoyment, one part satisfaction, and one part finding meaning in what I’m doing. If you can get those three things right, then that’s the definition of happiness. AI can’t do any of that, so that’s the answer.

Microsoft Learning Zone is an AI-powered tool designed to help educators turn teaching ideas and existing materials into interactive lessons.

Teachers can describe what they want to teach, add source material, and set parameters such as grade level and activity type, before the app generates an editable lesson, containing instructions and practice activities.

The aim is to speed up lesson creation while still leaving the teacher in control. Once a lesson has been generated, every part can be reviewed, edited, removed, or reorganized before it is shared with students.

So what exactly is Microsoft Learning Zone, how does it work and what do educators need to get started?

What is Microsoft Learning Zone?

Microsoft Learning Zone is a Windows app that uses AI to help educators create personalized and interactive learning activities.

A teacher can start with a simple lesson idea or add their own reference material, including uploaded or cloud-based files. They can then specify details including the age or grade level, activity type, language, and number of slides.

The AI generates a lesson outline first, allowing the teacher to review and adjust the structure before turning it into a complete interactive lesson.

Students can then work through the lesson at their own pace, completing instructional and practice activities. Lessons can be shared using a link or join code, or posted through Microsoft Teams or a compatible LMS.

How does Microsoft Learning Zone work?

The process starts with a teacher entering a lesson prompt and, when useful, adding their own source material.

Learning Zone uses this information to generate a lesson outline, which can be edited before the complete lesson is created. Teachers can then modify individual slides, including changing text and images, adjusting questions and answers, adding new content, or asking the AI to regenerate material.

Separate editing and playback modes are available, so educators can check the lesson from a student's perspective before assigning it.

Completed lessons can be shared using a link or join code, or distributed through Microsoft Teams and compatible learning management systems.

Students can work through the material at their own pace, while teachers can use the available reporting features to see participation and average scores.

What are the best Microsoft Learning Zone features?

The biggest strength is the combination of AI generation and teacher control.

The outline-first approach is useful because it gives educators an opportunity to fix the structure of a lesson before spending time reviewing the finished content. That can make AI-assisted planning feel more like having a fast first draft than accepting a finished lesson on blind trust.

The ability to use existing teaching resources is another helpful feature. Teachers can provide their own material so that generated activities are based on content they actually want students to learn, rather than relying entirely on a generic AI response.

Learning Zone can also create interactive practice and conditional slides, allowing the experience to respond differently depending on how students answer questions.

For teachers, the reporting tools add another practical benefit. Rather than simply sharing an AI-generated activity, educators can see how students have engaged with it and where additional support may be needed.

How much does Microsoft Learning Zone cost?

Microsoft says Learning Zone is included with Microsoft 365 Education licenses at no additional cost.

However, there is an important hardware requirement: Educators creating lessons need a Copilot+ PC as well as a Microsoft 365 Education A1, A3, or A5 license.

Students do not need a Copilot+ PC to access lessons, and can open any through the web or on devices already used by their school.

At the time of writing, lesson generation is supported in English and Spanish.

Microsoft Learning Zone Tips

• Start with your learning goal
  Be specific about what students should understand or be able to do by the end of the lesson, rather than simply asking Learning Zone to create a lesson on a broad subject.
• Add your own resources
  Upload or connect relevant teaching materials when possible so the generated lesson has useful context and stays closer to the content you actually want students to learn.
• Check the outline first
  Use the planning stage to change the order, remove unnecessary sections, and make sure the lesson has a sensible progression before generating all the slides.
• Play it as a student
  Use the preview and playback tools to experience the lesson yourself, checking that questions, explanations, and interactive elements work as intended before sharing it.
• Edit the AI output
  Treat the generated lesson as a first draft rather than a finished resource, checking facts, difficulty and language and making changes based on the needs of your particular class.

The Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC) empowers educators with cutting-edge tools, hands-on training, and networking opportunities. This November 4-6, the GaETC theme of “Playbook for Progress” will inspire attendees to come together and design the next winning game plan for teaching and learning. Just like a great playbook, effective educational technology requires vision, teamwork, and the ability to pivot in real time.

Someone who can run superbowl rings around other presenters when it comes to living these concepts is GaETC 2026 keynote speaker, Malcolm Mitchell. Not only is Mitchell a former starting wide receiver in the NFL – and local University of Georgia Bulldogs star – but an award-winning children’s book author and dedicated advocate of child literacy.

Winning a Super Bowl might make the highlight reel, but most would consider Mitchell’s feats off the field serving more than 3.5 million students through his Share the Magic Foundation an even bigger accomplishment.

A Playbook for Literacy Progress

“A strong playbook starts by identifying the fundamentals,” says Mitchell. “In education, literacy is the fundamental that makes every other opportunity possible. When leaders build a clear strategy around ensuring every child can read, they create a foundation that allows innovation, technology, and teaching to move students forward.”

From Mitchell’s experience, the stakes could not be higher. The “why” for founding Share the Magic was, bluntly, “Children who struggle to read often drop out of school, live in poverty, and end up in jail,” he says. Mitchell faced similar challenges and re-directed his life through reading.

“I grew up in Valdosta, Georgia, a community where football reigned supreme,” says Mitchell. “So like many kids, I gave that the majority, if not all, of my attention. Once I got to the University of Georgia, I was placed in a different environment. I began to notice things that I hadn’t in my hometown.”

Mitchell saw people take a very determined approach to education, which forced him to ask himself the question, ‘Is it that important?’ It confused the Georgia native because the student who had the highest grade point average didn't get the most attention. It was the star athlete.

“I was under the overwhelming conviction that if you were a good athlete, that's all that was required,” he says. “Being on the campus of University of Georgia proved that notion to be incorrect. I realized that while athletics are great and provide a platform that, in many cases, can't be matched, there's something that is of greater value, and that's being literate.”

Malcolm Mitchell’s Share the Magic Foundation Playbook

• Increase access to print. Creating access to age-appropriate books is proven to almost triple interest in reading within months.
• Improve reading interest. “Our virtual reading challenges were created to inspire and encourage kids to read in a game-like environment,” he says.
• Enhance reading skills. “We want kids to engage in reading more frequently, ultimately improving their grade-level reading standards, preventing academic failure,” Mitchell says.

Mitchell’s Winning Second Half

Discovering reading as a college freshman changed the trajectory of Mitchell’s life, bringing him to his work championing literacy through Share the Magic.

“It came down to wanting to be the best I could be,” Mitchell says. “Sport allows you to be the best you can be in that individualized activity, but outside of that, it does almost nothing. If you make it professionally, it can give you financial resources which you could use to accomplish things. However, reading really positioned itself as this tool that could be used to electrify all sides of myself.”

Mitchell realized that literacy was the key to fulfilling his potential. “I really wanted to be in a position to help my family. Yes, football would give me a glimpse into that, but it won't really help me sustain it,” he says. “Reading was clearly the thing that could supercharge anything.”

Illiteracy is a complex problem to solve, adding even more importance to summits such as GaETC. Mitchell notes limited financial resources sometimes create limited access to tools you need to foster different outcomes.

“I do not believe that poverty is the cause for illiteracy, I think illiteracy is the cause of poverty,” he says. “There’s not a parent I've encountered that wants their child to struggle academically. The question is, what information is needed, what skills need to be practiced and what resources need to be provided to create a culture of reading excellence.”

Making Tech a Teammate

When it comes to reading and supporting children in literacy, tech can be a great teammate.

“My foundation hosts digital reading challenges,” says Mitchell. “We also use tangible book approaches, but it's limited, whether due to access or cost. The digital approach takes down some of the barriers that restrict engagement. My organization serves a million students a year, with only 5% through my interacting with the students and giving them tangible books. You can connect with more people by using technology”

Mitchell and his team have visited countless schools across the country. The foundation’s digital platform serves all fifty states as well as nineteen other countries.

“We launched a symposium called Read University this year,” says Mitchell. “We’ve worked with Kennesaw State University creating micro-credentials. We connected with Atlanta Speech School and the Rollins Center to ensure the books we use and how we present them is most effective in the classroom.”

Mitchell is proud of the partnerships he’s forged and what he’s done the past decade to boost literacy, but the work is far from over.

“We are continuing to search for innovative ways to connect with educators and students to foster or ignite a passion for literacy, but also be a resource for educators, local leaders and state agency policymakers,” he says. “While passion definitely plays a huge role in charging me up and energizing me throughout the process, it's really become a mission.”

What to Expect from Mitchell’s Keynote

A Malcolm Mitchell speech isn’t your run-of-the-mill conference experience.

“I'm appreciative of any opportunity to share my story and contribute to what I think is Georgia's, and really the country's, ambition to increase literacy rates, knowing it determines outcomes for communities,” says Mitchell. “I do my best to be authentic. I highlight the barriers I faced in embracing reading. The point of my not shying away from my truths is to highlight a different perspective that can inform or help leaders build a strategy to increase engagement."

Innovation in education doesn’t happen by chance—it’s built through strategy, collaboration, and a willingness to adapt. GaETC attendees will explore emerging trends, get inspired by award-winning speakers, and discover groundbreaking technology while gaining access to expert insights and exclusive resources

“I think my greatest value-add in being the keynote speaker for GaETC 2026 is sharing my authentic story and sharing what I have learned through visiting so many communities throughout the state of Georgia and beyond,” says Mitchell. “Plus, I think I tell some pretty good jokes. I also usually bring a football with me, so I hope we have some people in the room that know how to catch.”

4 Truths Malcom Mitchell Learned Through Share the Magic

• There's a cultural disconnection between the value of reading and the outcomes it can help you produce in society. Students who play football know if they make it to the NFL, they will be in a position to do something they couldn’t have previously. Many communities aren’t aware that reading can provide the same opportunity.
• Reading is a skill that has to be developed in the same way that a person learning to play football develops. Some people think you either can read or you can't, but no one is born a reader. It is a skillset that needs to be practiced and developed. People might not remember learning to read, just like I can't remember learning to catch a football because it was so early.
• In a community where reading is not shown visually, it's hard to embrace it or imagine yourself engaged with it in any capacity. If there are no books in the home, if there are no bookstores nearby, if there's no one reading on the front lawn or backyard like I see in affluent neighborhoods, you ask yourself, "Is this something I'm even permitted to do?" I've never seen it from someone who looks like me or within my family dynamics. It’s almost like a need for permission to engage.
• Illiteracy does not discriminate. It does not care who you are, it does not care where you are, it does not care how much money you have. If the foundation for building the skills to be literate are not there, illiteracy is coming for you. I have seen it in every community – affluent, middle class and impoverished communities. Illiteracy runs rampant when the foundational tools aren't consistent or there at all.

When schools make decisions about artificial intelligence, the conversation is usually led by adults. Administrators develop policies, educators establish classroom expectations, and technology leaders evaluate all of the platforms. These perspectives are essential, but I believe there is another important voice that is often included only after the decisions have been made, and that is the students who are already using AI.

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with educators, leaders, students, and families across 12 school districts as they explored digital wellness, responsible technology use, and emerging questions about AI. Through student conversations, classroom visits, and task force planning sessions, I was reminded that students do not simply need to hear our guidance–their voice can help us create better guidance.

Students in third, fifth, and eighth grades, and in high school, offer insights that might otherwise be missed. They see AI used for homework, projects, online searches, and social interactions. They understand the pressure to finish work quickly and the temptation to seek help when an assignment feels confusing or overwhelming.

That does not mean students understand every risk. Knowing how to access an AI tool is not the same as knowing what happens to the information entered into it or why its responses may be inaccurate or biased. But listening to students can reveal where adult assumptions differ from their reality.

Several themes stood out in our conversations:

• Students want transparency. They want teachers and schools to disclose when and how AI is being used, especially when it involves grading assignments, evaluating their work, or generating feedback.
• Students want to understand how AI works. There is often an assumption that because students are comfortable with technology, they automatically understand AI. Knowing how to access a tool is not the same as understanding how it produces information, uses data, makes mistakes, or may reflect bias.
• Students want guidance. They want educators to model how AI can be used safely, ethically, and responsibly. They need opportunities to learn how to protect personal information, evaluate AI-generated content, and decide when AI should or shouldn’t be used.
• Students want clear expectations. Students want to know what is allowed for each assignment, which uses must be disclosed, what work must be completed independently, and where the boundary between assistance and cheating lies.
• Students want consistency and equitable opportunities. Confusion and frustration arise when one teacher permits AI use and another prohibits it without explaining why. Expectations do not have to be identical across every subject. Students should not have to guess what the rules are from class to class. If students in one biology class are permitted to use AI in meaningful ways, students in the same course with another teacher should have comparable learning opportunities, or it places them at a disadvantage.
• Students want meaningful learning experiences. They do not want to use AI simply because it is available or new. Several students shared with me that when they first started using Chromebooks, it was the best thing ever, but with repeated use without purpose, it made them want technology-free activities. AI should add value, and its use should be connected to a clear learning purpose.
• Students want protection from unfair accusations. Unclear rules can leave students worried that their own work will be questioned. Students need opportunities to show their thinking and demonstrate their learning.

Students can also help us understand the difference between the AI use we see and the AI use we do not. Educators might notice AI-generated language in an essay, but students are using these tools for more than schoolwork. Some use AI to seek advice, generate images, rehearse difficult conversations, or ask questions they are afraid or uncomfortable asking another person. Taking time to listen to students will help schools think beyond academic integrity and consider data privacy, well-being, relationships, and digital citizenship.

When thinking about creating policies, students can have a positive impact when they are involved in the conversation, be it through surveys, focus groups, technology advisory groups, or opportunities to give feedback on proposed guidance. Educators can also incorporate regular reflection into classroom activities and ask students how they used AI, what it helped them do, what was not possible with AI, and whether they had any concerns while using it.

Conversations such as these will provide educators with valuable information while also helping students to develop their AI literacy skills. Involving students shows that their perspectives are valued. Getting their input will help us understand how they are being affected by AI. When they have a comfortable space to share what they are seeing and experiencing and explain what they need, it leads to a stronger culture for learning about and working with AI.

If we want to prepare students to use AI thoughtfully, we need to ask what they are experiencing, listen to their answers, and let what we learn inform the decisions we make.

The 2026-27 school year is off and running, and it’s already shaping up to be another pivotal year for education. While AI remains a massive topic, the biggest headline this fall is the screentime debate, hands down. Communities nationwide—including the country’s two largest school districts—are advocating for strict limitations and outright bans to reclaim screen-free classrooms.

Yet, if there’s one constant in education, it’s resilience. We adapt, we evolve, and we keep going because at the heart of it all, we want what’s best for our students. Instead of a setback, this heightened scrutiny around screentime and AI has forced the edtech community to be better. It demands that the tools we bring into the classroom are safe and built to inspire active creation rather than passive consumption.

The products meeting these rigorous demands are celebrated below as our “Best for Back to School” award winners. Our judges evaluated each solution for its ease of use, overall value, uniqueness in the market, and proven ability to streamline teacher workflows while supporting student achievement.

Congratulations to our winners!

Winners of Best for Back to School 2026

PRIMARY

3P Learning, Reading Eggs

"WIth 30 years of backing, Reading Eggs provides Science of Reading compatible resources and engagement for your elementary readers. IT will love the integration in both Clever and Classlink."

Acer, Acer Chromebook 311 (C725T)

"For students who tend to beat up Chromebooks, this may be one to consider. It offers a 48-inch drop protection, an 11 oz liquid drainage system, anchored keys, and 2-screw repairability. As a bonus it has optional low blue-light capabilities."

Acer, Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (CPE584-1N)

"The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 brings strong performance, long battery life, durability, and useful AI capabilities into a flexible device built for education. Its combination of classroom versatility and easy ChromeOS management makes it a practical long-term option for teachers and districts."

Amplify Education, Boost Reading

"Boost Reading does a strong job of integrating assessment data, adaptive practice, and teacher intervention into a single literacy platform. Its Science of Reading foundation, MTSS flexibility, and evidence of improved outcomes make it a particularly strong option for K–5 reading support."

Belkin International, Connect Rugged USB-C Keyboard Folios for iPad

"Belkin’s Connect Rugged USB-C Keyboard Folios supports student productivity, device protection, and flexibility. While features such as the integrated keyboard, trackpad, adjustable stand, and direct USB-C connectivity offer benefits, I believe the value of this product lies in its ability to simplify device management, reduce classroom disruptions, and help students and teachers make more effective use of their iPads throughout the day."

Benchmark Education, Benchmark Advance

"Benchmark uses modern technology, but its backbone is researched-based pedagogy. It's not based on 'new and flashy', but rather tried-and-true data strategies. It's exceptional with language development."

Benchmark Education, Benchmark Phonics Intervention

"Benchmark Phonics Intervention is a proven and research-backed solution for schools looking for intervention for students needing explicit, systematic structured literacy instruction."

Benchmark Education, Benchmark Adelante

"This isn't Spanish language support, but Spanish Language Arts instruction. For dual-language schools, this can transform your language arts classrooms."

Benchmark Education, Rising Readers Club

"Aligned with the Science of Reading, Rising Readers Club raises reading engagement for your readers in an intervention."

Bookelicious, Bookelicious-BookmojiPLUS

"I am impressed with BookmojiPLUS’s approach to promoting literacy by connecting students with age-appropriate books from their school libraries based on their interests. Its personalized avatar experience makes book discovery fun while empowering librarians and teachers to encourage independent reading. I particularly appreciate the platform’s analytics, which provide insights into student engagement, ultimately maximizing resources and inspiring students to develop a love of reading."

Boxlight, Boxlight Symphony - Primary

"Boxlight Symphony offers a cohesive approach to campus communication by combining everyday paging and bell functions with emergency alerts, visual messaging, and district-wide monitoring. Its ability to keep critical communications running locally during internet outages, while still supporting phased deployment and existing phone systems, makes it especially strong in terms of reliability and infrastructure."

Boxlight, Clevertouch FOCUS by Boxlight - Primary

"Clevertouch FOCUS is a strong all-in-one classroom display that combines teaching tools, screen sharing, device management, and school-wide alerts in one system. Its broad, well-integrated feature set gives it value beyond instruction and helps reduce reliance on separate platforms."

Boxlight, Boxlight Symphonic Series - Primary

"The Boxlight Symphonic Series modernizes school communication by combining paging, intercom, visual alerts, and camera support into a single PoE-based platform. Its flexible hardware options and compatibility with existing SIP systems make it especially practical for phased campus upgrades."

Cignition, Inc., K-12 Math & ELA High Dosage Virtual Tutoring

"Cignition stands out as a strong, data-driven tutoring solution that combines experienced educators, live small-group instruction, and standards-aligned progress monitoring rather than relying on software alone. It's refreshing to see a program featuring real tutors who communicate with teachers about students. The emphasis on conceptual understanding, differentiated instruction, and measurable outcomes makes it feel particularly well suited to sustained academic intervention. "

Class Composer,Class Composer

"Class Composer addresses an important school challenge by replacing a cumbersome, subjective class-placement process with a system that combines educator judgment, student data, and algorithmic balancing. Its focused feature set is well matched to the problem, and the addition of historical records and flexible grouping extends its usefulness beyond annual class placement. This unique tool fills an important gap in the edtech market!"

ClassLink, ClassLink Suite

"ClassLink LaunchPad has been a great resource for our younger learners, giving them a simple way to get where they need to go without navigating multiple usernames and passwords. From a district technology perspective, SSO removes a real barrier to learning, and our staff has found it very useful in helping students quickly access the digital tools they use throughout the day."

Clear Touch, Nova

"The 6000 Nova Series takes a different approach to interactive displays by designing around serviceability, modular upgrades, and long-term ownership rather than another short replacement cycle. The hot-swappable Core Module is particularly compelling because it could reduce downtime, installation costs, and e-waste. These displays also deliver classroom features educators expect, including wireless screen sharing, remote panel management, and interactive lesson activities."

Clear Touch, Command Studio

"Command Studio makes professional-quality broadcasting far more accessible by packaging cameras, microphones, switching, and streaming into one portable system. Its mobility, simple touchscreen controls, and strong education use cases make it especially appealing for schools without dedicated production spaces or technical staff.

CodeMonkey Studios Ltd., CodeMonkey Computer Science Curriculum

"Designed for primary education, this computer science platform has engaging videos, complete with cartoon monkey, and nice for those are needing a place to start kids with block coding and a way to transition them to text coding in a real CS language."

Second Step, Committee for Children

"Second Step is a well-rounded, mature solution for teaching social-emotional and behavioral skills. Its comprehensive K -5 scope and sequence allows teachers to make these skills a consistent part of everyday learning. It includes a combination of core human-skills instruction with focused areas like bullying prevention and digital well-being."

Crick Software, Clicker - Unlocking Writing Word By Word

"Clicker is a strong literacy support tool because it gives students meaningful help with writing, reading, and communication without lowering expectations. Its accessibility features, flexible scaffolds, and progress tracking make it especially valuable in inclusive and special education settings."

D2L, D2L Brightspace: Learning Designed for Impact

"Brightspace brings course creation, assessment, communication, analytics, and accessibility together into one, helping educators work more efficiently while providing insights into student learning. Its innovative features, including AI-assisted course development, interactive content, and data-driven decision-making, empower teachers to personalize instruction and support student needs. Brightspace offers a powerful, integrated solution that can enhance teaching and create an engaging and accessible learning experience for students."

Discovery Education, Discovery Education Science Techbook

"Teachers like that Discovery Education Science Techbook blends digital resources with hands-on learning rather than relying on a screen for the entire experience. That balance gives students opportunities to explore science through engaging digital content while still investigating, building, and learning by doing."

Discovery Education, Discovery Education Social Studies Essentials

"Discovery Education Social Studies Essentials balances screen time with classroom conversation, which our teachers found most useful. The digital resources helped launch the learning, while the inquiry activities, and discussion prompts gave students opportunities to talk, and make sense of history."

Edmentum, Exact Path for Primary Education

"Exact Path is a personalized learning system that connects diagnostic assessment, individualized learning paths, and standards-aligned instruction into one workflow rather than leaving teachers to piece those steps together. The breadth of data, external assessment integrations, and reported achievement gains make it highly compelling for elementary schools, with its innovation coming primarily from how effectively it connects instructional practices into a single system."

Epic for Kids, Epic - Primary (K–6)

"I like Epic as a way to add choice, variety, and some fun to reading for students. I see its greatest value as a supplemental resource that can encourage students to explore topics and books that interest them, rather than as part of required or core reading."

ExploreK12, Frax

"Frax does a particularly good job of turning a traditionally difficult area of math into an engaging, structured learning experience, with adaptive instruction and number-line reasoning helping students build genuine conceptual understanding rather than simply memorize procedures. The combination of game-based learning, personalization, teacher reporting, and research-backed program makes it a strong addition to upper elementary math classrooms."

ExploreK12, Raz-Plus

"Raz-Plus is a supplemental literacy platform, bringing foundational skills, comprehension, assessment, differentiation, and independent reading together without forcing teachers to juggle multiple resources. Its Reading Growth Assessment and Science of Reading alignment allows it to meet the needs of learners, while its innovation is in how effectively it brings these components together rather than in a completely new instructional model."

ExploreK12, Reflex

"Reflex is highly effective solution for a specific math need, using adaptive practice and game-based activities to make fact fluency more engaging while giving teachers visibility into individual gaps. Its focus on math fluency means it is not as broad as a complete math platform, but the personalization, progress tracking, and motivational elements make it a strong tool for building automaticity."

Frontline Education, Frontline Education AI for Education x Frontline Professional Growth

"This professional development tool is a timely, practical approach to AI adoption in K–12. It focuses on AI literacy and responsible classroom practices rather than training teachers around a single tool that could quickly become outdated. The integration with an existing professional-learning platform, combined with tracking, continuous updates, and district-wide implementation, gives it strong practical value."

HamiltonBuhl, Personal Finance Foundations™

"Personal Finance Foundations is a practical way to introduce financial literacy at an age when students can begin developing real-world habits, using discussion, scenarios, and collaborative decision-making instead of relying on worksheets and vocabulary drills. Its classroom-ready, reusable design gives teachers strong value across K–5. It is an effective hands-on, tech-free implementation of financial literacy for elementary schools."

Incident IQ, iiQ Facilities

"If you are using iiQ for technology inventory and help tickets, this can provide one ecosystem for facility requests and help, using the same tools and support you are accustomed to with iiQ."

InfoCase, PermaLock™ XP Case

"The PermaLock XP Case’s innovative locking design prevents students from removing protective cases while reducing device damage, classroom disruptions, and repairs. The pilot results, including 78% fewer break/fix events and an estimated $12,000 in savings, demonstrate how this solution can improve efficiency and extend device lifespans, while the guaranteed buyback program helps districts maximize their technology investments."

Inquisitive, Inquisitive — PreK–5 Science

"Inquisitive makes a strong case for solving one of elementary education’s persistent problems—getting rigorous science taught consistently—by combining ready-to-use lessons, hands-on inquiry, built-in assessment, and extensive accessibility support. Its phenomena-based approach makes it engaging for students and high quality for teachers. The breadth from PreK–5, multilingual resources, low-cost model, and new automated assessment tools give it impressive practical value."

Instructure, Mastery

"From a data-review lens, I have found Mastery Predictive Assessments gives leaders and schools clear, visually accessible information that can help teams identify needs and more accurately plan interventions. I also liked being able to quickly understand the data and turn it into instructional next steps is where we found the greatest value."

K12 Tutoring, K12 Tutoring Reading Enrichment Program

"The K12 Tutoring Reading Enrichment Program stands out for using assessment data, small-group instruction, and consistent certified teachers to give young readers targeted support. Its strong reported growth and evidence-based structure make it a practical approach to improving foundational literacy at scale."

Kai's Education, KaiBot: Screen-Free Coding for Math and Computational Thinking

"KaiBot is a hands-on approach to coding education, using physical programming, feedback, and cross-curricular activities to teach computational thinking without screens. Its accessibility, curriculum connections, and progression from card-based coding to advanced programming give it impressive range. The tactile, screen-free approach makes it a great tool for any students, even the littlest learners! Teachers can use KaiBots in screen-free, fully virtual, or a hybrid format."

Lightbox Learning Inc., Lightbox Learning-Spark

"Spark is a unique resource for supporting students at varying reading levels, especially in the primary grades. The short, accessible articles allow younger learners to engage with curriculum topics at a level that feels manageable while still building their confidence and understanding as readers."

Linewize, Linewize EdTech Manager

"From a district perspective, Linewize EdTech Manager gives us valuable visibility into how technology is being used across our schools. Our teachers especially like Classwize because they can view student app usage and screen time, while also having the ability to share a student’s screen to the projector, making it useful for both classroom management and instruction."

MAXCases, Folio Work-In Case

"The Work-In Folio is a budget-conscious solution that emphasizes protecting school-issued devices without sacrificing usability. It offers rigid construction, secure fit, cooling channels, and easy port access. Its universal-fit approach and successful drop testing make it particularly appealing for districts managing diverse range of devices. This thoughtful design solves many storage, use, and protection dilemmas!"

MobyMax, MobyMax

"MobyMax stands out for combining a broad K-8 curriculum with adaptive learning, diagnostics, progress monitoring, and engagement tools on a single platform. Its ability to automatically identify and address skill gaps gives it strong practical value for teachers managing students at very different levels."

Otus, Otus

"Otus has the ability to connect over 50 data sources within and outside your SIS to give you one source for data visualizations. It uses AI to analyze that data to also give teacher-level suggestions for instructional needs."

Perpetual Learning, BookBreak

"BookBreak offers a compelling way to make reading feel more social and engaging through author talks, ready-to-use lessons, and family resources. Its growing K-12 reach and strong focus on building a lasting reading culture give it more depth than a typical literacy engagement tool."

PowerSchool, MyPowerHub

"MyPowerHub makes it much easier for families and educators to find the information they need without having to jump between multiple systems. Its tight connection with PowerSchool SIS and role-based experience make it a strong solution for simplifying communication and improving family engagement."

Presence, Kanga by Presence

"Kanga by Presence is a platform for elementary special education that combines assessment, therapy resources, caseload management, documentation, and secure reporting. Its strength is less about flashy innovation and more about making clinicians’ day-to-day work easier. The integrated documentation within the platform saves teachers time. Kanga offers flexible, engaging tools to individualize services and support students across remote and in-person settings."

Quizizz Inc. (DBA Wayground), Wayground for Primary Education

"Our teachers like that Wayground has a built-in game modes that can make assessment and practice more engaging for students, turning activities into more interactive experience. Teachers can still customize assessments to meet their instructional goals, fun and flexibility into checking for understanding."

William H. Sadlier, Decodable Text Placement Wizard

"The Decodable Text Placement Wizard does a nice job of turning foundational-literacy assessment data into an actionable instructional starting point. It reduces the guesswork and planning time involved in matching students with appropriately challenging decodable texts. It has transparent recommendations within the Sadlier program, flexible digital or paper assessment, and direct assignment of texts. The Wizard is a useful tool for K–3 differentiation."

Savvas Learning Company, myView Literacy

"Delivered through the Savvas platform, which gives district insight/oversight, myView Literacy offers a complete K-5 ELA ecosystem. A favorite feature is the ability to create custom decodables for students."

SchoolAI, SchoolAI for Primary Education

"Through their Spaces, SchoolAI utilizes AI to pair a teacher's knowledge of their students with just-in-time academic feedback for students, and progress monitoring that is sharable to other educators who need to know."

SchoolStatus, SchoolStatus Attend

"The SchoolStatus Attend platform is focused on reducing chronic absenteeism. It streamlines not only the communication process for messaging interventions but also allows fewer personnel to manage student attendance. In addition it offers robust interventions for behaviors that lead to chronic absenteeism, using a positive, proactive approach and outreach processes to work with families on the root causes and not just the symptoms."

Science Interactive Group, Standards & Starlab

"Starlab has been around just short of 50 years, but the stars much longer and they are still worth exploring. Now with curriculum that adheres to NGSS along with the communal experience under the dome to spark curiosity."

SMART Technologies, SMART Control Signage

"This solves two problems - repurposing SMART panels that can live on as communication boards and seamlessly communicating to panels across a school or district. Non-technical users will find it easy to share directly from Canva, Google Slides, or video sources."

SmartLab / Salesforce, SmartLab Spot

"SmartLab Spot brings curriculum, training, support, and community resources into one easy-to-navigate platform, which should make life noticeably easier for facilitators. Its value lies less in flashy features and more in reducing friction and helping educators get what they need faster."

SpringMath Accelerate, Inc., SpringMath

"SpringMath takes a focused, data-driven approach to math intervention by identifying specific skill gaps and turning them into ready-to-use weekly instruction. Its combination of strong progress monitoring, paper-based student work, and automated intervention planning gives it real value for schools trying to strengthen MTSS without adding more screen time."

TalkingPoints, TalkingPoints Attendance Improvement

"This communication tool for schools and parents is SMS first, which removes a technology barrier some parents have. With translations into 150+ languages, this is accessible for just about any parent to receive notifications and have two-way communication about their students."

TalkingPoints, TalkingPoints District Engagement

"For schools that need next level messaging, including translations to 150 languages, plus a low-barrier to access from the teacher and parent side, this is a tool that meets communication needs of today. While it has an app, there is a functional option for no wifi and no login required."

TalkingPoints, TalkingPoints Academics at Home

"This communication and instructional tool has two features of note. One is the text-first delivery model across 150+ languages, removing tech and language barriers. The second is its low-prep activity creation that aligns with district-specific scope and sequences."

Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI), Social Studies Alive! — TCI K–5 Social Studies

"TCI offers an engaging, interactive curriculum that supports differentiated instruction. Its flexible reading levels, language translation options, immersive video activities, interactive maps, and built-in review games empower teachers to personalize instruction while making learning more meaningful and accessible. I believe TCI provides an excellent balance of digital and hands-on learning experiences that can increase student engagement, strengthen understanding, and support academic success."

TranslateLive, LLC., TranslateLive

"ILA makes real-time communication available across a broad range of languages while still providing a path to professional interpreters when automated translation isn't enough. It has two-way translation, app-free Broadcast Mode, ASL support, and can be used with different devices. These features have meaningful real-world value. Its biggest innovation is how it brings multiple forms of language access into everyday school interactions."

VariQuest, StudioVQ™ - Primary Education

"StudioVQ is a well-integrated solution that removes friction from creating and producing school materials, especially for educators who don't have design expertise or time to start from scratch. It offers a huge education-specific resource library, collaboration tools, and direct connection to hardware. The collaboration tools are especially helpful, allowing teachers to work simultaneously on posters, signs, templates, graphic organizers, infographics, and more."

ViewSonic Corp., ViewSonic myViewBoard Quiz Tools Powered by ClassSwift

"ViewSonic delivers again, this time with an 'on-the-fly' Snip and Share, which allows a teacher to turn any teaching material into a and interactive activity. Another feature to admire is the multi-modal functionality, including simultaneous audio recording."

Voyager Sopris Learning, Step Up to Writing

"The Voyager Sopris Learning Step Up to Writing curriculum is designed using research-proven practices. This program was created for students to use strategies that can be integrated into any curriculum or implemented as a standalone writing solution. This unique approach breaks writing skills into smaller steps for quick wins as students fine tune their writing abilities."

SECONDARY

#HalfTheStory, Social Media U

"Social Media U tackles digital wellbeing in a way that feels current, practical, and genuinely relevant to teens. Its mix of AI literacy, emotional resilience, media literacy, and active discussion gives schools a strong framework for helping students build healthier relationships with technology."

Acer, Acer ProDesigner PE270K L1

"Bridging the gap between professional grade and classroom grade, the ProDesigner gives students who create and design digital content a tool to increase their skills and level up their creative potential."

Acer, Acer Veriton GN100 AI Mini Workstation

"For districts looking for a way to put generative AI on prem, this workstation provides a viable and more affordable option. Specifically designed for AI workloads, it packs a punch with a Blackwell GPU, a 20-core Arm CPU, 128 GB of unified memory, and up to 4 TB of storage."

Amplify Education, Amplify ELA

"Amplify ELA offers a strong, well-rounded middle school literacy program that coherently connects reading, writing, discussion, vocabulary, and critical thinking. Its built-in differentiation, engaging content, and useful teacher reporting tools make it especially effective for classrooms with a wide range of student needs."

AVID Products, AE-56

"These are strong headsets; we have used the brand for years with high satisfaction"

Boxlight, Boxlight Symphony

"Boxlight Symphony brings bells, paging, intercom, emergency alerts, and visual messaging into a single system, simplifying both daily communication and campus safety. Its local operation, district-wide monitoring, and compatibility with existing phone systems make it a strong option for schools modernizing in phases."

Boxlight, Clevertouch FOCUS by Boxlight

"Clevertouch FOCUS packs a lot into one classroom display, from whiteboarding and screen sharing to device management and campus alerts. The tight integration of teaching and school communication tools gives it a strong edge over more basic interactive panels."

Boxlight, Boxlight Symphonic Series

"The Symphonic Series is a thoughtful modernization of school communication, bringing paging, intercom, visual alerts, and camera capability into a single PoE-powered system. The three-model lineup and SIP compatibility make it flexible enough for different spaces while simplifying installation and long-term management."

ClassLink, ClassLink Suite

"Our high school teachers found ClassLink especially useful because students could have class-specific apps right in their suite, making it much more efficient to get where they needed to go. Having those resources organized in one place reduces time spent searching and logging in and allows teachers to focus more quickly on the learning."

Curriculum Associates, Stile

"Stile’s PROVIDES real-world, hands-on science investigations that encourage students to learn through experience rather than simply reading about science. By combining inquiry-based learning with integrated digital resources and assessments, Stile helps students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and scientific reasoning skills. I particularly appreciate how it empowers teachers to focus on meaningful learning experiences that connect classroom instruction to real-world applications and future STEM opportunities."

D2L, D2L Brightspace

"Brightspace brings course creation, assessment, communication, analytics, and accessibility together into one, helping educators work more efficiently while providing insights into student learning. Its innovative features, including AI-assisted course development, interactive content, and data-driven decision-making, empower teachers to personalize instruction and support student needs. Brightspace offers a powerful, integrated solution that can enhance teaching and create an engaging and accessible learning experience for students."

Edmentum, MajorClarity for Secondary Education

"MajorClarity stands out as a strong college- and career-readiness platform because it connects student interests, academic planning, postsecondary exploration, credentials, and real-world experiences instead of treating them as separate activities. The combination of student ownership, dynamic career matching, and district-level data makes it especially useful for turning career planning into an ongoing process rather than a compliance exercise. "

ExploreK12, Gizmos

"Gizmos is an engaging STEM learning platform, with a large library of interactive simulations, virtual investigations, and real-world STEM cases. The combination of inquiry-based learning, standards alignment, formative assessment, and career-connected activities makes it both practical and engaging. Students will love exploring the simulations, investigations, and inquiry-based activities!"

Follett Software, IT Asset Manager

"The Follett Software IT Asset Manager is a great tool for tracking assets and resources, as well as providing real-time reporting on usage. IT Asset Manager is an AI-enabled technology operations platform built for K-12 school districts. It connects device lifecycle management, asset tracking, help desk ticketing, repairs, reporting, and mobile workflows."

Frontline Education, Frontline Education AI for Education x Frontline Professional Growth

"This professional development tool is a timely, practical approach to AI adoption in K–12. It focuses on AI literacy and responsible classroom practices rather than training teachers around a single tool that could quickly become outdated. The integration with an existing professional-learning platform, combined with tracking, continuous updates, and district-wide implementation, gives it strong practical value."

HUE, HUE HD Pro

"The HUE HD Camera does a terrific job of not only capturing still pictures, but also video and audio for teachers to use for lessons beyond the average document cameras. The included software does a great job of capturing content in a easy to embed format for online lessons as well as using the camera for Zoom or Meet sessions with classrooms all over the world."

iCEV, iCEV’s Comprehensive Solution

"iCEV offers more than 200 courses across 16 career clusters that connect classroom learning with real-world industry expectations. Its support for 19 industry-recognized certifications provides students with credentials that can lead to career opportunities and workforce readiness. I particularly appreciate how iCEV combines hands-on learning, certification preparation, and data-driven insights to help schools prepare students for careers while addressing the demand for skilled workers."

Instructure, Canvas K-12

"For high school students who move between multiple classes, teachers, and electives throughout the day, Canvas can maximize efficiency by keeping learning materials, assignments, and communication in one consistent place. That organization makes it easier for students to navigate their courses and for teachers to create a more seamless learning experience across a secondary schedule."

IXL Learning, Rosetta Stone for Schools

"With 16 languages represented across our district, supporting multilingual learners and. Rosetta Stone for Schools has been a valuable resource for our teachers, students, and families by giving learners opportunities to build confidence and begin using their new language right from the start."

Lightspeed Systems, Screen Time Dashboard

"Lightspeed Insight gives districts a clear, data-driven view of student screen time, making it easier to evaluate usage, spot trends, and communicate with stakeholders. Its focused analytics and benchmarking tools make it especially valuable for districts trying to connect technology use with instructional goals and accountability."

Magic EdTech MagicBox

"MagicBox brings content delivery, assessment, analytics, AI-powered instructional support, and offline access together in one ecosystem. Its scale and integrations make it especially practical for schools and publishers. The AI enhancements and white-label flexibility add meaningful value, although much of the innovation is in how comprehensively these capabilities are integrated rather than in introducing an entirely new learning model."

ManagedMethods, Classroom Manager

Classroom Manager helps a teacher direct students to the learning activities of the day. Key feature include the "Follow Me," which makes it easy for teachers to manage students accessing additional resources during class time, and integration within the Microsoft and Google environments.

MAXCases, Folio Work-In Case

"The Work-In Folio is a budget-conscious solution that emphasizes protecting school-issued devices without sacrificing usability. It offers rigid construction, secure fit, cooling channels, and easy port access. Its universal-fit approach and successful drop testing make it particularly appealing for districts managing diverse range of devices. This thoughtful design solves many storage, use, and protection dilemmas!"

Minga.io, Minga

"Minga tackles a major weakness in K–12 operations: the number of disconnected systems teachers and administrators have to manage daily. Its combination of behavior, attendance, hallway management, interventions, communication, and real-time data creates a strong unified workflow. Its integrations with existing school systems (SIS and LMS) means it will help teachers document a range of student information with ease."

NetSupport, classroom.cloud

"The NetSupport Classroom Cloud product is amazing when it comes to mobile device management at the classroom and teacher level. This system is also device agnostic and allows teachers to have full control over the content and use of their students devices that are district owned."

NOLA Education, Star Academy

"Star Academy takes a comprehensive approach to helping struggling middle school students catch up academically while rebuilding engagement and confidence. Its combination of accelerated academics, hands-on learning, career exploration, and ongoing teacher support gives it strong potential for meaningful, lasting impact."

Otus, Otus

"Otus has the ability to connect over 50 data sources within and outside your SIS to give you one source for data visualizations. It uses AI to analyze that data to also give teacher-level suggestions for instructional needs."

ParentSquare, ParentSquare

"ParentSquare has been a game-changer for how we communicate and connect with families across our district. Having communication in one place, along with translation and multiple ways for families to receive information, has helped us make district and school communication more accessible, consistent, and effective."

Presence, Kanga by Presence

"Kanga by Presence is a platform for secondary special education that combines assessment, therapy resources, caseload management, documentation, and secure reporting. Its strength is less about flashy innovation and more about making clinicians’ day-to-day work easier. The integrated documentation within the platform saves teachers time. Kanga offers flexible, engaging tools to individualize services and support students across remote and in-person settings."

Proximity Learning Inc., Proximity Learning

"Proximity Learning offers a practical, scalable answer to teacher shortages by putting certified teachers into classrooms live, while its tutoring and SPED case-management services extend the platform beyond simply filling vacancies. The synchronous model, strong reported outcomes, and ability to serve hard-to-staff subjects regardless of geography make it especially useful. This core approach represents an effective evolution of virtual education."

Quizizz Inc. (DBA Wayground), Wayground for Secondary Education

"I like the flexibility Wayground gives secondary teachers to customize assessments while still keeping the teacher at the center of the process. The ability to bring existing paper assignments into the platform, add accommodations and translation is especially useful."

Robolink, Robolink CoDrone EDU

"The CoDrone EDU is a programmable drone for learning which allows users to code in Python or block-based coding. It's an effective and engaging tool for teaching beginning coders as well as more advanced students."

SAE International, A World In Motion® (AWIM) Career Pathfinder

"AWIM Career Pathfinder’s engaging, interactive approach helps students explore diverse career opportunities while developing critical thinking, communication, and research skills. What makes this product particularly appealing is that it is completely free, allowing school districts to provide high-quality career readiness experiences to all students without adding financial strain to already limited educational budgets, making it an outstanding resource for promoting equity, accessibility, and college and career readiness."

Savvas Learning Company, myPerspectives English Language Arts

"The myPerspectives English Language Arts program from Savvas is a program for ELA. myPerspectives English Language Arts diagnoses student performance and provides real-time data to create a picture of where students are in their learning and pinpoint a path forward."

SchoolAI, SchoolAI for Secondary Education

"SchoolAI’s Spaces provide a strong student platform where teachers set the learning outcomes while AI helps adapt the experience to individual student needs. We found this approach especially useful for making assignments and communication more efficient while still keeping the teacher in control of the learning experience."

Share-A-Cart, Share-A-Cart

"Share-A-Cart solves a very practical school workflow problem by making supply requests, approvals, and purchasing much faster and easier to manage. Its free pricing, Google Classroom support, SSO integrations, and growing retailer coverage make it a useful tool, even if its overall scope is fairly focused."

SMART Technologies, Lumio AI Assist - Activity Generation

"Lumio AI Assist differentiates its classroom activity generator by parsing pre-existing teacher material to build interactive activities for quick and easy use. It also features an LMS integration and mandatory teacher review to ensure a Human-in-the-Loop AI experience."

SpringMath Accelerate, Inc., SpringMath

"SpringMath offers a practical way to turn math screening data into targeted instruction without adding student screen time. Its automated intervention planning, weekly progress monitoring, and evidence-backed MTSS model make it especially useful for schools trying to close foundational skill gaps efficiently."

Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI), TCI Social Studies, Grades 6–12

"TCI offers an engaging, interactive curriculum that supports differentiated instruction. Its flexible reading levels, language translation options, immersive video activities, interactive maps, and built-in review games empower teachers to personalize instruction while making learning more meaningful and accessible. I believe TCI provides an excellent balance of digital and hands-on learning experiences that can increase student engagement, strengthen understanding, and support academic success."

VariQuest, StudioVQ™ - Secondary Education

"StudioVQ is a well-integrated solution that removes friction from creating and producing school materials, especially for educators who don't have design expertise or time to start from scratch. It offers a huge education-specific resource library, collaboration tools, and direct connection to hardware. The collaboration tools are especially helpful, allowing teachers to work simultaneously on posters, signs, templates, graphic organizers, infographics, and more."

ViewSonic Corp., ViewSonic WPD-900E Wireless Presentation System

"When you need a wireless presenter solution to cast to a display, this lives up to the hype. No need for WiFi or a long HDMI cable. If the display has HDMI and USB ports and you have a USB-C port, you are good. No need to call IT support."

Voyager Sopris Learning, LANGUAGE! Live

"LANGUAGE! Live is a comprehensive literacy intervention for struggling students in grades 5–12 that incorporates both online and teacher-guided instruction. I particularly liked the blended learning opportunities the online components provided students by allowing them to move at their own pace in authentic texts."

HIGHER EDUCATION

Ascend Learning, Engage® Series

"Engage Series with Claire AI gives nursing students a strong mix of interactive practice, personalized support, and clinically focused learning. The AI integration stands out because it is directly tied to nursing content and helps faculty reduce prep time and target student needs."

Blackboard, Cursive by Blackboard

"Cursive takes a more constructive approach to academic integrity by showing how student work was created instead of relying on potentially unreliable AI-detection scores. Its focus on authorship evidence, writing-process visibility, and LMS compatibility makes it especially relevant as schools rethink assessment in the AI era."

Copyleaks, Copyleaks AI Logic

"AI Logic by Copyleaks is an AI content detection product to help academic institutions to make informed decisions surrounding generative AI use. Not only does AI Logic have extraordinary accuracy rates and a .2% false positive rate, it also can detect AI content in over 15 languages, AI-generated source code, and paraphrased AI content and AI text interspersed with human-written text."

D2L, D2L Brightspace

"Brightspace brings course creation, assessment, communication, analytics, and accessibility together into one, helping educators work more efficiently while providing insights into student learning. Its innovative features, including AI-assisted course development, interactive content, and data-driven decision-making, empower teachers to personalize instruction and support student needs. Brightspace offers a powerful, integrated solution that can enhance teaching and create an engaging and accessible learning experience for students."

D2L, D2L Lumi

"D2L Lumi combines unique instructional knowledge with the latest in generative AI."

FeedbackFruits, Oral Assessment and Practice

"Two key components to like about this product: pedagogy-first "human-in-the-loop" AI architecture and a scaffolded three-tier learning arc of practice, reflection, and assessment."

Instructure, Canvas

"Canvas is a robust LMS that provides a seamless experience for higher education faculty and students to create courses, manage learning, and communicate in one place. Its strength is bringing the different pieces of the learning experience together in a platform that is organized, flexible, and easy to navigate."

Kahoot!, Kahoot! EDU

"This new, reinvented Kahoot EDU platform is a game changer now that it has added the power of AI! Now, the same power that teacher's have had for years with Kahoot creativity is now also in the hands of students to help them prepare for national placement tests and even next week's test with powerful AI tutoring tools!"

Kaplan, All Access License by Kaplan

"Highly effective preparation for professional licensure and graduate entrance exam—including MCAT, NCLEX, LSAT, GMAT, Praxis, FE, CFA, CPA, and CAPM. Kaplan offers both live-online and self-paced instructional modalities to meet learner preferences."

Money Confidence Project, Venture Valley Game

"Venture Valley Money Confidence Project platform uses experiential learning and gameplay to foster financial literacy, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills as students take on the role of startup founders in immersive, fast-paced business simulations. This experiential way of problem-solving provides real-world tasks that help students understand what it is like to be an entrepreneur while also fostering better understanding of design thinking."

Other World Computing (OWC), OWC USB-C Travel Dock

"The OWC USB-C Travel Dock is a simple, useful accessory that solves the everyday connectivity limitations of thin laptops and tablets. Its mix of display output, USB ports, SD access, and power passthrough offers strong value for students who need one compact adapter for multiple settings."

PFU America, Inc., RICOH SP-2240N

"The RICOH SP-2240N is a capable, straightforward scanner that handles a wide range of administrative and instructional documents without adding much complexity. Its speed, mixed-media support, network scanning, and built-in image processing make it a dependable fit for shared higher education environments."

Science Interactive Group, Science Interactive

"One of the challenges with hybrid learning is getting a physical experience with lab tools. Science Interactive solves this by pairing physical, home-shipped lab kits with interactive digital simulations. "

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, Sharp XP-P621U-W laser projector

"The Sharp XP-P621U-W looks like a dependable, high-performance classroom projector that prioritizes the things education AV teams care about most: strong image quality, low maintenance, quiet operation, and installation flexibility. The combination of a long-life laser source, sealed filter-free design, quiet operation, and a strong warranty makes it a compelling and practical choice for institutions using numerous projectors."

Thea Study, Thea Study

"Thea takes a smart approach to AI-assisted learning by pushing students to actively recall and apply material rather than simply giving them answers. Its personalized study tools, faculty insights, broad language support, and reported learning gains make it a particularly strong higher education platform."

ViewSonic Corp., ViewSonic LDE Series Direct View LED Displays

"Viewsonic offers large scale (100" to 163") displays with a smaller price tag and smaller footprint. Maintaining ADA compliance with a 4" depth and 1080p resolution, they are a great option for those needing a larger display in common spaces."

VitalSource, VitalSource’s Bookshelf+

"Bookshelf+ makes AI study support feel more trustworthy by keeping responses grounded in assigned course materials rather than open web sources. Its in-textbook tools for questions, flashcards, concept review, read-aloud, and language support give students useful help without pulling them away from the content they are supposed to learn."

Common Sense Media’s new online, self-paced course examines AI use and its connection to student wellbeing.

While most discussions around AI in the classroom focus on topics such as AI tutors or AI cheating, an arguably more pressing concern is how these tools are impacting student wellbeing. More and more young people are turning to these tools for the type of mental health advice traditionally offered by a friend or therapist.

Common Sense Media’s free, hour-long class focuses on these types of AI use. I recently took the course and it was easy to follow, helpful, and a very productive use of an hour. The course lays out how students are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for emotional support, and explains why that can be harmful to their wellbeing. Then the AI and Student Well-Being course offers specific and actionable advice for educators to help their students overcome these challenges.

While some of the discussion in the course was familiar to me, other aspects of it were new. The whole course is a great reminder that I, and other educators, should be taking this issue seriously. Here’s what I learned.

1. AI and Student Well-Being: Students Are Using AI -- A Lot

In the course, Common Sense Media shares results from a survey it conducted in which more than a thousand 9- to 17-year-olds across the country were asked to discuss their AI use. It’s no surprise that the survey revealed that students are using AI a lot, but even so, the numbers are eye-opening.

“Nearly 9 in 10 kids age 9 to 17 use or interact with AI, including about one in four who do so on a daily basis,” the course reveals. Additionally, these regular AI users exhibit signs of AI dependence. “Twenty percent of kids who use AI, and 42% of kids who use AI daily, say it would be very or somewhat hard for them to go without AI for a month.”

Concerningly, students who said they were lonelier were also more likely to use AI more often and to turn to it for emotional support. Only 33% of kids who rarely use AI said they felt lonely some of the time. Meanwhile, “about half of kids who use or interact with AI daily (54%) or weekly (47%), and 44% of monthly AI users, say they feel lonely at least some of the time.”

2. AI Can Appear Helpful for Emotional Support

The course is not actually anti-AI and makes it clear that AI can appear (and might even be) helpful for emotional support in some instances. For certain students, AI could reduce feelings of loneliness in the moment, offer a low-pressure space to ask questions, and provide guidance and practice for navigating social situations. It could also spark creativity and self-expression.

But there are limits to these benefits. “[AI] does not actually know a student, care about their future, or share in the relationship,” the course text warns. “Its responses are generated, not felt.” This could lead to AI stopping students from seeking help from humans and its constantly affirming responses can reinforce “validation-seeking patterns.”

Additionally, “for vulnerable students, AI may intensify rather than ease existing struggles,” and, “One-sided interactions can start to feel safer or more satisfying than real relationships.”

3. Chatbots Appeal to Students Because They Offer “Frictionless Friendships”

One of the reasons AI chatbots appeal to students is that these platforms offer a frictionless friendship. “When a chatbot uses simulated curiosity to ask a student about their day, it signals interest,” the text states. “When it uses social presence to reference something a student shared the week before, it signals memory and care. When it uses sycophancy to affirm a student's feelings without question, it signals safety. These may not be real in the way a human relationship is real—but they can feel real.”

Additionally, talking with a chatbot doesn’t carry a social risk, and these tools are always available and never require anything from a student. In contrast, a real friend might challenge you and disagree with you, isn’t always available and has their own interests and passions. But they do care “about your wellbeing in a real, embodied way.”

4. There Are Signs of Concerning AI Use Educators Can Watch For

The course offers several tangible solutions for addressing concerns about AI use and teaches you some potential signs that a student may have entered into an unhealthy relationship with a chatbot. These include discussing AI as a “real friend,” and sudden switches in academic performance and overall behavior.

In these instances, the course advises not trying to perform the role of a therapist, but instead talking with the student about their AI use in a curious and non-judgmental way, and following your institution’s guidelines around recommending wellbeing and mental health supports. Understanding what students are getting out of their interactions with these machines can also help.

Many students are drawn to chatbots because of their sycophancy (a tendency to agree with the user) and students also have “automation bias,” a strange new tendency many have to trust AI more than their own intuitions because it seems so knowledgeable and confident in its responses.

5. There Are Steps Educators Can Take

When it comes to AI and student wellbeing, as with so many other things, the best interventions are often the ones that take place before a problem develops.

To this end, the course recommends that educators take an active role in preventing students from entering into potentially harmful scenarios with AI. This can be done through digital literacy and by making AI a regular low-stakes topic of conversation in class. Additionally, the course encourages educators to model intentional AI use, explaining why they are using AI and its limitations.

In a great piece of advice for this and other situations as an educator, the course advises teachers not to be afraid to let the students know the limitations of their own knowledge on these topics by saying something such as, “I'm still figuring this out, too.” The course notes that this “is an invitation to think together,” modeling exactly the kind of real human collaboration and thoughtfulness AI can’t duplicate.

Artificial intelligence is quickly moving from novelty to infrastructure. In many schools and universities, AI is already shaping writing, assessment, tutoring, research, student support, and administrative decision-making. UNESCO’s 2026 report, The Algorithm in the Room: Seeing and Confronting the Implications of AI for the Future of Education, argues that educational leaders should resist treating this transformation as inevitable.

The more important leadership question is not simply, “How do we adopt AI?” but “What purposes of education do we want AI to support, and what should remain distinctly human?” In some cases, the broader conversation might also include questions such as, “What is the purpose of our school, program, or course?”

For school and district leaders, higher ed administrators, and instructional technology leaders, the report offers several immediate action items.

1. Start with educational purpose, not the tool

One of the primary principles of effective educational technology has always been to focus on the instructional goal rather than the technology. The UNESCO report repeatedly returns to the problem of alignment. AI systems are designed to optimize toward goals, but schools are complicated, and not all educational goals can be easily quantified in a dashboard or reduced to a simple metric.

The immediate leadership implication is straightforward: before approving a new AI product, ask what educational problem it is intended to solve. Leaders should require a clear instructional or administrative rationale rather than adopting tools simply because of a promise of efficiency or personalization. A useful leadership question is, “What do we want students or educators to be better able to do because this tool exists?”

2. Audit where algorithms are already making decisions

UNESCO’s first recommended horizon is to “see the algorithm.” Educational leaders may be surprised by how many algorithmic systems are already embedded in their institutions, from adaptive learning tools and plagiarism detection systems to enrollment platforms, analytics dashboards, recommendation engines, and automated assessment tools.

An immediate action is to conduct an institutional AI and algorithm inventory. Identify which systems are being used, what data these collect, what decisions they influence, and whether those decisions can be challenged by a human.

This is especially important because UNESCO warns that algorithmic decisions can be opaque, difficult to appeal, and capable of reinforcing existing inequities.

Algorithms need to be tested from time to time. Do not assume that the conditions that allowed an algorithm to be effective a decade ago are still in place.

3. Protect human agency in teaching and learning

One of the report’s strongest warnings concerns the gradual transfer of intellectual work from people to machines. UNESCO describes the possibility of a “classroom AI doom loop,” in which AI generates assignments, students use AI to complete the work, AI evaluates the responses, and automated systems record the grades. The issue goes beyond academic dishonesty and into whether meaningful human learning is taking place.

Leaders should therefore ask instructors to identify the parts of learning that must remain human. These might include forming questions, interpreting evidence, explaining reasoning, engaging in discussion, solving unfamiliar problems, reflecting on mistakes, and defending conclusions. Assessment seems like a key process that needs to remain under human agency. AI can support those processes, but it should not replace any.

4. Rethink assessment instead of relying on AI detection

UNESCO’s discussion of pedagogy and assessment suggests that educational institutions need to move beyond the search for increasingly sophisticated AI detectors.

If AI can produce conventional academic products, leaders should help educators reconsider what those products are intended to demonstrate. Assessment should increasingly make student thinking visible. That could mean more oral explanation, iterative drafts, demonstrations, presentations, authentic projects, reflective commentary, in-class problem solving, and assignments in which students document how they reached a conclusion.

The leadership challenge is to support redesign of assessment to disclose, document, and reflect on AI use by students.

5. Make AI literacy broader than prompt engineering

Many current AI literacy initiatives focus heavily on how to use generative AI effectively. UNESCO suggests that students need something more substantial.

AI literacy should include understanding how algorithmic systems work, how training data influence outputs, how bias can emerge, why hallucinations occur, whose knowledge may be overrepresented or absent, and how commercial incentives shape technology. Students should learn to question AI outputs, not simply generate better ones.

The UNESCO report raises concerns about linguistic and cultural flattening. Dominant languages and highly digitized knowledge traditions may receive disproportionate representation in large language models, while local, indigenous, and less digitized perspectives risk being further marginalized in some cases.

6. Establish clear human-rights and privacy guardrails

UNESCO emphasizes that AI use in education should be grounded in dignity, non-discrimination, participation, equity, informed consent, and protection—especially when children or vulnerable learners are involved.

Educational leaders should immediately review policies governing student data, AI account creation, vendor access, automated decision-making, and the use of personally identifiable information in generative AI platforms.

Institutions also need a clearly articulated guiding principle that consequential decisions affecting students should not be delegated entirely to automated systems.

7. Strengthen teachers rather than designing around them

One of the most important leadership messages in the report is that AI should not become an excuse to hollow out educational institutions. UNESCO argues that hopeful AI futures depend on strengthening libraries, arts and humanities programs, teacher development, and public educational infrastructures.

To achieve this, professional learning should move beyond one-time workshops on individual AI products. Educators need ongoing opportunities to examine AI’s instructional, ethical, cultural, and assessment implications. Teachers should be positioned as designers of learning environments, not simply supervisors of automated systems.

8. Move from consumers to shapers of AI

UNESCO’s final horizon is the most ambitious: “rewrite the algorithm.” The report encourages educational communities to participate actively in shaping AI rather than simply consuming commercially produced systems. It highlights possibilities such as community-trained models, citizen science, indigenous-language projects, locally developed small language models, and collaborative rather than purely individualized AI tools.

For educational leaders, the immediate step may be modest: involve teachers, students, librarians, technology staff, and community members in AI governance and purchasing decisions. Those who experience the consequences of educational technology should have a voice in determining how it is used.

A leadership agenda for right now

Perhaps the most useful takeaway from The Algorithm in the Room is that educational leaders still have agency. AI is not an external force that schools must simply accommodate.

UNESCO’s three-part framework provides a practical leadership sequence: see the algorithm, steer the algorithm, and ultimately help rewrite the algorithm.

For leaders, that means conducting an AI inventory, establishing governance and privacy expectations, supporting assessment redesign, expanding AI literacy, protecting meaningful human interaction, and ensuring that technology remains subordinate to educational purpose.

The most important AI strategy may therefore begin with a question that has very little to do with technology: What kind of education are we trying to provide, strengthen, and create? Once leaders can answer that clearly, decisions about AI become considerably easier.

Of course, what kind of education we should be providing might be the most difficult question of all.

Calm is best known as a meditation and sleep app for adults, but the platform also offers resources specifically designed for use in schools.

The idea is simply to give teachers easy ways to introduce short periods of mindfulness, breathing, relaxation, and reflection into the school day. Calm says more than 250,000 teachers are already using its resources.

That could mean starting the morning with a short mindfulness exercise, using calming music during independent work, or giving students a simple breathing activity when the classroom needs to slow down.

This aims to lay out all you need to know about using Calm in your class.

What is Calm?

Calm is a digital mindfulness and wellbeing platform offering guided meditations, breathing exercises, music, Sleep Stories, and other tools designed to help people manage stress and relax.

For education, Calm has a dedicated Schools offering with age-specific resources intended to help teachers bring mindfulness into the classroom. It also includes material aimed at teachers themselves, recognizing that staff wellbeing is part of creating a healthy school environment.

The classroom resources aren't designed to replace teaching or act as a standalone mental health intervention. Instead, these can be dropped into the school day as short activities alongside existing lessons and routines.

This makes Calm very easy to use. A teacher doesn't need to build a course or learn a complicated piece of software. Instead, they can select an appropriate exercise and play it for the class.

Calm's current free school resources include a 30 Days of Mindfulness in the Classroom guide, with age-specific activities for PreK-12 students, as well as a self-care guide aimed at teachers.

How does Calm work?

Calm is primarily accessed through its website and mobile apps, although teachers don't necessarily need an account to make use of the current free classroom materials.

The downloadable classroom guides include links to selected Calm audio content, allowing teachers to play exercises directly from the resources. These can be used during activities such as morning meetings, quiet time, or other points when a class might benefit from a short reset.

One useful aspect is the range of formats. A teacher could use a guided meditation when the class needs to settle, breathing exercises as a quick reset, or relaxing music as background audio while students are reading or working independently.

Calm also makes its resources suitable for use beyond the classroom. Because the free guides don't require a login, teachers can share these with parents and students for use at home.

That is potentially useful for schools looking to make wellbeing activities part of a wider wellness routine or social-emotional learning rather than something that only happens during a particular lesson.

What are the best Calm features?

Age-specific resources
Perhaps the most useful feature for teachers is that the classroom material isn't simply a collection of generic adult meditation sessions. Calm's school offering includes age-specific resources designed for different stages of childhood.

That makes it easier to choose something appropriate rather than expecting a teacher to work out which activity will suit a particular age group.

30 Days of Mindfulness
The 30 Days of Mindfulness in the Classroom guide gives teachers a ready-made structure rather than leaving them to decide what to do every day.

It includes daily mindfulness exercises and links to selected Calm Kids content, making it possible to build short activities into a regular classroom routine.

Breathing exercises
Breathing exercises can be useful because these don't require much preparation. A teacher can introduce one as a short activity before a lesson, after a busy transition, or whenever the class needs to pause.

Calm Music
Calm's music library can also have a less obvious classroom use. The company highlights music as a way to create a more relaxed environment, and teachers can use instrumental tracks during activities such as reading or independent work.

Teacher self-care
Calm doesn't only focus on students. Its Schools resources include a self-care guide for teachers, covering ways to manage stress and avoid burnout.

That is worth noting because wellbeing initiatives can sometimes put another responsibility on teachers. Giving staff something they can use themselves makes the offering feel more rounded.

How much does Calm cost?

Calm provides free classroom resources that don't require a login or subscription.

These include the 30 Days of Mindfulness in the Classroom guide and teacher self-care resources, with links to selected free audio content.

Teachers who want access to the full Calm library, including additional meditations and Sleep Stories, need a personal Calm Premium subscription.

Schools and districts looking for wider access can also investigate Calm's business and organizational offerings.

Calm Tips

• Start the day calmly
  Use a short breathing or mindfulness activity at the beginning of the school day. This can create a consistent transition from arriving at school to beginning lessons without taking up much teaching time.
• Don't overdo it
  Start with a few minutes and see how the class responds. A short, repeatable routine is likely to be easier to maintain than an ambitious wellbeing program.
• Use music during quiet work
  Try Calm's relaxing music while students are reading, drawing, or working independently. Keep the volume low enough that it remains background rather than becoming another distraction.
• Build a reset into transitions
  Rather than waiting until a class is visibly unsettled, use a short breathing exercise between activities. Moving from PE back to academic work, for example, can be a natural point for a brief reset.
• Let students choose
  Once students know the different types of activities available, give them some choice. One student may prefer breathing exercises while another finds quiet music more useful.
• Share it with parents
  The free Calm classroom guides don't require a login, so teachers can share relevant material with parents who want to continue the practice at home.
• Look after the teacher, too
  Don't make Calm something that is only for students. A short mindfulness session before school, during a break, or at the end of the day can give teachers a chance to use the same tools they are encouraging their students to try.

Plagiarism is an age-old problem. Artificial intelligence-generated content is a very new problem. Yet these two practices—one ancient and one modem—are linked by their ability to replace true learning with copy-and-paste.

The word plagiarism, derived from the Latin plagiarius ("kidnapper"), dates back to 17th-century English. Much earlier than that, in the first century, the Roman poet Martial used “plagiarius” to castigate another poet whom he accused of appropriating his words.

In our modern world, however, the ability of students to find and copy others’ work is greater than ever before. While there are a number of in-depth and effective paid solutions that allow educators to verify the originality of student work, there are only a few free solutions that are worth trying.

Sites that characterized trial texts as substantially or highly plagiarized or AI-generated passed my testing. Sites that didn’t recognize texts as such were deemed unreliable and therefore excluded. Interestingly, six sites which had passed near-identical plagiarism testing three years ago failed the most recent testing and have been excluded.

Read on for the best free online plagiarism and AI-generated content checkers. Interested in non-tech methods of detection? Check out T&L contributor Erik Ofgang’s article 10 Ways to Detect AI Writing Without Technology.

Best Free Plagiarism and AI Content-Checking Sites

Grammarly
Grammarly’s free plagiarism and artificial intelligence detector tools allow users to simply paste text or upload files to be scanned for plagiarized or AI-generated text. No account is needed for the first scan. After that, users can quickly create a free account via Google, Apple, or email to continue scanning. In my testing, Grammarly correctly identified plagiarism in all three texts, reporting each time in this way: “We have found significant plagiarism in your text.” While the free version does not provide a line-by-line plagiarism analysis, it is nevertheless a very good choice for a free detector, especially considering the generous 1500-word limit. Grammarly’s AI detector delivered a perfect result, correctly identifying all three AI-generated texts as 100% AI.

Quetext
With a clean, well-designed interface, it’s a pleasure to use Quetext. After the first free search, you’ll need to create a free account. Current testing results were near-perfect, with 98%, 100%, and 100% for plagiarized texts, and 100% for all AI-generated texts. Unlike many other plagiarism sites, Quetext makes it easy to compare the free and pro offerings -- free accounts allow 2,500 words monthly, while the paid Pro account allows 100,000 words, plus deeper search capability. The site usefully displays the number of words remaining in your word count. An excellent, user-friendly choice.

Dupli Checker
Dupli Checker furnishes a hassle-free plagiarism- and AI-content-checking experience. With no account needed, users can check for plagiarism and AI-generated content once daily. Offering a robust 2000-word limit, the site identified the three plagiarized texts as 100%, 100%, and 92% plagiarized, and the AI-generated texts as 100%, 89%, and 82% AI content. Note that retained cookies from Dupli Checker may interfere with results, so it’s best to clear cookies after each session. To access unlimited plagiarism checks and additional features such as downloading Word or PDF plagiarism reports, create a free account. Dupli Checker also provides a set of free, entertaining, and useful text and image tools such as the reverse text generator, favicon generator, and MD5 generator.

Plagiarism Detector
Easily check for plagiarism without creating an account, then download the pdf report file at no charge. The site accommodates multiple languages, while allowing unlimited free checks of text up to 1,000 words. In the latest testing, Plagiarism Detector characterized plagiarized texts as 100%, 100% and 92% plagiarized, while its AI content detector performed well, reporting 100%, 78%, and 82%. Flexible premium accounts are available on a weekly, month or yearly basis.

I was sitting in a leadership session presented by a fellow author in leadership, looking back and thinking about the stark contrast between smart and dumb leadership. It’s sad for me to admit, but after 30 years in education and leadership, I remember poor leaders better than good ones. The memory of poor leaders failing to meet the moment—and their gross inability to build trust, loyalty, and teamwork—remains vividly stuck in my mind.

The problem has as much to do with there being too many poor leaders as their impact on us. Fortunately, I have experienced the kind of leadership that captures the principles of how to make a school great, even remarkable. I think we all know how important strong leadership is and there is ample evidence about its value in taking an organization to the moon, and with adoring fans.

One of the best ways to understand the difference between bad and good leadership is to look at how leaders engage their teams. My research shows over and over an undeniable pattern: Great leaders act as "multipliers" who set their egos aside to amplify and empower the skills, ideas, and intelligence of those around them, whereas bad leaders act as "diminishers" who wall themselves off, micromanage, and suppress their team's potential out of insecurity.

In short, leaders who work smarter save everyone from working harder.

How leaders can make your organization smart, not dumb

I remain stunned even now, after 30 years of seeing bad leadership over and over again. Pride and insecurity seem to be the biggest culprits.

One of the most significant lessons I learned in leadership was acknowledging that there was always a smarter person in the room than me, and that it wasn’t a threat to me to admit I was wrong, or someone had a better idea. I heard this saying once, and it has always stuck with me: If you’re the smartest person in a room, you’re in the wrong room.

If I have to be the smartest person in the room, two dangerous facts exist:

1. I will have a lot of inferior people working for me, and as any coach will tell you, when the team loses the game, YOU lose the game. I’d rather have smarter people making me look good, winning . . . .
2. Even if someone has a smarter idea for a pivot, they will be afraid to share it because they fear I will snuff them out.

I have had the privilege of working alongside incredible educators, absolutely compassionate and skilled individuals, supporting children of all types. One of the most important lessons I learned came from concepts such as edcamps. I learned about Edcamps from an innovative educator who showed me the empowerment associated with learning that is targeted, with an energized vibe, and focused on high interest topics for educators. These are worthy of engaging professionals with and offer the kind of intelligent learning that matters more now than ever.

Smart leaders don’t let great ideas die in a corner of the school. If you have been around schools as long as I have, you know that there are remarkable ideas hidden in classrooms where humble yet amazing teachers bring learning alive. Great leaders use grassroots ideas to overcome contractual barriers, reclaim time, and empower teachers to share their hidden classroom expertise across the entire school.

As an author, researcher, and school leader, I have a rare vantage point: I've observed how thousands of classrooms function firsthand, allowing me to bridge real-world practice with evidence-based research. It was hard for me to keep quiet, working behind “diminisher” leaders, but it’s taught me not to be them and to share with you how important humility is in leadership.

Helping kids win

Is actively becoming a smart leader hard? Yes. It’s easier in the short term to shut your door and say, “I’m boss!” But I have been part of leadership teams in which the hard work was fun and worth the sacrifice. Change happens when a leader embraces vulnerability—a risky move for an organization accustomed to covering its tracks, but brave and beneficial in the long run. And smart!

Having that courage took me years to see change. Patience and persistence were the pillars of that process. I endured dumb leaders and a long road of frustration for an organization that always had that untapped potential percolating just under the surface, and needed smart leadership to help it burst out and do what matters most in education: Help kids win—in the classroom, at home, and in life.

Such success doesn't happen every day for every child, but when it does, it makes the pursuit of great, smart leadership entirely worthwhile.

Schools across the nation are being told to limit screen time. That sounds reasonable until you ask a basic question: What exactly are we limiting?

A student could spend 30 minutes passively clicking through a poorly designed program. Another could spend 30 minutes researching a topic, reading, collaborating with classmates, writing, or creating a podcast or video. Same 30 minutes. Very different learning.

It's a little like calories -- 300 calories of avocado is not the same as 300 calories of Twinkies. The number tells you how much, but not enough about the quality.

Screen time has the same problem. A minute watching random videos is not the same as a minute reading, writing, creating, collaborating, coding, or getting feedback. In my previous Tech & Learning article, Screen Time Is the Wrong Unit of Measurement, I argued that instead of measuring minutes, we should be measuring learning.

Interestingly, MIT is taking a similar approach in its new report on AI and education. Rather than simply embracing or rejecting AI, MIT's Ad Hoc Committee on AI Use in Teaching, Learning, and Research Training recommends "AI-aware" education. That means revisiting what students need to learn, changing assessments, strengthening hands-on learning, maintaining human interaction, and helping students understand when AI should and shouldn't be used.

That's the conversation schools should be having about technology more broadly. Don't start with the tool or the number of minutes. Start with the learning and decide what tools are best to achieve the desired outcomes.

We should also be helping students think critically about their own technology use. They need to recognize when technology helps them learn, create, and connect, and when it distracts, gets in the way, or results in cognitive offloading. Counting minutes doesn't teach that judgment, and with technology evolving constantly, judgment matters more than a timer.

Measure What Matters

Instead of counting minutes, we should evaluate the quality of the learning experience. Other considerations exist, too. Privacy and safety should be prerequisites for any technology we put in front of students.

Here are some of the areas we should be looking at:

Learning value and engagement: What is technology adding? Are students learning, thinking, creating, questioning, solving, and making decisions, or mostly clicking and consuming?

Accessibility: Is the technology helping the student by making the learning more accessible through tools such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, captions, translation, audio, enlarged text, or other supports?

Personalization and agency: Does technology let students learn at an appropriate level or pace and make meaningful choices about how they learn, create, communicate, or demonstrate what they know?

Human interaction: When interaction matters, is technology helping students connect and collaborate, or getting in the way?

Transformation: Does technology simply replace an analog tool, or does it change what students can do? The SAMR model gives us a useful way to think about this through substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition. Not every activity needs to reach redefinition, but we should be able to move beyond substitution and explain what the technology adds.

Evidence and outcomes: Did it work? What evidence shows that students learned, gained access, improved their work, or achieved the intended outcome?

A screen-time limit is a lazy measure. Pick a number, start a timer, and you're done. We've done this before with multiple-choice tests. These are easy to score, but easy to measure doesn't mean meaningful. We should be moving toward better ways of evaluating learning, not backward toward whatever is easiest to count.

Empower Students to Know When the Screen Should Go Away & When It Should Stay

None of this means students should be on devices all day. Support students in determining if technology is supporting their learning. If technology isn't adding anything, they shouldn’t use it. If students would learn more with pencil and paper, by moving, building, experimenting, performing, playing, or working with their hands, let them.

But the reverse is also true.

If a student needs text-to-speech or translation to access a book, let them use the screen. If they can collaborate with experts or peers they couldn’t reach without technology, let them. If they can authentically publish their work, empower them with a screen. Students also shouldn't be called out, stigmatized, or othered for learning through different modalities. The modality should not matter if the student is learning.

The question shouldn't be, "How much screen time did students have?" It should be, "What were students doing, what were they learning, and was technology helping?"

Quantum computing could mark the next revolution in tech. Giants in the industry such as Google and IBM are making big investments in these next-gen computers, and industry is not alone. In June, the U.S. Department of Energy announced its Quantum Genesis Initiative, which aims to develop and deploy fully “scientifically relevant quantum computing capability for research and development by 2028." In July the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced Project Triad, an initiative that seeks to unify “three domains of quantum technology — sensors, computers and networks — in a unified, functional system.”

Instead of the bits used by classical computers, quantum computers utilize qubits. While a classical bit can be represented as either a 1 or 0, qubits take advantage of the strange properties of the quantum world to be both 1 and 0 at the same time. This, paired with other quantum characteristics such as entanglement, allows quantum computers to achieve levels of computational power that aren’t possible with classical computers.

As exciting as quantum computing is, there’s a problem.

“The field of quantum technology is growing faster than the current workforce can support,” says NSF Spokesperson Miriam Kleiman. She adds, “There is a significant shortage of qualified people.”

In an email, Kleiman shared steps educators can take to help their students learn about emerging quantum industries and how to potentially play a role.

Taking Steps To Prepare Students for Quantum-Related Careers

In addition to teaching core ideas from quantum mechanics, computer science, and mathematics, Kleiman says NSF scientists advise teachers to bolster these lessons by adding “simple hands-on activities, like writing basic programs for quantum devices, and exposing students to real tools and demonstrations.”

She adds, “Partnering with industry for guest talks or internships and using local training opportunities strengthens the connection to careers.”

Existing curricula that educators can utilize are available from NSF-supported centers. These include:

• Robust Quantum Simulation’s K-12 materials
• HQAN (TeachQuantum and Wonders of Quantum Physics)
• National programs such as the A Collaboration To Support Quantum Education, Chicago Quantum Exchange and QuSTEAM.

Tech & Learning has published an overview of some quantum computing resources that explores some of the mind-bending science behind it all.

Things All Students Should Know Regardless of Career Path

Whether or not a student is interested in pursuing a career in quantum computers, there are still aspects of this technology of which they should be aware.

“Every student should understand the basics: what a qubit is and how it differs from a traditional bit, plus the key concepts of superposition, entanglement, and decoherence,” Kleiman says. “With this foundation, students can see how quantum computers differ from classical machines, grasp where the technology is useful, and think critically about its social and ethical impacts.”

Those impacts are potentially profound. “Quantum technology could help solve problems that overwhelm today’s computers,” Kleiman says. “It may enable accurate simulations of complex molecules and materials—supporting drug discovery, better battery chemistry, and cleaner fertilizer production.”

Kleiman adds it could increase efficiency in global shipping and various supply chains as well as areas such as city transit. Additionally, it will have a significant impact on the fields of data security and cryptography.

Despite misconceptions to the contrary, quantum computers are unlikely to replace classical computers. Ultimately though, these devices will used for specific problems and are expected to have a huge impact on society.

“For certain math-heavy problems, quantum approaches promise much greater efficiency and better results,” Kleiman says.

Generative AI has created a new challenge for teachers. Students can ask tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini almost any question and receive a polished answer in seconds. The problem is that polished does not always mean accurate.

Large language models (LLMs) can produce incorrect information, misrepresent sources, and even invent convincing citations to publications that do not exist, which is why many educators remain understandably cautious about students using AI for research.

The better response is not to tell students to avoid AI altogether but to teach them how to use AI tools that keep evidence at the center of the research process.

What Is A RAG?

A retrieval-augmented generation tool, or RAG, helps students move from asking AI for answers to asking AI to help them find, examine, and explain evidence.

One way to explain the difference between a traditional LLM and RAG is to compare it to the difference between a closed-book and open-book exam. When students use an LLM by themselves, the model answers from what it learned during training and from whatever the student provides in the conversation. It may produce a useful response, but it may also fill gaps with something that sounds right rather than something that is right.

RAG changes that interaction. Before answering, the system retrieves information related to the question and gives that material to the model. In that sense, RAG is less like asking AI to guess and more like asking AI to work with evidence in front of it.

The process is essentially: Question → Retrieve sources → Analyze sources → Generate response

This distinction is important for students because it introduces something often missing from conventional AI interactions: an evidence trail.

RAG does not eliminate hallucinations, and students still need to verify AI-generated information. However, properly designed retrieval systems make verification much easier because students can trace claims back to underlying sources.

Sometimes the term agentic RAG is used; most current RAG tools are better described as RAG with agentic features, not fully agentic RAGs at this point. These retrieve evidence, but may not independently plan, evaluate, and revise the research process in the way a true agentic system would.

With that foundation in mind, here are five practical ways educators can begin using retrieval-based AI tools to help students ask better questions, locate stronger evidence, and verify what AI tells them.

1. Use Gemini Notebook to Create a Controlled Research Environment

Google's Gemini Notebook provides perhaps the easiest introduction to RAG for students. Rather than relying primarily on the model's general knowledge, teachers and students can provide the sources Gemini Notebook will use. These can include PDFs, websites, Google Docs and Slides, YouTube videos, and other materials. Responses are grounded in those sources and include citations students can follow back to the original material.

That allows teachers to create a controlled AI research environment. For example, instead of asking students to use AI to investigate the causes of the American Revolution from the open web, a teacher could provide six carefully selected primary and secondary sources. Students could load those materials into Gemini Notebook and ask: "What were the most important colonial objections to British taxation?"

The assignment also shouldn't end with the answer. Require students to identify the sources Gemini Notebook used, locate the supporting passages, and determine whether those passages support its conclusions.

Suddenly, AI isn't replacing reading but giving students another reason to read critically.

2. Use Consensus to Move Students Toward Scholarly Evidence

For older students, particularly those beginning serious research projects, Consensus can provide a useful bridge from general web searching to scholarly literature. Instead of asking a general-purpose chatbot to recall studies from its training, students can enter natural-language research questions and receive results grounded in academic research. Consider the difference between asking: "Does homework improve student achievement?" and asking: "What peer-reviewed research suggests that homework improves student achievement?"

The second question establishes an evidentiary expectation. Students can then examine the research Consensus retrieves, determine which studies address their question, and follow those studies to the original publications.

The objective is to help them identify research worth investigating rather than have Consensus do it for them.

3. Use Elicit for More Sophisticated Research Projects

Elicit takes this process another step and is particularly useful for advanced secondary and postsecondary research. Students can use it to locate scholarly literature, compare studies, extract information, and begin organizing evidence for literature reviews. This provides an opportunity to teach something students frequently struggle with finding a source is not the same as evaluating a source.

A student might use Elicit to identify ten studies related to a research question. The next task should be determining which studies belong in the research project. Students can examine methodology, sample size, population, publication date, limitations, and relevance to the research question.

In this example, AI accelerates discovery but students remain responsible for judgment. That distinction should become central to AI literacy.

4. Use Scite to Ask, "Does Research Really Support This?"

Students often assume that finding a citation proves a claim. Scite provides a useful way to challenge that assumption. Its Smart Citations show how later scholarly publications have cited earlier work and classify citation statements as supporting, contrasting with, or simply mentioning the original study.

Imagine a student finding a 2018 study that makes an important claim. Rather than simply citing it, the student can ask better questions: What happened to this finding afterward? Have later studies supported it? Challenged it? Qualified it? Has the scholarly conversation moved in another direction?

This approach introduces students to an important feature of authentic scholarship: knowledge isn't simply a collection of isolated facts but an ongoing conversation in which evidence is continually examined and reconsidered.

5. Use Perplexity for Current Information, but Verify the Sources

Not every student research question belongs in an academic database. Students researching current legislation, technology developments, elections, economic conditions, or breaking events need access to information that changes quickly.

Retrieval-oriented tools such as Perplexity can be useful because it searches current web information and connects generated answers to sources. However, this presents another excellent teaching opportunity. A citation does not automatically make information credible. Students should examine who published the information, when it was published, what evidence the source provides, whether other credible sources corroborate it, and whether the AI accurately represented what the source said.

The presence of citations should therefore be the beginning of verification, not the end of it.

Establish One Simple Classroom Rule

Teachers introducing RAG do not need an elaborate AI policy to get started. Begin with one simple rule: Never cite the AI tool, but cite the evidence behind the AI.

When an AI tool provides a source, students should open it. When it makes a factual claim, students should find supporting evidence. When it summarizes research, students should compare the summary with the original. And when the evidence is not strong enough, students should keep researching.

Establishing these habits turns AI use from passive answer collection into active information evaluation.

Create an AI Research Toolbox

Students also need to understand that there isn't one best AI tool. Most of these tools have clear strengths and weaknesses, so they will have to learn to use the one best for each type of question or problem.

• Assigned readings and teacher-selected sources: Gemini Notebook
• Finding scholarly evidence: Consensus
• Conducting deeper literature reviews: Elicit
• Determining whether research supports or challenges a claim: Scite
• Investigating current information: Perplexity
• Brainstorming, tutoring, explaining, organizing, and feedback: General-purpose LLMs such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini

This shift represents an important evolution in instructor and student AI literacy. Instead of teaching students simply how to prompt an AI system, we need to teach them which information environment they should ask the AI to search.

Getting Started Tomorrow

Teachers can introduce this approach without redesigning an entire course. For example, choose three to five credible sources related to something students are already studying and put them into Gemini Notebook. Give students a research question and ask them to generate an initial response. Then add the requirement that students verify three claims in the AI response against the original sources. For each claim, students should identify the source, locate the supporting evidence, and decide whether the AI represented that evidence accurately. A follow-up discussion can focus on what the AI got right, what it missed, and where its interpretation differed from students' interpretations.

That's a relatively small instructional change, but it introduces several important competencies simultaneously: AI literacy, source evaluation, corroboration, close reading, and evidence-based reasoning.

Move From Prompt Literacy to Evidence Literacy

The first phase of generative AI in education focused heavily on prompts. Students and teachers learned that better questions could produce better AI responses.

The next phase needs to go further. Students need to understand where AI-generated information comes from, why some sources deserve more credibility than others, how retrieval influences an AI's response, and how to determine whether the evidence supports what the AI says.

Ultimately, the most important question we ask students may no longer be, "Did you use AI?" A much better question is, "What evidence did the AI find, and how did you determine that evidence was trustworthy?" This then becomes information literacy for a world in which students will increasingly encounter information through AI systems.

When school districts invest in instructional technology, implementation is often measured through familiar metrics: How many teachers are using it? How often are students logging in? How many activities have they completed? How much time are they spending on the platform?

Those measures can tell leaders whether a tool is being used. They cannot necessarily tell them whether students are learning.

That distinction became especially clear to me while conducting a meta-analysis of Penda Learning, a computer-based science intervention. Across 13 independent school-based samples involving more than 33,000 students, we found significant gains in science achievement. But because results varied across schools, we were able to examine an arguably more useful question for education leaders: What conditions were associated with stronger outcomes?

One finding stood out: It wasn't simply the amount of time students spent using the intervention that best predicted achievement. It was mastery.

Students were considered to have mastered an activity when they demonstrated at least 80% accuracy. As the number of activities mastered increased, so did the effects associated with the intervention. Schools with low, moderate, and high levels of mastered activities showed effect sizes of 0.56, 0.89, and 1.40, respectively.

Mastery remained the strongest predictor of science outcomes even after engagement hours were considered. Time-on-task alone was not positively associated with better performance.

For district leaders, there is a broader lesson here that applies well beyond any single science intervention: Implementation should not be confused with usage. If we want evidence-based programs to produce evidence-based results, we need to pay much closer attention to what happens after the purchase.

Here are five ways district leaders can move beyond measuring usage and focus implementation on what matters most: student learning.

1. Define Successful Implementation Before Launch

Too often, districts decide how they will measure implementation after a program is already underway. Instead, leaders should define success before students ever log in. Adoption and participation matter, but these are starting measures, not end goals.

Ask more meaningful questions: Are students progressing toward mastery? Are they retaining and applying what they learn? Where are they struggling? Are teachers using the information generated by the program to adjust instruction?

The answers help distinguish between activity and impact. Digital programs make usage data remarkably easy to collect, but leaders should resist equating a dashboard filled with logins, minutes, and completed assignments with successful implementation. The metric that is easiest to measure isn't necessarily the one that matters most.

2. Measure The Quality of Engagement, Not Just The Quantity

Our findings illustrate why this distinction matters. The relationship between mastery and outcomes followed a dose-response pattern: as students mastered more activities, achievement effects grew substantially.

Rather than asking only, “How much did students use the intervention?” leaders should also ask, “What did students accomplish while they were using it?”

Two students can spend the same 30 minutes in a digital learning environment but have very different experiences. One may demonstrate understanding and progress while the other struggles without reaching mastery. Their time-on-task looks identical. Their learning does not.

When students spend significant time on an intervention without demonstrating progress, that should be treated as an instructional signal—not evidence of successful implementation.

3. Connect The Intervention To Instruction

Even a strong evidence base does not make an instructional resource self-executing. Technology works within an instructional system. It needs to connect to what students are learning, the standards teachers are responsible for teaching, assessment information, and the district's broader scope and sequence.

The studies in our analysis took place in real school environments, where teachers differ in experience, schedules vary, and local contexts affect implementation.

In one large implementation examined separately, teachers had a recommended schedule for using the science intervention, but support went well beyond usage expectations. They received professional development around curriculum integration and instructional alignment, along with ongoing opportunities to strengthen implementation and share instructional practices.

The lesson here is that leaders should think about implementation as instructional integration, not software deployment.

4. Support Teachers Beyond The Kickoff Training

Most educators have experienced some version of this: A new resource is introduced during PD, teachers learn how it works, and then everyone returns to their classrooms. That is adoption, but it isn't necessarily implementation.

Teachers need to understand not only how to use a resource but when and why to use it. They need support interpreting data, responding when students struggle, connecting digital learning to classroom instruction, and sharing practices with colleagues.

Variation shouldn't automatically be viewed as failure. It is information. If one school is producing stronger student mastery than another using the same resource, leaders should investigate what is different—whether it's instructional integration, teacher support, or opportunities for students to revisit concepts and demonstrate mastery. Implementation data become much more useful when districts use it to ask those questions rather than simply monitor compliance.

5. Treat Implementation As A Continuous Improvement Process

Perhaps the biggest mistake districts can make is treating implementation as something that happens only at the beginning of an adoption. It should be an ongoing feedback loop in which evidence continually informs practice.

District leaders should absolutely ask whether an instructional intervention has credible research behind it. But an evidence-based intervention doesn't automatically produce evidence-based outcomes. Research tells us what can happen. Implementation helps determine what does happen.

Conversations about edtech effectiveness need to move beyond adoption and usage. Are students mastering what they're learning? Do teachers have the support to act on the data? Are districts creating the conditions for the intervention to succeed?

Ultimately, the goal isn't to get students to spend more time using technology. It's to make the time they spend learning count.

When you step up to the front of a class as a new teacher, there’s a lot you don’t know. For many new professors, the experience goes differently than they expected, and while most do a good job, it can take a semester or two to really start to feel comfortable in the job.

I know this from my own experience from having directly supervised new college professors in the past, and from conversations with many former graduate students who go on to teach.

From all this, I’ve noticed some common mistakes that arise. Some are unique to college professors, many of whom, ironically, start teaching with far less pedagogical training than teachers at other education levels. However, some of these mistakes, I suspect, apply to all new teachers.

While most educators work through these on their own, here’s a look at the common mistakes I see, with advice for overcoming.

1. They Over-Prepare

Preparation is great; too much preparation makes the job of being an educator harder. It also eliminates spontaneity and makes for ineffective class sessions and lessons.

New teachers tend to err on the over-preparation side of things. This can mean slideshows with too many slides and too much information per slide, as well as a semester with classes planned to the minute.

Not only does this stifle creativity, but it can lead to frustration when it all doesn’t go as planned, as it will inevitably will.

How to overcome this: Often this tendency comes from insecurity on the part of new teachers. I remind them to trust their instincts and that they’re knowledgeable enough to improvise and let the class go where it will go (within reason).

More specifically, if someone is struggling with their slides, I suggest alternatives such as using digital handouts. Teachers can also focus on activities and lessons that can be more open-ended and student-driven. For example, early on I spent a lot of time lecturing about interviewing best practices for new journalists. Now I spend more time answering questions students have about conducting interviews and doing more in-class interview exercises. Students pair up and interview each other, or find people to interview on campus, etc.

2. They Think They Need To Have All The Answers

Nothing can be more terrifying as a new teacher than when a student asks you a question that you feel you should know the answer to but don’t. This was something that caused me a lot of stress when I started teaching but is not a concern now. That’s definitely not because I now have all the answers, but rather because time and experience have made me okay with not having all the answers. I’ve also increasingly grown somewhat distrustful of anyone who does claim to have them.

How to overcome this: Embrace a mindset shift that moves from the "sage on the stage" thinking to "a guide on the side" mentality. This creates a space in which it is acceptable for you and students to say “I don’t know” and one where you can work on finding the answers together.

I also share with my students that in the spirit of Socrates, I believe one of the most intelligent things a person can say is, “I don’t know.”

3. Underutilizing Technology

So much more technology is available to educators today than many new professors realize. It is rarely a cure-all, and some so-called solutions are counterproductive. But it’s worth exploring potential options as there are many tech tools that are easy to use and can make your teaching more productive and effective, as well as save you time.

How to overcome this: Spend a little time experimenting with technology. Ask colleagues what resources they use for activities such as lesson planning and how they handle quizzes, etc.

Some technology can really make a difference. For instance, I used to waste a lot of time and paper making and printing handouts. Then I learned how easy it was to generate QR codes and started doing digital handouts instead.

4. Not Asking Enough Questions

We’re always encouraging students to do this but sometimes have trouble doing this ourselves, especially when we start.

New teachers often spend a lot of time developing class resources such as quizzes and slideshows that their colleagues have at the ready. Other educators can also offer guidance on everything from managing difficult students to creating effective class sessions and assessments. But much of this knowledge goes unutilized.

How to overcome: This one is easy: Ask more questions! Think out loud with colleagues during lunch or in conversations in the hall. Email former classmates who are teaching to see what they’ve learned and share what you’ve seen.

One of the challenges of teaching early on is how lonely the process can feel. Actively reaching out to colleagues and tapping into their experience fixes that and helps make you a better teacher in the process. It’s a true win-win.

For educators, rubrics have become a familiar tool to help clarify expectations, support consistent grading, and give students a sense of what successful work should look like. However, there is a downside to making a rubric, exemplar, or step-by-step checklist the starting point for every assignment: students can become very good at following directions without becoming very good at figuring things out.

As schools place greater emphasis on creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, innovation, and AI literacy, educators may want to reconsider how much structure they provide upfront. Technology makes it easier than ever to generate polished work that checks every box. The more predictable the assignment, the easier it can be to optimize for completion whether the optimizer is a student, a search engine, or an AI tool.

This doesn't mean abandoning rubrics, but we have to be more intentional about when we use one. For many years, I have intentionally not provided rubrics for many of my leadership courses, as leaders are rarely given a clear checklist of how to complete a task in the real world.

Sometimes, the most valuable assignment is the one in which students are not entirely sure what the finished product should look like. I understand students do not like that ambiguity, but it mirrors the real world into which they will graduate.

Here are ten reasons to consider putting the rubric away and improve learning outcomes in the process.

1. Creativity Needs Room to Breathe

Give students a template, and many will use it. Give them an exemplar, and many will imitate it. Give them a detailed rubric, and many will work backward from the criteria. None of those behaviors are inherently bad but can limit the creative process.

When students have room to decide what a product should look like, how it should be organized, or which approach might work best, they must make creative decisions rather than simply execute someone else's. If we want to nurture creativity and innovation, we need to give them something to be creative about.

2. The Real World Rarely Provides Rubrics

Consider what happens after students leave school: A sales manager may be told to increase customer engagement; a teacher may be asked to improve student participation; a designer may be asked to solve a user problem; an entrepreneur may recognize an unmet need. Where is the rubric for any of these?

Professionals are expected to determine what success looks like, identify the constraints, develop an approach, test their ideas, and adjust along the way. Students should receive assignments that provide opportunities to build those skills before they enter the workplace.

3. Exemplars Can Become Templates

Showing students an example seems like an obvious way to help them understand an assignment. However, in my experience, it becomes a stencil for the students to copy. Instead of asking, "What could I create?" students ask, "How can I make mine look like that?" This is particularly noticeable with presentations, multimedia projects, websites, videos, and other creative products. Give a class one strong example, and you may end up with 25 slightly different versions of the same idea.

Consider providing fewer examples and guidance to encourage and generate more possibilities and results.

4. Students Need to Experience Productive Uncertainty

Learning isn't always comfortable, and there is value in giving students a challenge and allowing them to sit with the question: How am I going to approach this?

Allowing for uncertainty can lead to brainstorming, research, experimentation, questions, failure, feedback, and revision. These are not obstacles to learning but key to building critical thinking skills. If every assignment comes with a prescribed sequence of steps, students have fewer opportunities to develop the confidence to navigate an unfamiliar problem.

5. A Rubric Can Turn Learning into Point Hunting

We've all heard students ask questions such as, "How many points is this worth?” "Do I have to do this part?" or "Is this on the rubric?" Those questions are often evidence that students have learned how the system works.

By not providing a detailed rubric with specified requirements, students are more likely to ask, "How can I make this better?" instead of "Have I done everything I need to get full credit?" Those are different learning experiences.

6. AI Changes the Equation

Generative AI has made this conversation even more important. A well-crafted prompt containing the assignment directions, grading criteria, format, and desired characteristics, can produce a response designed to satisfy those requirements.

Educators should consider whether some assignments are overly optimized for compliance, and look to improve their overall approach to boost critical thinking and other skills. Many of our students can comply with instructor expectations, but that does not mean they are learning the critical thinking skills they will need to be successful.

7. Students Can Learn to Define Quality

What if students didn't always receive the definition of a "good" product before they began?

After students explore a problem or create an initial draft, teachers can ask: “What makes this effective?” Students can analyze their own work, examine different approaches, provide peer feedback, and identify characteristics of quality. The resulting criteria can become more meaningful because students helped discover what’s needed for success.

In this model, the rubric isn't the recipe for learning but a reflection of what students learned about quality. This reflection process will become more important as instructors and students optimize AI tools to support their learning.

8. Open-Ended Assignments Encourage Better Questions

A tightly structured assignment tends to produce tightly structured questions. Requiring an open-ended approach requires students to think about decisions rather than directions.

In a world where information is increasingly easy to access, knowing what questions to ask may be more valuable than knowing how to follow a predetermined process.

9. Teachers Get a Better Look at Student Thinking

Another benefit to removing some of the scaffolding is that teachers may learn more about how students think.

By allowing students to determine how to approach a task, their choices become evidence. One student may create a video. Another may develop an interactive presentation. A third may write an article. A fourth may devise an approach the teacher never anticipated. Those differences can reveal strengths, misconceptions, interests, and problem-solving strategies that a highly structured assignment might never expose.

10. Independence Is the Ultimate Goal

Perhaps the strongest argument for occasionally removing the rubric is simple: we want students to become independent learners. Eventually, students will encounter problems for which no teacher has provided a checklist. They will have to figure out what matters, determine where to begin, seek help when necessary, make decisions, evaluate their own work, and revise.

Students do not become independent by always being given the next step, but by practicing what to do when nobody gives them the next step. Taking off the “training wheels” of a rubric can give students the confidence and encourage them to ride off on their own!

Flipping The Rubric Script

This is not an argument against rubrics, which have an important place in education. Rubrics can make expectations clearer, support equitable assessment, help students understand feedback, and provide valuable structure, particularly when students are learning a new skill or when specific standards must be demonstrated.

Consider occasionally flipping the rubric script by starting with a compelling question or authentic problem. Let students brainstorm possibilities and give them time to develop an approach. Allow them to struggle productively. Have them share drafts and provide feedback. Then, once students have a better understanding of the task, introduce or co-create criteria for quality.

In this process, the rubric becomes something students use to evaluate and improve their thinking, rather than a checklist they use to avoid thinking.

I can vividly recall being a new leader of a middle school with raw nerves when veteran teachers charged in to see me, upset about the outfits of some students. They expected me to address this with an iron fist, and I recognized it would be one of many tests along the way to me gaining their respect. Yet it was a complex test to pass: Almost all of the complaints were about female students' dress.

This presented two immediate problems.

First, as a young male administrator, I had real concerns about how me addressing a female student's dress would be perceived.

Second, there was an obvious gender bias gap apparent. What about male students and some of the questionable attire they wore on a given basis? It didn’t seem to matter, implicit bias was rampant and I had to figure this out.

That was the 1990s. More recently, I have written about dress code and engaging students in the process of developing fair equitable expectations and ways to respond. But back then, there were those unflinching veteran teachers, waiting and watching–administrators would face their wrath! Many times, their concerns were legitimate, sometimes their expectations disproportionate to the issue, like the dress code police.

I learned quickly (and mostly on my own) that I had to show these teachers support or I would lose them. Even before coverage around students being “dress-coded” surfaced years later, and especially since almost none of the students being reported had any behavioral concerns, I had to balance my response. We can learn how to help kids who can be disruptive and disrespectful, if we approach it the right way.

While I saw the implicit bias all the way glaring back at me then, I couldn’t quite put a finger on it–we weren’t there yet, at least in New Jersey. I have since taught teachers about implicit bias, its natural influence on how we respond, that it is a normal part of humanity, and most importantly, that being aware of it can help us react with better impact and respect.

Come Sail Away

I learned to sail as a child. I loved it! There were a lot of survival rules to follow, the most important of which was knowing the keel was sound. This is the odd-looking apparatus hidden in the belly of the boat that sits in the water to counter waves and turns. One false move and you capsize. The same is true with balancing the strong beliefs of one party that are in conflict with those of another.

Like every administrator, new and veteran, I face the delicate balance of managing discipline between the angry teacher and the upset parent. I learned over time that while I had to remain even-handed in disciplinary decisions, the way I approached each with differing viewpoints mattered.

Consider one scenario: A student was being redirected by a teacher to play safe at recess. The student ignored the teacher and continued with aggressive actions toward others and themself. The teacher became upset and raised their voice. The student turned to the teacher and said, “You can’t tell me what to do, that’s what my mom said ….”

Any adult redirecting a child who came across “fresh” would have understandably strong feelings. My recommendation would be to never show that side. If necessary, breathe and take a moment. That didn’t happen in this scenario. A few moments later, the student was seated in the office, hands crossed smiling as the teacher was standing over them, pointing and demanding, “Wipe that smile off your face!”

If you have been a school leader or are becoming one, you have, or most certainly will, experience something like this and it is one of the most challenging scenarios to navigate.

What made this more problematic is that the student was probably right; the parent had told her teachers can’t make her do anything.

De-escalating Psychological Warfare

On one side, I have a teacher demanding “justice,” and on the other, a parent who if approached incorrectly, is ready for a long, drawn-out fight. How do I manage the balance between them?

The first order of business was to get the teacher away from the student. This is the “Let’s take a walk back to your classroom” shift I offer. During this slow, steady stroll, I let the teacher vent. I don’t have to agree with them, but acknowledging alone goes a long way in making them feel validated. A simple but direct response, “I understand, I will take care of this,” is what I convey. Certainly, there may be a time, not at that moment but later, because they felt supported when I can offer some valuable feedback on implicit bias, temperament, etc. But that comes later.

After speaking with the student and getting their story, I explain how this was a matter of safety. I stay away from the attitude issue the teacher contested. Then it becomes about an adult acting the kids' age. No-win situation. Upon calling the parent, I discuss with the student present so there is no “That’s not what happened!” claim from the student later that night, and then an angrier email from the difficult parent just as I’m settling in for the evening.

Talking through the incident with a focus on safety, I don’t hide that the student made comments, I just report them objectively. This parent finds that information irrelevant, as expected, and I focus the reason for discipline on safety. “I wouldn’t want her or others to get hurt,” I say. While the parent may (and likely will) try to personalize this about the teacher, I continue to steer back to the safety issue.

Ultimately, the parent cannot disagree with safety. Next, I return to the teacher and let her know, “I took care of this.” The emphasis is on acknowledging (not agreeing with) the teacher’s concern and that discipline was subsequently meted out. The teacher was satisfied and I kept the keel stable on both sides.

What’s most valuable about conveying this response in two very different ways is the psychology that both sides felt supported and heard, and we approached each very differently. Free advertising from the teacher (“He backed me up!”) and the parent (“What an understanding administrator he was!”) echoes far beyond and we win on both sides of the coin. That’s powerful yet simple psychology.

By anchoring every decision in objective principles rather than emotional conflicts, effective school leaders can satisfy both passionate educators and defensive parents, keeping the school's keel steady through the stormiest waters.

Welcome to the September 2026 Back to School edition of Edtech Show & Tell, in which our editors share some of the new edtech products that have caught our attention this month. These are not reviews or endorsements, but a showcase of education-friendly items, platforms, and more that we think might be noteworthy for you.

This month's new offerings include NGSS-aligned middle school science lessons, immersion language learning, AI literacy training and much more.

Extron | DTP3 T 321

The new DTP3 T 321 simplifies long-distance USB-C extension, sending video, audio, data, power, and bidirectional RS-232 signals up to 330 feet (100 meters) over a single shielded CAT 6A cable. The transmitter features a USB-C input, local HDMI output, and two USB device ports. It supports video resolutions up to 4K/60 with 4:4:4 color sampling, EDID Minder®, and HDCP 2.3.

GoGuardian | AI-powered Recommendation Engine

The AI-powered Recommendation Engine in GoGuardian Admin now enables district leaders with proactive policy recommendations based on student online behavior patterns. The Recommendation Engine translates student online activity into proactive guidance by turning emerging activity into governable policy, providing an AI-powered safety-net, and is built for every district, expert or not.

Magewell | Director Plus

Director Plus brings 4K production and enhanced network capabilities to Magewell's Director family of portable, all-in-one production and presentation systems. This new model can flexibly ingest up to six 4Kp60 sources or sixteen 1080p60 sources from HDMI, USB, and IP feeds, along with media assets from connected devices and third-party software platforms. Combining powerful streaming with flexible source integration, Director Plus enables creators and production teams to build hybrid or all-IP workflows for sports, Houses of Worship, healthcare, enterprise, education, podcasts, and more.

McGraw Hill | ROAR

Developed at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, Reading and Dyslexia Research Program, ROAR is designed to assess foundational K12 reading. Grounded in more than a decade of reading and neuroscience research, ROAR helps educators identify and support students with diverse reading needs, including students with dyslexia, earlier and more effectively.

Penda Learning | Cosmos

The AI-powered instructional assistant Cosmos provides scaffolded explanations, strategic hints, summaries and step-by-step coaching to help students work through science concepts and build understanding on their own. Cosmos works within the Penda Learning platform and teachers can see when and where students request help and use that information to identify areas where additional instruction may be needed.

Renaissance | Intelligence

Renaissance Intelligence unifies assessment, instruction, practice, and curriculum in a cohesive workflow. Built on 40 years of learning science and educator expertise, Renaissance Intelligence gives teachers real-time insights and recommendations designed to help them understand where students are, determine what they need next, and personalize instruction with confidence. It includes Renaissance Assessment, Renaissance Literacy, and Renaissance Math.

Rosetta Stone | Sapphire

Built on Rosetta Stone's Dynamic Immersion method and TruAccent speech recognition technology, Rosetta Stone Sapphire introduces a modern new interface, realistic conversation practice and powerful tools that help learners personalize their language journey. Rich imagery brings content to life, navigation is fluid and intuitive, and lessons, conversation practice and other learning resources are deeply connected, creating a sense of journey.

Squirrels | Ditto Android Receiver

The Ditto Android Receiver software allows schools to run three capabilities — screen sharing, digital signage and emergency alerts — directly on Android-powered TVs, projectors and IFPs. Installing Ditto on compatible Android devices from Google Play eliminates the need for a separate set-top box, dongle, adapter, media player or receiver hardware.

Symetrix | Cognio C20 Smart Processor

Built on an Intel x86 processor, the C20 brings powerful new processing capabilities to a compact, one-third rack-width device created for flexible deployment at the edge or in the rack. It supports multiple rooms through independent Signal Flow Spaces or operates with other Cognio processors and endpoints as part of a larger distributed installation. This processor-to-endpoint extensibility allows AV teams to add processing and functionality where they are needed, then expand the system incrementally as requirements change. The C20 supports VESA mounting, surface, podium, under-table, or optional rack-tray installation, letting AV teams deploy processing closer to the rooms and applications it serves.

Turnitin | Multipart Assignment Types

Multipart assignment types is a connected experience built for student growth and learning integrity. The new workflow allows instructors to design assignments with structured checkpoints for guidance and reflection throughout the writing process. It embeds formative feedback at every stage, from initial draft to final submission, within a single workflow.

Vector Solutions | AI Literacy Training

Vector Solutions' new suite of AI literacy and workforce readiness courses is designed to help schools, districts, colleges, and universities prepare students, educators, faculty, and staff to use AI responsibly, ethically, and effectively. The training gives schools and institutions a scalable way to build practical AI skills across campus and district communities through role-specific courses.

Vernier Science Education |Vernier Connections Middle School Lessons

Vernier Connections powered by Penda have expanded its online instructional platform with NGSS-aligned science content for grades 6-8. The hands-on lessons helps students explore real-world questions and engineering challenges. These span key middle school science topics, including thermal energy, light, chemical reactions, forces and motion, the Earth’s seasons, electromagnetism, sound waves, and energy transfer.

• Edtech Show & Tell

Throughout my work with educators and district leadership teams across the country, I have seen growing interest in and a need for AI professional learning. Educators want to understand what AI is, how it works, and how it can support their work, but they also want practical guidance about data privacy, academic integrity, bias, responsible classroom use, and appropriate student use. They need clear and consistent guidance that supports their practice.

A single workshop or training will not adequately prepare educators for everything they need to know and do. I have been passionate about this work for the past four years since starting my doctoral research, which focused on the need for effective AI professional development for educators.

A key takeaway from my research was the importance of ongoing, relevant, and supportive professional learning. My work with schools and educators has continued to reinforce that finding.

Effective AI professional learning cannot simply be about showing teachers the latest tools. Tools change, policies evolve, and new concerns emerge. If PD focuses primarily on a platform, what educators learn may become outdated before they have an opportunity to apply it in their practice. We need to build knowledge, confidence, and skills that educators can transfer regardless of what AI tools are available.

Start With Purpose, Not With Tools

For years, when I provided PD, I often focused on the tools. Over time, I recognized that technologies change, and what matters most is understanding the why behind using technology. The same is true with AI. Begin by asking why an educator might use AI rather than asking which AI tool they will use.

When I work with educators, I challenge them to identify specific needs in their own practice. Do they want to differentiate instruction? Create more accessible materials? Provide feedback? Redesign an assessment? Generate ideas? Reduce time spent on repetitive tasks? Starting with an instructional need keeps the focus on teaching and learning rather than technology for technology’s sake.

Providing guiding questions helps educators decide when AI is useful and when it is not. Effective professional learning should guide teachers to ask:

• What is the learning goal?
• What thinking should students do independently?
• Where might AI provide meaningful support?
• What would be gained or lost by using AI?
• What happens if AI completes too much of the work?

These questions will remain relevant even as the technology changes.

Connect Learning to Real Classroom Practice

Just as relevance makes learning more meaningful for students, professional learning needs to connect to educators’ actual roles and responsibilities. A kindergarten teacher, high school science teacher, school counselor, special education teacher, instructional coach, and district administrator may ultimately use the same AI platform, but they will not necessarily use it in the same way.

Professional learning should include realistic scenarios for grade levels and content areas, and provide an opportunity for participants to create something they can use right away. Teachers might revise an assignment, develop expectations for student AI use, evaluate an AI-generated response, design a differentiated resource, or create a lesson that requires students to verify AI output.

In my sessions, educators have found it valuable to work through scenarios with colleagues rather than just learn what AI can do. Some scenarios I use include a student using an unapproved chatbot, evaluating a biased AI-generated response, considering the consequences of exposed student information, or addressing suspected AI-assisted student work.

Discussions enable educators to collaborate and think about what they would do, consider the benefits and cautions of AI, and learn together. These conversations help them leave with a clearer understanding of AI and specific next steps for their own learning and practice.

Differentiate the Professional Learning

We differentiate learning for students, so we should think similarly about professional learning for educators. Everyone needs a solid foundation in AI literacy, but not everyone needs the exact same training.

Effective professional learning should provide opportunities for educators to explore how AI connects specifically to their work. Classroom teachers may need more support with instructional design, assessment, AI literacy, and appropriate student use. Administrators may focus more on leadership, policy, implementation, and communication. Technology teams may need more time on data privacy, security, and vendor vetting.

Professional learning should also account for differences in experience and comfort with AI. Two teachers in the same department may have very different starting points. One may already be experimenting with AI while another is still learning the basics. Providing opportunities for choice and time to learn with colleagues meets educators where they are without overwhelming them.

Address Privacy, Law, and Ethics

Responsible AI use cannot be an add-on at the end of professional learning. Privacy, safety, ethics, accessibility, and legal considerations need to be woven throughout the experience.

As an educator and attorney, I frequently work with schools that have questions about student data, approved tools, vendor agreements, copyright, accessibility, and academic integrity. Many educators have expressed not having enough guidance about what information can be entered into an AI platform or how to determine whether a tool is appropriate for students.

Educators need practical guidance rather than a list of laws without classroom context. Questions to consider:

• Why does entering identifiable student information into an unapproved platform create risk?
• What do age requirements mean for student access?
• What should educators look for in privacy policies?
• Why must AI-generated content be reviewed for bias and accuracy?

Schools need consistent expectations. Professional learning should connect directly to district policies and show what those policies mean in practice.

Make Professional Learning Active and Ongoing

In schools, a keynote or introductory workshop helps to build awareness and momentum, but it should serve as the beginning of the learning process rather than the entire strategy. Ongoing support might include workshops, content- or grade-level coaching, professional learning communities (PLCs), office hours, model lessons, and ongoing conversations.

The goal is not to become an AI expert. Educators need enough understanding and confidence to make informed decisions, recognize when AI adds value and when it does not, and guide students to do the same. When this is possible, we move from simple awareness of AI and its possibilities to intentional implementation.

Include Students and Families

AI professional learning should help educators understand how students are using these technologies. Students may be employing AI to brainstorm, translate, summarize, study, create images, or complete assignments. Some students may understand the limitations of these tools, while others may trust the output without questioning it.

Ask students how they are using AI. What do they think is permitted? What do they consider cheating? When do they believe AI helps them learn? When might they be relying on it too much? What do they know about the information they are sharing with AI tools? Student voice can reveal gaps between school policies and actual classroom practices. It can also help schools develop expectations that are realistic, understandable, and responsive to student needs.

Families should be part of the conversation as well. Parents and caregivers may have questions about why AI is being used, what tools students can access, how their children's information is protected, how schools define appropriate use, or how AI changes the expectations for student work. Professional learning should prepare educators to answer these questions.

Build Systems That Can Adapt

Effective AI professional learning should be part of a larger system that involves leadership, policy, curriculum, technology, families, and students. District leaders must communicate a clear vision, provide guidance about approved tools, and reflect on decisions as the technology changes. Schools should also evaluate whether professional learning is making a difference in educators’ confidence, classroom decisions, assessment practices, and understanding of privacy expectations.

The measure of successful AI professional learning goes beyond the number of tools educators explore during a workshop; it is what happens after the workshop. Are educators asking better questions? Are they protecting student information? Are they making intentional choices about when AI adds value?

The tools in use today may not be the tools used next year, which is why understanding the fundamentals of AI and how it enhances learning is essential before diving into specific tools. Effective professional learning is not an experience that tells educators to embrace every new tool or avoid AI completely. The best learning helps educators understand AI, its capabilities, and guides them to approach it with curiosity, caution, and confidence, with the human side of education at the center.

Hosted by Christine Weiser, Content Director for Tech & Learning, the recent Future of Edtech webinar showcased two award-winning products and explored critical trends in K-12 technology integration.

Featuring "Best of ISTE" award winners ClearTouch and PowerSchool, the product demonstration addressed practical issues such as cost savings, implementation challenges, and the necessity of aligning new technology with human-centered instruction.

Watch the webinar on demand here

Takeaways

Trends From ISTELive 2026

Matthew X. Joseph, an award-winning district leader and longtime Tech & Learning adviser, concluded the session by sharing a few trends he noticed during the recent ISTELive 26 conference in Orlando.

“The tools and our partners like you just heard from are really critical to our work,” Joseph said, “But one thing that hasn't changed with the evolution of technology is the importance of educators and teachers and using these platforms to enhance student learning.”

Among Joseph’s observations:

• AI is moving from “Wow!” to “How?” “ISTE was a great opportunity to use some of these AI tools, but it was the human connection to how we are using them,” he said. “Moving past ‘How great it is and this is new for us’ to ‘How is this being impacted in our work, in our instruction, and for our students?’”
• Personalization gets real. Joseph noted that personalization with AI is not about having 25 students doing 25 different things. “It's having students get the access and content they need through the work, that they've input to some of the devices that you've seen and some of the programs that utilize the AI tools,” he said.
• Less edtech, better edtech. Having more edtech apps and platforms can sometimes be too much of a good thing. “I think where we get into trouble is when we have fifty, sixty options and we collect apps,” Joseph said. “But then more choices mean we're not honing in on the work and the efficiency of the tools and how they can impact student learning.”

ClearTouch 6,000 Nova Series

Tristan O'Connor, Product Solutions Manager at ClearTouch, introduced the ClearTouch 6,000 Nova Series, a panel designed to solve long-standing flat panel problems: the main board failing, the ports breaking, the backlight fading, and the overall longevity of the device.

The Nova Series features a core module, which is a swappable TV board and port system that allows districts to upgrade their internal hardware without replacing the entire panel. O'Connor highlighted the panel's optical bonding technology that connects the glass and backlight with resin, preventing dust and moisture accumulation while improving color differentiation.

“One of the cool things about the Nova series is you can use an OPS as well,” he said. “So if you want a Windows computer or a Chromebox, you can use it simultaneously with the core module.”

Beyond hardware, the Nova series integrates AI tools designed to be practical, not “scary." A standout feature is the offline, on-device transcription and translation software, which supports more than 90 languages. This allows teachers to provide real-time subtitles to students’ devices in the classroom, bridging communication gaps for multilingual learners without requiring a constant internet connection.

PowerSchool's Naviance

Erin Hawkins, Product Solutions Director at PowerSchool, showcased the award-winning Naviance platform, a comprehensive K-12 college and career readiness solution.

Naviance supports students from early elementary school through graduation, using gamified platforms for self-discovery and a special curriculum for career and financial planning. It utilizes more than eight research-backed self-discovery assessments, such as Gallup’s Strengths Explorer, to help students align their interests with future pathways.

“The good news is that the information that a student captures and engages with in the elementary solution moves with the student up to the six through 12 solution,” Hawkins said.

A significant addition is PowerBuddy, an AI-driven chat assistant available 24/7. It helps students navigate complex questions about college admissions, career paths, and FAFSA completion.

Hawkins emphasized that Naviance offers more than 115 configurable reports, allowing districts to track student milestones (such as diploma requirements or service learning hours) and export data. By integrating eDocs for transcript delivery and college applications, Naviance centralizes the post-secondary planning process so that counselors and parents can monitor student progress.

As someone who writes and speaks frequently about artificial intelligence in education, I consider myself a strong proponent of its thoughtful use in teaching, learning, and school leadership. Because AI has become such a regular part of my own professional work, I was genuinely surprised to learn how little my daughter, a freshman in high school, had used it, and more importantly, how skeptical she was about its growing role in school.

Her concerns grew largely from her identity as an artist. She spends a great deal of time drawing and creating, so she is especially attentive to the ways AI-generated art may affect human artists, particularly when original work can be copied, repurposed, or used without the creator’s knowledge. What began as a conversation about AI and art quickly expanded into a broader discussion about effort, learning, creativity, and the growing dependence on AI among students.

I was struck by how mature and carefully considered her views were, especially because they differed so sharply from my own generally positive stance toward AI. Rather than trying to persuade her or correct her assumptions, I became curious about how she had arrived at those conclusions and what she was observing in school.

That curiosity led me to ask whether she would sit down with me for a brief interview. I emphasize “brief” because, like many teenagers, she has a limited tolerance for anything that feels even remotely school-related, especially when the interviewer happens to be her father.

During our conversation, I asked her what AI means to her, what she is seeing among her classmates, and whether she believes it has a constructive role in education. Her answers were candid, skeptical, and often surprisingly nuanced. While adults continue to debate what AI may eventually mean for schools, she described what it already looks like from the perspective of a student living through that change.

This article is based on a semi-structured interview with my daughter and her perspective is not intended to represent the experiences or opinions of all students. Qualitative conversations such as this can provide meaningful insight into how individual students are making sense of emerging technologies in their schools and daily lives.

AI as a Substitute for Thinking

I began by asking what came to mind when she heard the phrase “artificial intelligence.” Her answer was immediate:

“A robot who does work for you because you can’t do it yourself.”

When I asked her to explain, she continued:

“You just type in a prompt and it does it for you instead of using your own brain and doing the work yourself.”

Her description was not quite how I would define AI, and part of me wanted to explain that a large language model does not literally think or work in the same way a person does. I intentionally resisted that urge because I wanted to understand her perspective rather than shape it. I was interested in how a freshman interpreted AI through her own experiences, not whether she could provide a technically precise definition.

Even so, her response was striking because she did not begin with the language adults often use when discussing AI. She did not describe it as innovative, efficient, exciting, or transformative. Instead, she framed it around effort and ownership. In her view, AI becomes problematic when it replaces the thinking a person should be doing. That distinction would continue throughout the interview. She was not simply asking whether AI could produce an answer, but what happens to the learner when the tool takes over the work.

Seeing Dependency Among Students

Although she said she does not really use AI herself, she described seeing it frequently among classmates:

“A lot of students in my class use it to their own advantage, saying, ‘Oh, I don’t know this question. I’m just going to use AI to do it.’”

One of the clearest examples came when her school removed student access to Google Gemini. She recalled that students immediately reacted:

“The kids started freaking out.”

When I asked why, she answered:

“Because they use AI so often, they depend on it.”

She also described the kind of response she heard from peers:

“What am I going to do? I can’t turn in my essay if I don’t have it.”

That moment captures more than frustration over losing access to a tool. It suggests that, for some students, AI may already have become embedded in the process of completing schoolwork. When the tool disappears, so does their confidence in being able to produce the work independently.

Her concern was not simply that students were using AI, but that some were becoming unable, or at least unwilling, to proceed without it.

When Grades Matter More Than Learning

Perhaps the most mature observation she made came when she explained why students might turn to AI so quickly. Rather than blaming students alone, she connected their behavior to the incentives surrounding them:

“I think a lot of the world has made getting grades more important than learning the actual stuff.”

She then put the issue even more directly:

“Grades matter more than what they actually get in their brain.”

That statement deserves serious consideration from educators. It suggests that AI use cannot be separated from the larger culture of schooling. When students believe that the final grade matters more than the process of understanding, tools that produce faster answers become especially appealing.

In that sense, AI may not be creating an entirely new problem but intensifying an old one. Schools have long struggled with the tension between performance and learning, and now AI makes it easier for students to produce polished work without necessarily developing the knowledge behind it.

Her comments also challenge educators to look beyond detection and enforcement. If students are using AI because they feel pressure to produce, then the conversation must include assessment design, grading practices, workload, and the messages schools send about what success actually means.

AI as a Tutor, Not a Replacement

Despite her skepticism, she did not reject AI completely. Instead, she drew a clear line between using AI to learn and using AI to avoid learning.

When discussing a difficult math problem, she said:

“Instead of having AI give you the answer, maybe use it properly and have it create a good step-by-step way to help you.”

She then summarized her view in a single sentence:

“It should be a tutor instead of someone to do the work for you.”

This may be the central idea of the entire interview. For her, the value of AI depends on the role it plays. A tutor explains, prompts, models, and supports. A replacement takes over the task and removes the learner from the process.

That difference is especially important for schools because it offers a more useful framework than simply labeling AI as good or bad. The better question is whether the student remains intellectually engaged. Is the tool helping the student understand, or is it allowing the student to bypass the work entirely?

Her answer was consistent: AI should help people think, not think in their place.

A Human-First View of Art

Her perspective on AI is deeply shaped by the fact that she is an artist. Drawing is not merely an activity she enjoys. It is a skill she has spent time developing, and she sees creativity as something connected to practice, effort, and personal expression.

When I asked why she had not used AI very much, she explained:

“People who use AI to make art are looked down upon, in my opinion, because they can’t draw it themselves or they have to use a robot to generate it.”

Her language was blunt, but the underlying concern was about authenticity. She values the work that goes into developing an idea, choosing how to represent it, making mistakes, revising, and improving. From her perspective, generating a finished image through a prompt can bypass the very process that gives artistic work meaning.

At the same time, she offered a more constructive possibility:

“Instead of using a bot to generate a piece of art, you can draw something yourself and then ask AI, ‘How can I make this art piece better?’”

Once again, she returned to the distinction between support and substitution. She was more open to AI when the human remained the creator and used the tool to receive feedback. She was far less comfortable when AI became the creator itself.

Her concern also reflects a broader anxiety among artists about how creative work may be copied, repurposed, or used without permission. For a young person developing her artistic identity, those concerns are not abstract but directly affect how she thinks about ownership, originality, and whether technology is respecting or erasing human contribution.

Schools May Be Responding Too Late

When I asked what schools should teach students about responsible AI use, she raised another important issue: timing.

“AI has already come out, and teachers are a bit late teaching it.”

Her point was that students have already encountered and formed habits around AI before many schools have developed clear guidance. By the time formal instruction arrives, some students may already see AI as a normal way to complete assignments.

She was also skeptical that instruction alone would change behavior:

“I don’t know if the kids would care about how they teach it. They’re still going to use it irresponsibly.”

Her response may sound pessimistic, but it reflects a practical understanding of student behavior. A single lesson on responsible use is unlikely to undo habits that have already formed, especially when those habits are reinforced by convenience, pressure, and easy access.

This suggests that schools need more than one-time AI literacy lessons. They need consistent expectations, well-designed assignments, clear boundaries, and conversations that help students understand why certain uses support learning while others undermine it.

The Role of Teachers

When I asked what role teachers should play as AI becomes more common, she was not fully convinced that AI should become a regular part of education. Still, she believed that if teachers use it, they should define its role carefully:

“They can say, ‘This is going to be a secondary tool or a helper. You can only ask questions to help you instead of giving you the answer.’”

Her use of the phrase “secondary tool” is important. She does not believe AI should sit at the center of learning. The teacher, the student, and the learning task should remain primary, while AI occupies a limited and clearly defined supporting role.

That view also places responsibility on educators. Students need more than access to a tool. They need examples of appropriate use, boundaries around inappropriate use, and opportunities to practice using AI in ways that deepen rather than replace thinking.

Her Message to School Leaders

I ended by asking what message she would give to teachers and principals.

Her response was brief and direct:

“Please don’t generate art pieces, and please have better restrictions on AI usage.”

The first part reflects her identity as an artist. The second reflects her concern that current expectations are not strong or clear enough.

Her answer also complicates the assumption that students always want fewer restrictions. Some students may actually be looking to adults to set firmer boundaries, especially when they see classmates becoming dependent on tools that may weaken their learning.

What Her Perspective Taught Me

As I reflected on the interview, I realized that her comments went beyond technology, and were about effort, creativity, integrity, learning, and what students believe school is asking them to value.

Her perspective may not represent every student, and it should not be treated as though it does. Some students are enthusiastic about AI, some are cautious, and others are still deciding what they think. Her voice matters precisely because it adds complexity to a conversation that is often framed too simply.

Perhaps what surprised me most was not her skepticism but how little she had actually used AI. As someone who advocates for the thoughtful integration of AI in education, I expected that a high school freshman would already be experimenting with these tools regularly. Instead, I found myself listening to a student who had largely formed her opinions by observing the behaviors of her classmates rather than relying on AI herself. That realization reminded me that student perspectives on AI are far more diverse than we sometimes assume.

She is skeptical, but she is not closed-minded. She objects to AI when it replaces thinking, creativity, or human effort, yet she can still imagine a constructive role for it as a tutor, guide, or source of feedback.

The consistency of her view was what stood out most. AI should explain, support, and improve. It should not take over.

Perhaps the most important lesson from our conversation is that schools should not design AI policies based solely on adult assumptions about what students need. Students are already observing how AI is affecting their peers, their classrooms, and their own sense of what counts as authentic work. We should listen to them more carefully because they are not merely preparing for an AI-shaped future. They are already living in it.

I was not prepared for just how much I would hate using Speaker Coach, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t helpful.

The AI-powered speaking coach and presentation mentor built into PowerPoint is designed to help anyone, including educators and their students, improve their public speaking abilities.

I’ve always been comfortable with public speaking, and think I do a solid job. My voice carries, I speak confidently, and I feel I know how to read a crowd and respond in the moment to their moods. But I am by no means perfect. I know that I can mumble, I lose my train of thought sometimes, and when I read from a prewritten script or speech, I have a tendency to read it in a semi-lifeless robotic voice. Also, I have a bad habit of reading too much from slides, especially when I get nervous, which is why I often avoid using slides in my presentations.

Speaker Coach caught on to all these weaknesses, almost immediately, which was, frankly, a little bit disheartening. I always hoped I was being too hard on myself and that I was actually far better at public speaking than I thought. This made using Speaker Coach an unpleasant experience, but it also meant it was doing its job and could help me improve my presentations.

So overall, despite some minor issues, Speaker Coach seems to be a strong, if slightly intimidating, tool for improving public speaking. Here’s a closer look.

How Speaker Coach In PowerPoint Works

Speaker Coach is built into PowerPoint. To access it, users access the web version of PowerPoint through a Microsoft-linked account. They then upload an existing slideshow or create a new one.

Once a user is ready to practice, they select the Slideshow tab, then choose the Rehearse with Coach option. After this, you can move through your presentation as you talk and practice with Speaker Coach monitoring it all.

As you speak, the program gives on-screen guidance by default, though you can turn off this feature. It will provide feedback such as telling you to speak more slowly, avoiding “ahs” and “ehs,” and offering encouragement that you are doing great and should keep it up.

Once you finish the presentation, you get a breakdown of your overall performance, including a wide range of useful feedback on your presentation. It will let you know, for instance, how fast you spoke and it was too rapid or too slow, and whether you read from the slides directly too often, and if so, which slides. It also offers a chart on how your pronunciation was, as well as your tone variation and your use of inclusive language, as well as many helpful details such as how long you spent on each slide.

What Are Speaker Coach’s Best Features?

Public speaking is often a vital skill for educators, but it can be a tricky one to practice. Speaker Coach offers the chance for hands-on practice with specific and actionable feedback.

The final report is really helpful in assessing your strengths and weaknesses as an instructor. The fact that it recognized the slides I had a tendency to read too much from was fantastic.

It can also help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of different types of presentations. I practiced with scripted presentations and with unscripted ones in which I relied only on my slides. I learned, unfortunately but not particularly surprisingly, that I have too many "ums" and "ahs" when I don’t use a script. Reading from a script corrects this, but then my voice becomes more lifeless and monotone. Identifying this helps me target both concerns as I prepare for future presentations.

What Speaker Coach Features Need Work?

As I mentioned at the start, despite finding it helpful, I didn’t enjoy using Speaker Coach. Some of this is probably inherent in practicing a skill as deeply personal as speaking, but there were also design features that made this worse.

The real-time feedback tool was more annoying than helpful, and I was tempted to turn it off, which is option. If I said “ah" or "mmm” it would start scolding me, which made me feel like a kid when adults used to admonish me to "stop mumbling." Even when it praised what I was doing, it was distracting.

Another weakness of Speaker Coach overall is that even though it was great at diagnosing the problems in speech, its suggestions for fixing these problems are limited.

It told me, for instance, to avoid saying “ah” by pausing and breathing, which I know I should do, except it didn’t offer more concrete advice on actually practicing this skill or how I might build in these natural pauses. When it came to speaking in a monotone, Speaker Coach didn’t offer any suggestions of any kind for improvement.

Overall, more detailed suggestions and/or links to resources on public speaking would take this tool to the next level.

How Much Does Speaker Coach Cost?

Speaker Coach is free with PowerPoint, which comes with most Microsoft Office plans available through schools or businesses.

Individual subscriptions range between $6.99 and $9.99 per month, depending on whether users pay annually or monthly.

Bottom Line on Speaker Coach

Ultimately, I found Speaker Coach helpful, if unpleasant, to use, but I plan on using it in the future as I try to improve my public speaking ability. I would recommend it to educators and students who are already comfortable with public speaking and looking to really hone their craft.

I wouldn’t recommend it to your average student who is working on a presentation for class because I worry the no-mercy criticism Speaker Coach provides could have a negative effect on someone who is new to presentations and likely already nervous about public speaking.

However, for the right type of educator or student with thick skin, Speaker Coach can be a helpful speaking coach.

The recent PBS NewsHour story on why Los Angeles USD and other school districts are limiting screen time raises a real concern. Students need discussion, movement, hands-on learning, collaboration, play, and relationships. But screen time is the wrong unit of measurement for meaningful learning. It tells us how long a device was open but nothing about the quality of learning.

A student consuming social media or clicking through low-level test prep worksheets is not equivalent to a student translating text, learning to read with Footsteps2Brilliance, borrowing a book through Libby or Sora, or collaborating on a project. Those all involve a screen, but the learning value is not equivalent.

Treating these as the same in L.A. and other districts is a "L.A.zy" strategy. When schools measure time on a device instead of the task, they miss the point.

Limiting screens can limit reading

The screen time debate ignores that many students now read through school and public library platforms and apps. They listen to audiobooks and read digital books in which they can enlarge type, use built-in dictionaries, annotate, highlight, and translate. They can also borrow far more titles than a school or classroom library could ever stock.

This is mainstream reading. A 2025 Pew Research Center study found that 31% of U.S. adults had read an ebook and 26% had listened to an audiobook. Sora reported nearly 60 million student digital checkouts during the 2024-25 school year, with more than 2.76 million in New York City Public Schools.

Digital reading can also provide privacy. That matters when young people are judged for what they believe, who they are, their reading level, what language they speak, or what they want to understand. It matters even more as books are being challenged and banned. These are often books that help marginalized students see themselves and understand others.

At a time when many students are struggling to read, schools should increase access to high-interest books, not limit ways students find and read them. Paper books should be available, but print is expensive, vulnerable to loss and damage, and limited by shelf space. Digital books do not replace paper, but expand access, choice, privacy, and independence.

Less screen time for whom?

The screen time backlash treats technology as an add-on, or something schools can reduce without consequence. For many students, that is not the case. If it’s not digital, it’s not accessible.

Digital materials can support screen readers, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, enlarged text, captions, adjustable spacing, annotation tools, dictionaries, audio, translation, and more. For many students with disabilities, those tools are not extras, but essential.

But this is not only about students labeled as having special needs. Digital learning can be beneficial for everyone because we all have different needs. Students, like adults, may simply prefer writing and revising on a keyboard. Not because they need an accommodation, but because that is how they prefer to complete their work. That should matter. Choosing to listen instead of read, type or talk instead of handwrite, translate instead of guess, or enlarge instead of strain should not require a label. Technology provides a strategy to address everyone’s learning preferences.

When digital access is treated as something only certain students get, we risk stigmatizing the very students we say we are trying to support. Better design gives all students access to flexible tools and lets students use what works.

Measure learning, not time on screens

Screen time is a weak measure of learning. A better measure is to question what students are doing. Are they consuming or creating? Clicking through drill-and-kill test prep or using tools to investigate, collaborate, translate, revise, read, and create?

That's the point I made in Reverting to Pen And Paper Won’t Improve Learning. Better Learning Design Will. Going back to paper does not automatically make learning deeper, more active, or more human. A worksheet is still a worksheet, whether it is printed or digital.

The same is true in Devices Down Is the Wrong Goal. Sometimes devices should be down. Other times, they should be up. The decision depends on the learning purpose, not the clock.

Models that put student-driven learning into practice don’t measure screen time. These allow students to choose the tools that best help them investigate real questions, create for authentic audiences, and own their learning.

In Dr. Lou Lahana’s multimodal makerspace, students begin with an idea rather than a device. The idea might become a video, art, a coded project, a podcast, a piece of writing, or some combination. The medium follows the purpose, which will eventually be their experience when out working in the real world. That’s what screen-time limits miss.

Teachers need time and support to design active learning with technology. They also need help teaching students to manage distractions and decide when a device is useful. That requires a better model and better professional learning opportunities, not a blanket measurement.

Set the right limits

Schools should limit weak learning activities, not tools. Limit passive consumption, memorization and regurgitation, essays assigned only to prove students did the work, and drill-and-kill test prep. These do not enhance learning whether they happen with support of a device or on paper.

Before restricting screens, schools should ask what students will lose, including access to books, translation, accessibility features, student choice, and opportunities to create. Count the quality of the learning, not the minutes on the device.

Sometimes teachers need a quick, useful resource that can slot into a lesson without hours of preparation, which is exactly what Rumie is designed to provide.

Rumie Learn is a nonprofit learning platform built around short, interactive "Bytes," with more than 2,500 published learning experiences covering everything from digital literacy and career skills to health, financial planning, and learning strategies. The platform has reached more than 2.5 million learners, with new Bytes added regularly.

This doesn't use lengthy courses, but instead breaks down subjects into small chunks that can generally be completed in around five minutes. That makes it great for teachers looking for starters, discussion prompts, flipped-learning activities, or quick ways to introduce a new topic.

What is Rumie?

Rumie is a free online library of microlearning content designed to make useful knowledge easier to consume and remember.

The basic unit is the Byte. These are short learning experiences, generally under 10 minutes, built around a specific concept or practical skill rather than an entire subject. Rumie says its Bytes use a chunked structure intended to make learning more efficient, while its lessons commonly combine short pieces of text with images, GIFs, memes, and quizzes.

That format makes Rumie rather different from a traditional learning management system. It doesn't have a huge course to enroll students in and work through from beginning to end. Instead, teachers can search the library for a specific idea and use an individual Byte when it makes sense for their lesson.

The library covers categories including Career Skills, Digital Literacies, Civics, Health, Business Acumen, Learning to Learn, and Innovation. More specific topic tags are also available, making it easier to find resources around particular skills or learning approaches.

Importantly for schools, the content isn't restricted to traditional academic subjects. A teacher could use one Byte to introduce digital citizenship, another to explore critical thinking, and another to help students understand financial planning.

That gives Rumie a useful role alongside existing classroom resources rather than trying to replace them.

How does Rumie work?

The simplest way to use Rumie Learn is to search its library, find a relevant Byte and share it with students.

Rumie also has guidance specifically for teachers on using Bytes as part of a lesson. Its recommended approach is to choose a Byte based on the skill being developed, share it with students, and then use the content as a starting point for discussion and application. That means a Byte doesn't have to be the lesson. It can be the thing that gets the lesson moving.

For example, students could complete a five-minute Byte before class as a flipped-learning activity. The teacher can then spend classroom time discussing what students learned, challenging their understanding, and asking how they could apply the idea.

Alternatively, the whole class can work through the Byte together. Rumie's own lesson-planning example suggests reading a Byte as a group or having students work in pairs before discussing their thoughts as a class.

This is where the short format becomes useful. A teacher can introduce a new concept without committing an entire lesson to a digital course, leaving plenty of time for explanation, debate, practical work, or assessment.

The platform is also designed around accessibility of learning rather than assuming students have hours available. Rumie describes its Bytes as quick, commitment-free learning experiences that can build toward broader skills over time.

What are the best Rumie features?

Thousands of short learning resources
The biggest advantage is simply the size and breadth of the library. Rumie currently lists more than 2,500 published Bytes, while its homepage highlights topics ranging from career skills and digital literacy to health, civics, and learning strategies.

New Bytes are published regularly, giving teachers an expanding pool of material from which to draw. That makes the platform useful when you need something specific rather than a complete curriculum.

Microlearning that fits into existing lessons
A five-minute resource is much easier to fit into a normal lesson than a 40-minute online course. A Byte can become a starter activity, homework task, revision exercise, discussion prompt, or introduction to a new topic. Teachers can also combine several Bytes around a broader theme.

Rumie's own classroom guidance suggests using Bytes in sessions ranging from 30 to 60 minutes, with time built in for discussion and applying the learning.

Interactive content
Rumie uses visual content, GIFs, memes, quizzes, and other interactive elements to make short lessons feel less like reading a textbook. The format is designed to keep the learner moving through a single idea rather than presenting a large amount of information at once.

Content created by professionals
Bytes can be produced by corporate employees taking part in volunteer workshops, community partners, and Rumie's own learning designers. Rumie says its learning designers plan, author, and peer-review Bytes, while the organization vets content against its standards.

Each Byte also identifies its author and, when applicable, the organization behind the content. That provides teachers with some useful context about from where a particular learning resource came.

Useful beyond traditional subjects
Rumie can be valuable for the skills that don't always fit neatly into a timetable. Its library includes resources covering areas such as communication, career planning, financial skills, digital citizenship, mental health, and learning strategies.

Classroom-specific resources are available, covering topics such as inclusive classroom management, facilitation techniques, and accessible worksheets. That makes it a potential source of material for PSHE, pastoral learning, careers education, digital citizenship, and tutor time as well as more conventional lessons.

How much does Rumie cost?

Rumie is free to use. That's one of its biggest attractions for teachers and schools. Rumie is a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to make learning accessible, and its public Learn platform provides access to its library of Bytes without charging learners for the individual resources.

Separate Rumie products are aimed at organizations, including Rumie Connect and Rumie Build, which allow for the curation of learning experiences or the ability create their own microlearning content. Those are part of Rumie's broader learning platform rather than requirements for using the public Rumie Learn library.

For an individual teacher looking for ready-made learning material, however, there's no subscription to pay for simply browsing and using the public Bytes.

Rumie Tips

• Use Bytes as lesson starters
  Don't feel you need to build an entire lesson around Rumie. Find a five-minute Byte that introduces the concept you want to teach, then use it as the springboard for your own explanation or activity.
• Try flipped learning
  Send a Byte to students before a lesson and use the classroom time to discuss it. This allows students to encounter the material before they arrive and gives teachers more time for questions and application.
• Make students explain the learning
  After completing a Byte, ask students what surprised them, what they found useful and how they could apply the idea. This turns a short digital activity into a discussion rather than another piece of passive screen time.
• Build a themed sequence
  Search for several Bytes around a common subject and use them across multiple lessons. Because each resource focuses on a relatively small concept, teachers can gradually build a broader learning journey without asking students to complete one enormous course.
• Let students explore independently
  Rumie's huge range also makes it useful for independent learning. Ask students to choose a Byte on a subject they know little about, complete it and then present the most useful thing they learned to the class.

The pace of advancement in artificial intelligence tools is breathtaking. Since the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, multiple platforms have entered the AI arena, all vying to win adherents to their particular flavor of AI. While students may welcome the ability to quickly get answers without much work, educators and education leaders have been deeply uneasy about the potential effects of AI on learning.

With the growth of these platforms comes some desirable changes for education. One of the greatest concerns from the beginning has been its potential to disrupt genuine learning in favor of the nearly-instant answers and solutions provided by AI tools. The good news is that nearly all of the tools here are structured (in theory at least) to support true independent learning and critical thinking rather than serve as answer machines.

To learn more, continue reading — and be sure to read the full Tech & Learning reviews available for most of the listed platforms.

Best AI-Powered Tutors for Education

Gemini’s Guided Learning Mode
Rated highly by Tech & Learning writer and educator Erik Ofgang, Gemini’s Guided Learning Mode is built on the AI model LearnLM, which is designed for education. Erik tested the tool on a variety of topics, including wave equations in quantum mechanics and journalism (a subject he teaches at the post secondary level). While it isn’t perfect, Erik concluded that it’s currently “the best example I’ve seen of what an AI tutor can be.” Free.

Khanmigo
Top-rated by writers from Common Sense Media, the Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, Khanmigo is the AI-powered tutor from the well respected education nonprofit Khan Academy. It provides test prep, feedback on writing and facilitates deep learning—without giving answers. In addition to its role as a tutor for students, Khanmigo also offers differentiation, lesson plans, quiz questions, student groupings, hooks, rubrics, and more for teachers. The cost is a modest $4 monthly.

StudyFetch
StudyFetch allows students to upload a wide variety of materials—class notes, PowerPoints, PDFs, study sets from Quizlets, video, audio, and more—from which it generates flashcards, quizzes, games and other study aids, while its AI-powered tutor, “Spark E.” guides students through difficult concepts and encourages deep thinking. Teachers can use StudyFetch to help with lesson planning, presentations, quizzes and even train AI tutor models to their specifications. Free basic account, with weekly ($3.92/week), monthly ($7.99/month) and premium plans ($11.99 to $19.99/month).

Tutor AI
Tutor AI allows students to study nearly any topic based on learning goals, current knowledge, and preferred learning style. Unlike many other tools profiled here, Tutor AI also solves homework problems for students, providing step-by-step solutions with detailed explanations—a practice which may not support genuine learning. For educators, the platform offers the ability to create courses, customized, personalized lesson plans, flashcards and more. Free basic account and two premium levels ($13.33/month, $17.50/month).

Flint
Designed specifically for education, Flint supports student learning by answering questions, offering feedback, and providing reminders for deadlines, time limits, and follow-up activities. Teachers can create or upload content using items such as worksheets, rubrics, lessons, or external resources as needed. Best of all, teachers can set the capabilities of AI actions—from guiding to hinting to explaining—thereby ensuring real learning, rather than AI-assisted parroting. Flint’s free plan allows up to 80 users, while premium plans vary based on school size.

MagicSchool AI
Billing itself as “safe secure AI for schools,” MagicSchool AI’S SOC 2-certified and FERPA/COPPA-compliant platform is aligned with district-level privacy standards and aims to promote critical thinking while teaching kids responsible AI use. Among the more than 50 AI-powered tools for students are those created for feedback, scaffolded learning, and specific task support. Most of the customizable tools seem designed to support genuine learning. For example, the “5 questions tool” generates 5 questions on any topic to deepen student thinking, while “Math review” generates review questions to improve math skills and the AI Learning Assistant provides guidance on multiple topics without giving direct answers. The robust free basic account includes more than 50 tools, quizzes, feedback, and more.

Amira Learning Tutoring and Reading Assistant
Research-based and validated Amira Learning offers a personalized Claude AI-powered reading tutor that allows the unusual ability to listen to students reading aloud, recognize problems with fluency and accuracy, and provide real-time suggestions adapted to the student’s struggles. The standards-aligned, FERPA- and COPPA-compliant platform is available on a district-wide basis.

Class Companion
Class Companion provides personalized feedback of student work in nine subject areas, from English through biology, and extends substantial educator control options, a feature cited by Erik Ofgang as being one of its strongest. He also praised the platforms’ support for the mastery model of education, which allows students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their expertise. Free for educators; however, some features such as LMS integration are available only with a school or district subscription plan.

ChatGPT Study Mode
Rather than simply providing answers, ChatGPT’s Study mode acts as a tutor, offering responses that guide students’ learning without spoon feeding them. Aimed at college students, it employs techniques such as the Socratic method, interactive prompts, scaffolded suggestions, and knowledge checks in the form of quizzes and open-ended questions. When tested by Erik Ofgang, it earned a strong, albeit qualified, “thumbs-up.” Free for all logged-in users on the ChatGPT Free Plan, as well as paid tiers like Plus, Pro, and Team.

Microsoft Reading Coach
Reading Coach provides a personalized reading experience for learners by generating a custom story based on the student’s selection of character and setting. As the learner reads aloud, Reading Coach evaluates their speech and gives feedback on their speed and accuracy. Gamified features such as rewards, badges and streaks contribute to kids’ engagement. Fully free with Microsoft account sign in.

Math can be a difficult subject to teach because so many of its concepts are abstract. Students have to understand numbers, formulas, shapes, patterns, and relationships that aren't always easy to visualize on a page.

The right digital tools can help bring those ideas to life. Interactive graphs, virtual manipulatives, games, simulations, and instant feedback can give students more ways to explore mathematical concepts and practice what they've learned.

We've covered plenty of math-teaching tools at Tech & Learning, ranging from comprehensive learning platforms to focused resources designed for a particular part of the curriculum. These are eight of the best, with options for different ages, abilities, and teaching styles.

Best Tools To Teach Math

Best overall math teaching tool

GeoGebra

GeoGebra is a free collection of interactive mathematics tools covering areas including geometry, algebra, graphing, statistics, probability, and calculus. Its biggest strength is visualization. Teachers can put a mathematical concept on screen and let students manipulate it, making it easier to see what happens when a value, angle, point, or equation changes.

The platform includes six main calculators covering graphing, 3D, geometry, computer algebra, probability, and scientific calculations. Students can use these to create graphs, construct shapes, explore equations, and investigate mathematical relationships.

GeoGebra also has a huge library of ready-made resources. The platform hosts more than one million math learning resources, including lessons, exercises, digital books, and interactive activities. Teachers can search by subject or use GeoGebra's Math Topic Map to find material covering areas from arithmetic through statistics. Activities can also be assigned to students, with teachers able to see their work and progress in real time.

A teacher can demonstrate a concept at the front of the room, students can explore it themselves, and the same platform can then be used for practice or formative assessment. And there's a big advantage for schools: GeoGebra is free for teachers and students using it for academic study and teaching.

Best for gamified math practice

Buzzmath

Buzzmath takes a game-based approach to math practice, giving students thousands of questions to work through inside a world of missions, challenges, and rewards. The platform is aimed at students ages 6 to 16 and contains more than 14,000 math questions. Teachers can assign activities to individual students or groups, with content designed to align with curriculum requirements.

Students receive immediate feedback as they work. When an answer is incorrect, the platform can provide guidance, hints, or examples before giving the student another chance. That gives students room to make mistakes and work through them without immediately needing help from the teacher.

Buzzmath also changes the numbers in its questions, so students can practice the same skill without simply memorizing an answer they've already seen. Teachers get reporting tools showing information such as accuracy, attempts, and time spent on tasks. This gives educators a way to identify areas in which individual students or the whole class may need more work.

Audio narration and visual glossaries are also included to support different learning needs. For teachers looking for something that can turn additional math practice into a game, Buzzmath is a strong option.

Best for elementary math

Prodigy

Prodigy turns math practice into a fantasy adventure, with students answering curriculum-aligned questions as they explore a game world and develop their own characters.

The game was originally built around math and now also includes English language arts. For this roundup, though, its math offering remains the main attraction. Teachers can assign specific skills, topics, and learning objectives through the teacher dashboard. Students then encounter questions connected to those skills as they play.

The system adapts to student performance, adjusting the level of challenge as they progress. Teachers can also monitor performance and use the resulting information to identify areas that need attention.

The game works in a browser and through mobile apps, so students can use it at school or at home. The core educational content, assignments, reporting, and classroom tools are available free to teachers and schools.

A multiplayer element is also available, allowing students to play together and compare their progress. That can add a social element to practice that might otherwise feel repetitive.

Prodigy's main appeal is motivation. Students who aren't enthusiastic about completing another set of math questions may be much more willing to tackle these when those questions help their character progress through a game.

Best for virtual manipulatives

Polypad

Polypad is a digital mathematics playground from Amplify that gives students a large collection of virtual manipulatives for exploring mathematical concepts.

The platform includes shapes, counters, tiles, graphs, number lines, probability tools, and other interactive objects. Students can move, combine, resize, and rearrange these elements to investigate mathematical ideas on screen. This is useful for concepts that benefit from a visual or hands-on approach.

Teachers can create their own activities and set up spaces in which students can experiment with a specific mathematical idea. The relatively open design also leaves room for students to find their own solutions and approaches.

Polypad covers areas including geometry, algebra, probability, and statistics, making it useful across a broad range of middle and high school math.

For teachers who want students to experiment with mathematical objects instead of simply writing answers, Polypad offers a flexible digital alternative to physical manipulatives.

Best for real-world math

What If Math

What If Math takes an unusual approach by putting spreadsheets at the center of math education. The idea is to teach students mathematical concepts through the kinds of digital tools they are likely to encounter outside school. Students use spreadsheets to explore formulas, graphs, data, patterns, and mathematical relationships.

The platform's Labs are spreadsheet-based lessons built around individual questions and experiments. Students can change variables and see what happens, giving them a way to investigate mathematical ideas for themselves.

Explorations are larger projects designed around problems that students can tackle collaboratively. These can combine mathematics with areas such as data science, computer science, spreadsheets, and functional thinking. That gives What If Math a strong real-world angle. Students aren't simply learning how to manipulate equations but they see how mathematical thinking can be applied using software that is already common in workplaces.

Teachers can also use free spreadsheet tools such as Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel alongside the approach, making it possible to extend the activities without requiring specialist software. For older students, especially those preparing for further education or employment, What If Math provides a different way to connect classroom mathematics with digital skills.

Best for creating digital equations

EquatIO

EquatIO solves one of the less glamorous problems with digital math, actually getting equations onto a screen. The tool allows teachers and students to enter mathematics by typing, handwriting, speaking, or importing from an image. It can then convert that input into editable digital notation. That makes it easier to create worksheets, assessments, explanations, and digital assignments containing proper mathematical notation.

EquatIO also includes a predictive math engine. Teachers and students can type naturally and use shortcuts such as "sqrt" to create mathematical symbols without having to navigate complicated formatting menus.

The Screenshot Reader can turn mathematical notation in worksheets, textbook pages, exam questions, or online images into editable content. In Mathspace, teachers can create interactive problems and students can draw, annotate, and show their work.

Graphing is supported through Desmos, while the platform also handles scientific notation, chemistry formulas, physics symbols, and other STEM content.

Accessibility is another important part of EquatIO. Students can enter equations using whichever method works best for them, including handwriting and speech. That can make digital math more accessible while also saving teachers time when creating and marking digital materials.

Best for elementary math practice

I Know It

I Know It is a math and English language arts practice platform aimed at students in grades K-5, with a large collection of individualized exercises and activities.

The math content covers foundational areas including arithmetic, fractions, geometry, measurement, and other core elementary skills. Students work through interactive questions and receive feedback as they go. The platform uses gamified elements to keep practice moving, while teachers and parents can access progress information to see how students are performing.

The individualized approach is useful when students in the same class are working at different levels. A teacher can use the platform for additional practice without needing every student to complete exactly the same activity. I Know It can also be used for homework, independent practice, or reinforcement after a concept has been taught.

The focus here is to provide younger students plenty of opportunities to practice foundational math skills while giving teachers information about where they are succeeding and where they need more help.

Best for an all-in-one digital calculator

ClassPad.net

ClassPad.net is an online mathematics workspace from Casio that combines calculator tools with geometry, algebra, graphing, and other mathematical functions. It's designed specifically for education, giving teachers and students access to many of the functions found on a physical graphing calculator through a browser.

Students can use it to work with equations, construct geometric shapes, create graphs, and explore mathematical relationships. Teachers can use the tools to demonstrate concepts or create activities for students to complete.

Because it runs online, students don't need to carry a specialist calculator between home and school. The browser-based approach also makes it easier to share mathematical work digitally.

The platform provides a useful bridge between traditional calculator-based math and digital learning. Students can explore a concept visually, manipulate the mathematics, and see how different representations connect.

For classes where graphing, algebra, geometry, and calculator skills all feature regularly, ClassPad.net packs a lot into one digital workspace.

Mindfulness is the practice of intentional attention to the present moment, focused on observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Teaching mindfulness to students has provided an array of benefits, including improving learning outcomes, boosting wellbeing, bolstering self-management skills, and enhancing social awareness and relationship skills.

I try to practice mindfulness while I’m running–listening to my steps on the track (sounds like a Clydesdale), my gasps of breath (also like a horse pulling a wagon full of beer belly), my heart thumping against my ribcage–all to try and encourage divergent thinking, which I rely on to solve problems in my life and any content on which I’m struggling. I find it works, for what it’s worth.

Here are apps and free resources specifically geared to help students build mindfulness.

DreamyKid

DreamyKid is an app that is filled with meditations specifically created for children. It is self-guided so it requires very little input from teachers, making it a useful tool for the classroom. It also offers some helpful sleep-focused meditations to also be a great help for children at home. Categories are organized by ages so you can find the ideal meditations for the class group with which you're working. Alternatively, you can filter by issues-based meditations, sports meditations, relaxing ones, affirmations, guided journeys, and more.

Calm

The Calm app offers a robust suite of online mindfulness resources focused on stress management, resilience, and self-care. It features 30 Days of Mindfulness in its Classroom resource, which includes reflection questions, scripts, and a plethora of mindfulness activities. Even if you are not familiar with mindfulness strategies, it offers a self-care guide for teachers with calm tips, images, blog postings, planning calendars, and links to videos.

Headspace

Headspace is built to help anyone find calm, although it specifically has plans tailored to educators and students. It is super simple to use so that minimal effort is required to get results -- ideal for use in class where relaxing students is the aim. With guided meditations, it is built to work easily for students of ages 8 and older, but also for younger students too. It offers gamification and a selection of guided stories and sound spaces designed for younger students.

Smiling Mind

Smiling Mind is a free meditation tool in app format that can bring calm into the classroom that students then can take out into their lives. The idea is to offer meditation, focused on thought and breath work, as a tool that students can learn from and have access to whenever they need. By offering private guidance it can help students of all ages, abilities, and emotional levels have access to a moment of calm. Teachers can download exercises to be used anywhere, so students without a decent at-home internet connection also can load up on meditation exercises to use outside of class.

Moshi

Moshi uses strong evidence-based approaches to help students down-regulate their nervous systems so they can be more available and attentive. This can be a great way to start lessons, setting everyone in the room on a similar level for calm and available attention. It includes calming stories, mindfulness, and a focus on sleep, which makes this ideal for transition periods, such as lesson beginnings or endings, as well as refusal points, or to help with sleep when needed.

Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame

Geared toward younger learners, this Sesame Street-sponsored app is designed to help children de-stress. Within it, a variety of scenarios are offered with video clips that learners move through to build skills such as problem-solving, self-control, planning, and task persistence. Additional resources and games can be accessed once the learner has completed the prerequisite activity. Activities are offered in both English and Spanish.

UCLA Mindful App

Developed by UCLA, this free app offers basic meditations in 19 different languages plus videos explaining how to get started, supportive meditation postures, and the science of mindfulness. It also provides weekly podcasts and 30-minute meditations on different theme, as well as a time if you want to meditate on your own.

Healthy Minds Program

The free Healthy Minds Program app is built on a scientific framework developed by world-renowned neuroscientists, and is based on four pillars of mental health and emotional wellbeing: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose. It offers up to 600 days of free wellbeing content to help build healthy habits.

Insight Timer

Insight Timer offers a diverse variety of meditation categories designed specifically for kids. It features more than 200,000 free tracks, with 80+ new guided meditations added daily. It uses interactive and engaging techniques for students, including storytelling, playful imagery, and guided visualizations.

Mindfulness For Kids

Mindful.org provides a variety of resources for kids, schools, and families to build mindfulness, including core practices such as family kindness meditations, parenting tips, fun mindfulness activities, and age-appropriate meditations (from short audio sessions for preschoolers to 8-minute practices for older kids) to help focus on positive moments and breathing.

Change is afoot. Or at least that’s the impression I get from the college writing classes I teach, as well as my conversations with educators who teach at various grade levels, and just from generally observing societal trends around education.

As we emerged from the pandemic era in education, we jumped right into the early AI era. Yet as AI skepticism mounts in and outside of education, I think/hope we’re about to enter a new era.

Though readers be warned, when it comes to predictions, I’m not exactly the Oracle of Delphi. After all, I truly thought this year was going to be a good one for the New York Mets. Even so, I do believe all of these predictions have more of a chance of coming true than the Mets do of playing in the World Series anytime soon.

Here’s how I see things playing out in the coming school year.

1. The Techlash Continues

Okay, so I’m no exactly going out on a limb with this one. But I don’t see the ongoing pushback against certain forms of technology going away any time soon.

For example, I haven’t spoken with one teacher from a district or school that banned phones who wants them back--not one. Presumably some exist, but their numbers are evidently small.

Likewise, I believe there’s a sizable consensus that even though screens of various kinds can be helpful, these don’t hold all the answers to education. The emphasis going forward, as it should be, will be on eliminating the tech that distracts from education and focusing on the tools that really and truly help students.

2. AI Cheating Declines

This is a bold prediction, I know. But I see 2026 as the peak of the “I’ll just let AI do my assignment” era that has altered education.

Going forward, particularly at the college level, I think we’re going to see more institutional responses and more cultural responses to this. Encouraging trends include the movement toward watermarking from some of the tech giants, including Anthropic, which recently announced Claude will start watermarking all text it generates.

I’m also seeing a growing sense that passing off AI as your own writing is not a thing that you should do in any situation.

I’m confident the combination of better AI detection models and watermarks paired with more intense societal disapproval will greatly decrease the prevalence of AI cheating by the end of the school year.

Again, this is an optimistic take, but I really think the current AI writing situation can’t go on, and this is the year it finally peaks.

3. Job Anxiety Decreases

The existential dread most of us feel about the future of human-powered labor will subside by the end of this school year, and both educators and their students will breath a collective sigh of relief.

I think this will happen for the same reasons I think AI cheating will decrease. Society by and large has made their feelings clear on what we think of AI-produced work of any kind: We dislike it about as much as we disliked new Coke.

AI will continue to play a key role in research assistance and tutoring, and in areas such as vibe coding. However, as we drive unwanted AI from the classroom, we’ll also drive unwanted AI from professions it has no business in, such as writing, illustrating, and pretty much all artistic fields. This will help students better control their career paths and get rid of that dark cloud on the horizon for some.

4. The Tactile Revolution Will Continue (And Obviously Won’t Be Televised)

The pen and papers that many educators have turned to in a desperate effort to guard against AI misuse are not going back in the desk. Students won’t need to write by hand to prove they’re not using AI going forward, but I don’t anticipate this trend going backward as many educators have realized there is something important and beneficial in the tactile experience. Education in the post-COVID era has gotten a little bit away from it, but more hands-on lessons with objects students can touch and feel has staying power.

For me, I’ve realized the value of getting writing students to create a piece of work that exists in the real, non-digital world. Whether that’s a handwritten note or a printout, changing the medium helps students engage differently, and sometimes connect with their writing in a more meaningful way.

5. The Next Big Thing Is Coming

Forgive me for the vagueness of this one, but with AI use and abuse hopefully maturing in the coming school year and the post-COVID period moving more firmly behind us, I think the field of education is poised to enter a new era of some type. I don’t know what this will be. I just get a strong sense of transition in higher education due to changing demographics and declining enrollment. I think some of that will trickle down to K-12.

I also think this shift will involve some type of truce between the techlash and AI, and hopefully incorporate the best of both worlds.

Ultimately, I’m not sure exactly what the future holds, but I’m confident a new era is dawning. Here’s hoping we can learn some lessons from the past when it does.

AI teaching tools have moved well beyond simple chatbots, with the best options now offer teachers practical help. That can mean lesson planning, assessment, differentiation, feedback, and classroom management. Some put AI directly into students' hands as a learning assistant.

The challenge is knowing which ones are actually useful. Countless AI tools now promise to transform education, but vary wildly in what is offered, designs for schools, and how much work teachers still need to do themselves.

These are some of the best AI teaching tools we've covered at Tech & Learning, selected for the different ways they can support educators and students. Some are designed primarily to save teachers time, while others are built to give students more personalized or interactive learning experiences.

From creating an entire lesson to helping a student practice a speech, these tools show just how broad AI's role in education has become.

Best AI teaching tools

Best AI teaching tool overall

EdCafe AI

Edcafe AI is one of the more complete AI platforms for teachers because it aims to cover the entire teaching cycle rather than focusing on one particular task.

Teachers can use it to plan lessons, create learning materials, assign activities, and assess student progress, all from the same platform. Existing resources can also be uploaded so the AI can work from the material a teacher is already using rather than starting from scratch.

This is helpful when time is of the essence. A teacher can upload a document, presentation, or curriculum material and use AI to turn that into lessons, quizzes, or activities that can then be shared with students.

Tools are also available for differentiation, including chatbots that can be tailored to different abilities or subjects. Teachers can then monitor engagement and performance, creating a feedback loop that can help inform future lessons.

For teachers looking for one AI platform rather than a collection of separate tools, Edcafe AI is a great option.

Best for personalized learning

Flint

Flint takes a different approach by combining an AI teaching assistant with an AI tutor for students.

Teachers can use the platform to create lessons, activities, and feedback, while its Sparky AI tutor gives students individual support as they work. The teacher remains in control of how much help the AI is allowed to provide, which is useful when you want AI to guide students without simply handing them answers.

Teachers can upload worksheets, rubrics, lessons, and other resources and use those as the foundation for AI-generated activities. Students can then work through those activities, ask questions, and receive support along the way.

The personalized element is great here. It doesn't expect an entire class to work through the same material at the same pace, but can provide additional support when individual students need it.

Teachers also get analytics and engagement information, while school-level controls and integrations make this suitable for wider deployment.

If you want to use AI to move toward more personalized instruction, Flint is a top choice.

Best for lesson planning

Eduaide.Ai

Eduaide.Ai is built specifically around the jobs that take up teachers' time, making it a useful AI assistant for planning and creating classroom resources.

The platform can generate more than 100 types of teaching resources, including lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes, assessments, vocabulary lists, problem sets, escape rooms, and role-playing scenarios.

This doesn't rely on an open-ended chatbot prompt, so teachers can select the type of resource they want and provide the information needed to create it. That makes the process more straightforward for educators who don't want to spend time learning how to write elaborate AI prompts.

It also offers a built-in editor, so teachers can refine the generated material without leaving the platform. Support for more than 15 languages adds another useful layer for language teaching and multilingual classrooms.

Eduaide.Ai is less about giving students an AI chatbot and more about giving teachers an AI-powered resource creation assistant. It's ideal when the goal is to spend less time making teaching materials and more time using them.

Best for student AI interactions

SchoolAI

SchoolAI is designed specifically for education, with AI tools intended to support both teachers and students.

Teachers can use it to create tailored lesson plans, quizzes, and worksheets, with automatic alignment to educational standards. Students can then interact with AI in a more controlled environment rather than simply being handed access to a general-purpose chatbot.

SchoolAI is designed around the idea that AI can provide personalized support while still sitting inside a teacher-controlled classroom environment. The platform can adapt learning experiences to individual students, helping provide something closer to one-to-one support without requiring a teacher to spend one-to-one time with every child.

SchoolAI also highlights its FERPA, COPPA, and SOC 2 compliance, giving schools additional reassurance around its use in an educational environment. For teachers who want students to use AI rather than simply have AI create resources behind the scenes, SchoolAI is one to investigate.

Best for creating teaching materials

Almanack

Almanack is an AI assistant designed specifically for educators, with a focus on turning prompts into classroom-ready resources. Teachers can create slide decks, worksheets, lesson plans, quizzes, tests, games, and report card comments. It can also help with longer-term curriculum planning, giving it uses beyond simply creating a single lesson.

One of the top features is differentiation. Teachers can create multiple versions of a resource for different ability levels without having to start again each time. Almanack can also translate resources, which could be useful when working with multilingual students or creating materials for English-language learners.

The platform is standards-aligned and designed so that AI-generated content is created for teachers rather than being delivered directly to students. That leaves the educator in control of checking and refining the material before it reaches the classroom.

Like any generative AI tool, Almanack still needs a human check. But if creating teaching materials is eating into your preparation time, it can take a lot of the initial work off your plate.

Best for standards-aligned teaching

Teachally

Teachally uses AI to create personalized teaching resources while keeping curriculum and standards at the center. The platform can generate lesson plans, teaching guides, and assessments based on the subject, class, and individual learning requirements. It is designed to support differentiation, so teachers can create material that better suits students working at different levels.

One of its biggest selling points is its extensive standards alignment. Teachally supports hundreds of thousands of state and national standards, allowing teachers to connect generated resources with the requirements they're actually teaching. The platform also supports translation into more than 100 languages, giving it potential uses in multilingual classrooms.

That combination of AI generation and standards alignment makes Teachally useful for teachers who don't just want an AI-generated lesson, but want something that fits into the curriculum they already need to deliver. It's another good example of AI being used as a teaching assistant rather than a replacement for the teacher.

Best for public speaking

Yoodli

Yoodli takes AI into a more specific area of education, helping students become better speakers. The platform acts as an AI speech coach, allowing students to practice presentations, speeches, interviews, and other speaking activities privately before performing in front of a real audience.

Students can record themselves speaking and receive immediate feedback on things such as pacing, filler words, word choice, and body language. They can see specific areas to work on rather than simply being told that a presentation needs improvement.

Teachers can also create custom role-playing scenarios and learning activities, while Yoodli's AI Tutor can hold conversations with students and ask follow-up questions. This makes it useful for English, public speaking, presentations, interview preparation, and English-language learners.

The biggest benefit is the opportunity to practice without the pressure of an audience. Students can make mistakes, try again, and improve before they have to stand up in front of the class.

Best for teaching how AI works

Teachable Machine

Teachable Machine is different from most of the tools on this list because the AI isn't simply there to help the teacher. Instead, it lets students actually experiment with machine learning.

The Google tool allows users to train simple AI models using images, sounds, and movements. Students can provide examples, train the system, and then see how it responds to new information. This offers a super accessible way to demonstrate what machine learning actually means. Rather than explaining algorithms purely through theory, teachers can let students experience the process of training an AI system for themselves.

Educational resources are also available that can be used alongside the platform to explore topics such as algorithms, data, and AI ethics. For example, students can create an algorithm designed to identify their preferred type of sandwich, then examine why the system produces particular results. This opens the door to discussions around training data, bias, and the way algorithms can influence outcomes.

And there's no subscription to worry about as Teachable Machine is completely free to use and doesn't require users to sign in. For teaching AI literacy rather than simply using AI, it's hard to beat.

Atlas is an AI-powered learning platform designed to help students study more effectively by providing personalized support across subjects. Unlike a simple chatbot, it aims to become a study companion that can answer questions and more. It helps to explain concepts, summarize documents, create revision materials, and even work with a student's own course content.

To minimize the risks of overreliance or academic dishonesty, Atlas positions itself as a platform built specifically for learning, with features designed to encourage understanding instead of simply producing finished answers.

Students can upload class notes, PDFs, presentations, and assignments, allowing Atlas to provide responses based on their own learning materials rather than generic internet information. The platform also supports lecture recordings, helping students revisit lessons and generate summaries or revision resources after class.

For educators, Atlas is an example of how AI is evolving beyond general-purpose chatbots into subject-focused learning assistants. While it shouldn't replace classroom teaching or critical thinking, it can help students review difficult topics, organize information, and prepare for assessments when used appropriately.

Here's everything you need to know about Atlas and how teachers can use it to support learning.

What is Atlas?

Atlas is an AI study assistant designed to support students throughout the learning process. It works across a broad range of academic disciplines, including mathematics, science, history, literature, languages, economics, and more.

Students interact with Atlas through a conversational interface similar to other AI chatbots. However, the platform places greater emphasis on learning by allowing users to upload their own educational materials and receive answers based on those resources.

This means a student can ask questions about a textbook chapter, a teacher's presentation, research papers, or their own lecture notes. Atlas can then explain concepts, summarize information, identify key themes, generate quizzes, or create revision flashcards tailored to that material.

The platform also supports image uploads, allowing students to ask questions about diagrams, handwritten notes, worksheets, or mathematical problems.

Responses can reference a student's own course content, so Atlas can often provide more relevant support than general AI assistants that rely solely on their existing training data.

How does Atlas work?

Atlas uses large language models alongside retrieval techniques that allow it to search through documents and resources uploaded by the student.

After creating an account, you can upload PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, research articles, lecture slides, handwritten notes, or images. These materials become part of the student's personal knowledge library.

Instead of answering every question using general AI knowledge alone, Atlas can search those uploaded resources and incorporate these into its responses. This helps students receive explanations that align more closely with the material they are actually studying.

Students can also upload lecture recordings. Atlas generates transcripts, produces summaries, highlights key concepts, and creates revision notes from the recording, reducing the amount of manual note-taking required after class.

Another useful feature is its ability to generate study resources automatically. After analyzing uploaded content, Atlas can produce flashcards, quizzes, practice questions, and condensed revision guides that students can use before exams.

For mathematics and science subjects, Atlas is capable of breaking problems into multiple steps rather than simply displaying an answer. Teachers may find this particularly useful when encouraging students to understand problem-solving processes instead of memorizing solutions.

The platform also supports essay planning and writing assistance. Students can brainstorm ideas, organize arguments, identify supporting evidence, improve structure, and refine drafts.

Atlas can also connect with learning management systems such as Canvas, allowing students to organize coursework and access AI support within the context of their classes.

What are the best Atlas features?

Personalized learning using uploaded resources
One of Atlas's top features is its ability to answer questions using a student's own learning materials. It doesn't just offer generic explanations, but instead can reference lecture slides, course readings, textbooks, and notes that have been uploaded to the platform. This makes responses more relevant to individual classes and assignments.

Lecture summaries
Students can upload recorded lectures and generate summaries, transcripts, key takeaways, and revision notes.

This can help learners revisit lessons, and is especially useful if English is an additional language or if they need extra time to process complex material.

Automatic flashcards and quizzes
Atlas can convert notes and documents into revision materials without requiring students to build flashcards manually. Teachers could encourage students to use these self-generated quizzes as formative assessment before classroom tests.

Step-by-step problem solving
Rather than simply producing answers, Atlas can explain the reasoning behind mathematical calculations and scientific concepts. This makes it more useful as a tutoring tool when students need additional support outside lesson time.

Essay support
Students can brainstorm ideas, organize essays, improve structure, summarize research, and refine written work.

Teachers should make clear expectations around academic integrity so AI supports learning rather than replacing independent writing.

Course organization
Because Atlas stores uploaded learning materials in one place, students can build a searchable knowledge base throughout the school year. Instead of searching through multiple folders, notes, and documents, they can ask questions directly about their existing resources.

How much does Atlas cost?

Atlas offers a free plan that includes daily AI usage limits, allowing students to upload course materials, generate summaries, create flashcards and quizzes, and chat with their documents.

Those who need more extensive access can upgrade to Atlas Pro, which removes many of the usage limits and provides significantly more AI interactions for intensive studying.

Atlas also offers weekly, monthly, and annual subscription options, with prices varying by region and platform. At the time of writing, U.S. subscriptions range from $9.99 per week to $19.99 per month, while a yearly plan is available for $129.99 through Apple's App Store.

Educators should check the Atlas website or app for the latest pricing before recommending the service, as subscriptions and regional pricing may change.

Atlas Tips

• Encourage students to upload class resources
  Students will generally receive more useful responses if Atlas can reference the same materials used in class rather than relying entirely on general knowledge.
• Use AI-generated quizzes for revision
  Ask students to create practice quizzes from lesson notes before a test. This encourages retrieval practice while reducing preparation time.
• Compare AI explanations with classroom teaching
  Have students compare Atlas's explanations with textbook content or classroom instruction. This helps develop critical thinking while reinforcing subject knowledge.
• Teach responsible AI use
  Discuss when AI can support learning and when independent work is expected. Clear classroom expectations help students use the technology ethically.
• Remind students to fact-check
  Like all generative AI tools, Atlas can occasionally provide inaccurate or misleading information. Encourage students to verify important facts using trusted academic sources before relying on AI-generated responses.

We talk with Brittany Miller, Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, Southern Education Foundation about outcomes-based contracts and why they matter for students. You can enjoy Miller’s engaging insights into these important topics during The EdExec Exchange: Critical Issue Roundtable Discussion at the upcoming EdExec Summit, taking place September 10-11 in Chicago.

“We've learned over time that in order to develop a strong contract between a district and provider, there is a misconception that the contingent payment is all there is to it,” Miller says. “You can’t simply make part of the money contingent on outcomes and everything will work for kids. First, we must identify who the students are you want to serve and what program is best going to serve those students from the research and evidence base that exists for particular products.”

At the nonprofit Center for Outcomes-Based Contracting, the work is focused on supporting school districts and their service providers with contracting so that a minimum of 40% of payment to the provider is contingent on meeting agreed-upon student outcomes, says Miller.

She adds that the organization provides technical assistance, field insights, research and policy references, such as their policy document on high-impact tutoring, to help the field grow in their practice of outcomes-based contracting. Open-source resources are also available via the website, aligned with standards of excellence developed from research, to move the needle for student learning.

Defining the success outcomes and metrics that are most important for the district, state or student's individual learning experience is the next step.

“Contingent-outcome payments create a structure for how the contractual agreement will work,” Miller says. “The real power in the work comes with mutual accountability and continuous improvement work. Outlining who is in charge of what elements upfront, before services are delivered, develops a theory of change for implementation that we are contractually committing to across the partnership to achieve those student success outcomes.”

Miller says the actual contract is typically between the district and service provider, or in some cases between the state granting organization and the service provider on behalf of districts, which is a healthier, clearer partnership than a typical instructional services contract.

Both vendors and districts come to Miller’s organization wanting to learn how they benefit from and create these contracts.

“We have a district contract accelerator that districts can enroll in to create a contract, as well as a provider learning series where we help providers understand the model and what their go-to-market strategy can be,” she says.

5 Domains Essential to Outcomes-Based Contract Success

• Clearly defined population and program.
• Clearly defined outcomes and metrics.
• Contingent outcomes payments.
• Mutual accountability.
• Continuous improvement.

Dollars and Sense in Edtech Contracts

A real strength of the outcome-based contract model is to increase efficiency and get more bang for the edtech budget buck.

“Our goal is not to lessen the number of dollars going into education,” Miller says. “Education needs to be well-funded, but we are in a tight spot right now in the current market. Now is even more important to make the best use of not only district dollars, but of our most precious resource of all — teacher and student time. That resource is irreplaceable.”

Students only have so much time in the classroom with their teachers, so the question becomes how to use technology in a way that enables stronger teaching and learning to happen in the classroom.

“We want to support what the teacher is already doing,” Miller says. “It’s a real opportunity to make sure that classrooms are using purpose-built education technology instead of consumer-built technologies that aren't focused on student learning in the same way.”

Outcome-based contracts are a way for providers to differentiate themselves in this current tighter marketplace.

“It makes a big impact to say, ‘We know that our product can be really effective for students, so we're willing to put our money where our mouth is,’” Miller says. “The reason providers are willing to do this is there are mutual accountability responsibilities on the district side which are also contingent for payment. Districts have to make sure students are using the technology as it was intended, based on provider research.”

This element of the contract leads to much higher rates of usage, which is aligned with the implementation integrity required to achieve successful student outcomes.

“In our first national edtech cohort, we had 69% of contract-enrolled students meet the dosage requirements as recommended by the provider,” she says. “That’s a far cry from the 5% problem we normally see and really speaks to how following recommended guidelines can create more cohesive and successful implementation in classrooms.”

Outcome-Based Contracts and Accountability

One area everyone can agree with is that students deserve the best edtech for their needs.

“The real goal here is to get away from the finger-pointing that happens when contracts go wrong,” Miller says. “We need to delve into being accountable to whom we ultimately intend to serve, which is our students. When you can include clear outcomes with measurement modes and standards-of-excellence elements into the contract on the front end, it creates ideal conditions for students to be served.”

An outcome-based contract lays out the means of arriving at that end goal for all stakeholders.

“Knowing how the accountability metrics work can be a really powerful agent for change,” Miller says. “It translates what the value proposition is into something the whole ecosystem understands. It also proves to be a powerful mechanism when it comes to board approvals for contracts. We’ve started to see providers use this as a proactive strategy in order to make themselves better known in the market. It’s really valuable for school boards who must answer where the dollars went and the outcome questions that are actually much more complex than people assume.”

Perhaps the service provider will only get 60% up front, with the remaining 40% being contingent on meeting agreed-upon outcomes. Either the student outcomes are met and the provider will get paid that full amount, or the student outcomes are not met and the provider will get paid less than that full amount.

“A really common misconception is that it’s all or nothing,” Miller says. “It's a per-pupil price at the outcome level, with multiple outcomes that every student can achieve. We're detailed and clear about serving individual students effectively with the technology in the classroom and ensuring the provider is being compensated for each of those outcomes. This personalization de-risks the contract for everybody involved.”

Miller is seeing a massive shift in the tides and stronger contract renewals in places where they are otherwise cutting back.

“Districts can negotiate an outcomes-based contract with their current providers to make sure that they're still serving students, with a proof point for why it's important to keep that product in the classroom. It's much harder to pull that service out of classrooms when they can show the success through data,” she says.

Miller says there's a lot of interest in the model from districts, providers and the philanthropic community that invests in the classroom.

“What we're most concerned about is that quality is maintained as the model scales,” she says. “The way to do that is through those standards of excellence.”

As a longtime educator, I’ve spent a great deal of time designing assessments that promote student choice and voice and enable students to truly show what they know and can do. However, with the rise of artificial intelligence in education, deciding how to assess students has become more challenging.

Students may have access to AI both in and outside of our classrooms. It can generate summaries, write essays, provide explanations, create outlines, and offer feedback within seconds for them. AI can help learning, but it requires educators to think beyond traditional assessments that worked well before AI.

A major concern is that students will cheat or that assessment is broken. Rather than focusing only on how to stop students from using AI, we need to design tasks that make students' thinking more visible. When an assignment asks students to explain their decisions, reflect on the process, make connections, analyze feedback, defend their thinking, and revise their work, learning becomes harder to outsource.

Making this shift matters because if students are only assigned to choose an answer, write a paragraph, create a presentation, or design a final product, AI can do these tasks for them.

Providing guidance for students on how to responsibly use AI is also critical.

Moving Beyond Product-Only Assessment

For years, assessments in my classroom were often built around a final submission such as an essay, project, test, or presentation. I would evaluate it, provide feedback, and move on. These all have value because students build skills in communication, organization, critical thinking, and reflection.

However, what students submit may not fully demonstrate their learning. A well-written essay does not necessarily show understanding. A correct answer does not reveal whether the student can explain the reasoning or simply guessed or used AI. A well-designed presentation does not prove that the student made the design choices on their own. For these reasons, the assessment design needs to be more intentional.

Educators need to look at what the student created, consider how they got to that point, what choices they made in the process, what information was used, how they revised their work, and what I think is important, is what can the student share about their learning. Did the student use AI (if permitted), and how?

Using these reference points will shift assessments from being a simple, quick check of understanding or task completion to showing deeper learning and content retention.

Shifting to More Visible Thinking

Finding ways to make thinking visible takes a little time at first, but it is how to truly see a student’s learning journey. To start, educators can set up a series of checkpoints. Rather than asking students to only submit a final essay, for example, teachers might ask for various artifacts from their work. Students could provide their initial question, a claim, a draft, a peer feedback reflection, revisions made, and a final explanation of what changed. These components encourage students to notice their own thinking.

Educators can also ask students to explain their thinking and choices made. Why did they select this source? Why did they organize the project in this way? Why did they reject one idea and keep another? Why did they make the revisions they did?

These explanations can provide greater insight than the final product alone.

In their work, students can show their thinking through annotations, peer discussions, drafts, concept maps, note-taking, reflections, and even demonstrations. The format may vary depending on the task, but the goal is to have students explain their learning.

Rethinking AI Use and Academic Integrity

A valid concern is that AI makes it harder to understand what students actually know. However, if we ban the use of AI entirely, it won't prepare students to use these tools responsibly.

Instead, educators should create clear expectations around when AI is and is not permitted and model this for students to show how it can be an impactful part of their learning experience. Not every task should involve AI. Students still need opportunities to think, write, create, and problem-solve without relying on a tool. However, students also need guidance in how to use AI thoughtfully, ethically, and transparently.

I have found it to be helpful to design assignments with different levels of AI use. Teachers can build AI expectations directly into assignments. Directions might say, “AI may be used for brainstorming but not for drafting,” or “You may use AI feedback, but you must submit your original paragraph, the feedback, and an explanation of your revisions.” This turns AI use into part of the learning process rather than a hidden behavior.

Establishing a structure such as this helps students understand that responsible AI use is not “all or nothing” but instead depends on the purpose of the task they are being assigned.

Transparency is key. If students use AI, they should be able to say how they used it. Did they ask for topic ideas? Did they use it to clarify vocabulary? Did they compare explanations? Did they request feedback on the organization of their writing? Did they ask for a revision?

Requiring a short AI use note can help students reflect on their choices and help teachers better understand the learning process.

Assessments Should Include Conversations

A powerful assessment tool is conversation. When students talk about their work, teachers can sense understanding, confusion, confidence, and growth in ways that are not always visible on paper.

Not every assignment needs a formal presentation. Having short conferences with students can be meaningful. When a teacher asks a student to talk about the strongest part of their work, an area where they struggled, or even what they would change if they had more time, these questions provide more insight into student thinking. And these are also great ways to build relationships that support student growth.

Students could also record short audio or video reflections explaining their process. I’ve had students do this using Padlet, and it was great for building many skills. Students can engage in peer discussions, small-group activities such as debates, or do gallery walks. These moments create opportunities for students to demonstrate more ownership in learning.

When students know they will need to explain their thinking, the assignment changes. The focus moves from simply producing something to understanding it well enough to discuss it.

Designing Assignments AI Cannot Easily Replace

No assignment is completely “AI-proof,” and that should not be the goal. A better goal is to design learning experiences that are meaningful, contextual, personal, and connected to students’ thinking.

When assignments include local context, classroom experiences, personal reflection, student choice, and live discussion, these become more meaningful and more likely to promote content retention. For example, instead of asking students to write an essay on a historical event, ask them to connect the event to a class discussion, analyze a specific primary source used in class, compare interpretations, and explain how their thinking changed. Or instead of asking for a general science report, ask students to collect observations, analyze class data, explain unexpected results, and reflect on the process.

The more connected the work is to the classroom learning experience and real-world events, the harder it is for students to lean on AI without truly engaging in the learning experience.

It should not be about making assignments more difficult just to “catch” students. By making assignments better so that students have to think, create, question, explain, and reflect, they engage in the process itself and focus less on one final product.

The Importance of Reflection

Reflection may be one of the most important assessment practices in an AI-enabled world. When students reflect, they make their thinking visible. They explain what they tried, what worked, what did not, what they learned, and what they would do differently. They see the process of learning more.

Reflection also helps students develop metacognition. They begin to understand themselves as learners. They notice when they relied too heavily on a tool. They recognize when AI helped them think differently. They learn to evaluate whether a suggestion improved their work or weakened it.

Simple reflection prompts can make a big difference:

• What part of this work best shows your thinking?
• Where did you struggle?
• What feedback helped you improve?
• How did you use AI or other tools responsibly?
• What would you change next time?

The Most Important Outcome of All

Assessment after AI is not about fear, but rather about intentional and purposeful design.

Educators do not need to forget everything they believe about assessment. Many strong instructional practices are already in place: formative assessment, conferencing, portfolios, project-based learning, performance tasks, peer feedback, revision, self-assessment, and reflection. Now, with the availability of AI, these practices are even more important.

The future of assessment will require us to find a better balance between a final learning product and the learning process. Students should still have opportunities to create what they have always created, but they should be able to explain their thinking behind it. They should know when AI is appropriate, when it is not, and how to use it in ways that support rather than replace learning.

For students to be well-prepared for the future, we have to assess how they think as well as what they produce. To do this means designing assignments and assessments that push students to question, decide, explain, revise, reflect, and take ownership of their learning.

AI can generate answers. But students still need to develop judgment.

And that may be the most important outcome of all.

Educator and retired Major General Matt Smith has advice for fellow college educators: “Get to know your veteran students.”

Doing this is important not only because it enriches the class environment for all but because veterans or actively serving members of the military make up a significant portion of the student body at most universities. In fact, nearly 5% of college students are active military or veterans. Roughly half of that 5% are veterans and the other half are active-duty member of the military or the National Guard and reserve. That’s all according to data on military college enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Smith, a retired two-star general, now serves in a different capacity as Executive Director of Veteran Initiatives at Emory University and as director of the university’s Master of Business for Veterans program. He shares tips for educators on how to connect with veterans and military students in ways that can help facilitate excellence from these students and increase the classroom environment overall.

While the focus of our discussion is on military students, Smith emphasizes that many of these techniques and strategies apply to students from all different backgrounds.

1. Teaching Military Students: You Have More In Common Than You Might Think

While many teachers and professors might not consider their work similar to military work, there are many parallels, Smith says.

“Educators and members of the military, either still serving or veterans, have a tremendous amount in common from a purpose-driven, career, professional, choice standpoint," he says. "While the values that may have mattered at the time they made the decision to go into either profession may have been slightly different, they're really more alike than you'd find across other sectors of our society.”

Recognizing these similarities and discussing it with veteran students can be a major step toward effective class engagement, Smith says.

2. Learn About All Students, Including Those in The Military

Once you’ve established the similarities between you and your military students, it's time to start learning about their experiences, Smith says. Many veterans come to college with a range of rich life experiences and technical know-how that they can use to foster their college career. The process doesn’t have to be complicated.

“Everybody likes to talk about themselves,” Smith says, who adds that a couple of well-placed questions during an office hour or a private meeting before after class can really help. “A simple interrogative question like, ‘Hey, so tell me about your service prior to coming to school.’”

Smith adds the answer to this type of question is often pretty entertaining and really insightful about the student.

3. Remember Veterans Are Experts At Team Projects And Collaboration

One skill most veterans and active-duty military members need to develop is the ability to work in teams. Educators can harness that in their classes.

“The vast majority of the classes across any subject use team projects to educate,” Smith says. “If a certain curriculum utilizes team projects, it's like a slow-pitch softball to tap a veteran, regardless of their rank.”

This not only lets a veteran do something they are good at, but having them lead collaborative team projects can also serve as a model for their fellow students.

4. Recognize Strengths Veterans Have

Once Smith was offered a job at a major foundation, and when Smith said he didn’t think he had the qualification, the person offering him the job disagreed.

“He said, ‘Sure you do. You have a PhD in the human condition,’” Smith recalls. He realized this person had a point because the military had given him so much experience working with “such large volumes of human beings.”

Additionally, just getting that kind of affirmation was powerful.

“It kind of changed how I thought about leadership,” he says. “I was personally thankful for him pointing it out.”

Fostering the skills veterans already have, including their understanding of human experience, is key, Smith says. “They may not fully realize what they bring to the table, but part of an educator’s job is to draw out the best of people in the educational environment.”

5. Foster Leadership Lessons For All

Leadership is a key part of military training, but it’s not the only profession that fosters such skills, Smith says.

“The military doesn’t have the market cornered on leadership.” He adds that teachers are often great leaders.

Regardless of who he is teaching, Smith’s approach to leadership is based on the idea that it’s always better to learn from others’ mistakes. In other words, the right insights can save time and avoid growing pains. This is true for veteran students, but because of their extensive experience with teamwork and leadership, they sometimes have other unique lessons they can share with their classmates.

“Because leadership is about the human condition, and involves all aspects of communication, listening is most important,” Smith says, “I think eliciting the lessons learned from veterans can potentially help their peers on their life journey, whatever that path is.”

We talk with Tammy Wincup, CEO of Securly — a student safety company exclusively focused on how to help students be safe, well and ready to learn in their digital footprint — about the state of the market and how edtech CEOs can effectively lead in the current climate. You can enjoy engaging insights into these important topics during the CEO Keynote Panel: Strategies for Leading Through Market Uncertainty at the upcoming EdExec Summit, taking place September 10-11 in Chicago.

“You’ve got two polar conversations happening right now in terms of digital safety,” says Wincup. “There is the largest tech revolution that's ever happened, certainly in my lifetime, across tech around AI with administrators in districts trying to answer, ‘How do we prepare students and teachers?’ On the flip side, you've got a conversation happening in the community around using too much tech, with it coming back to a screentime and over-reliance on edtech conversation.”

Wincup, has been a leader in the educational technology realm for 25 years, with previous leadership roles at Rethink Education, Get Well and EVERFI. Her current company works with more than 27,000 schools, nearly half of all K-12 schools in the U.S.

“I’ve been in edtech before we called it edtech,” she says. “I think we're at an interesting period. It is a baseline expectation that we owe our kids a full operating safety and wellness plan, which cannot be piecemeal.”

Indeed, what used to be a side consideration, now is a main question districts have to ask and answer.

Changing Along With a Changing Market

Part of leading through a shifting economical landscape is finding your place in the big picture and addressing the heart of issues that matter

“We've gotten case studies, big districts with a hundred thousand students or more, facing the same challenges as small districts,” Wincup says. “Leading through this landscape falls back to how they operationalize it and how they tell their story to their stakeholders. Whether that's board, whether it's parents, whether it's teachers — we as an industry speak in general policies, but it's the administrators that actually have to then go make their message clear. Our job is to make sure that they have the tools to be able to execute those policies.”

As mentioned, the screen time debate continues to be a challenge.

“I was just on the phone with a very large school district considering their response and what they want to implement,” Wincup says. “Another smaller district has very masterfully used the data from their kids' digital footprint to inform teaching and learning. It’s a hard time for districts to balance both an AI revolution at the same time that parents and caregivers and boards are correctly asking, ‘Have we moved too far toward tech?’”

Backing decisions with data is one way to bring parents into the conversation, and to be confident that thoughtful decisions are made about how to use tech in the classroom.

“It’s almost like going back to 2010 when E-Rate and CIPA first came out saying, ‘We want to give funding to school districts to pay for the internet, but we also want to protect students in its use,’” Wincup says. “Those two principles are still wildly relevant. It's gotten more complicated. Now there are apps, there are tools, there are large language models, et cetera — it requires very sophisticated technology to help districts prepare for that.”

Partnering Toward Success

“Last year there was a lot of polling around how students are using AI,” Wincup says. “We said, ‘Enough asking questions.’ We know what types of prompts and character AI and relationships with AI, etc., are happening. We know that 80% of the millions of prompts we see right now are within the guardrails that districts set.”

Steering the conversation to one that addresses the real issues is key.

“The other 20% are not, so helping districts think through their AI-use policies to keep students safe within that segment is our focus,” Wincup says. “Districts can bring parents and caregivers into the conversation using data from our home app, ‘This is the summary of what your kids did in their digital footprint while they were out of school, while on their school-issued device.’”

Being a good partner to stakeholders starts with information.

“Our job is not to make more noise in a very noisy space. It's actually to quiet and bring attention to what's actually happening versus the hypotheses on it.”

Wincup feels education is an industry where the vast majority of people are there for the right reasons. They are there because they fundamentally want to put the student at the center of the conversation.

“Start every conversation, every internal meeting with how does this benefit the student?” she says. “Yes, you have to talk about how it benefits the teachers and administrators. But we have an obligation to start with the students. The education organizations that do that every day are the ones that succeed.”

In Wincup’s opinion, the largest school districts are sometimes where ed companies “go to die.”

“A lot of entrepreneurs start by thinking, ‘I need to be in the largest districts,’” she says. “I find the mid- and small-sized districts and schools are the ones that will pressure-test you and frankly make you great. They are the innovators, the ones doing more with less. Those are incredible administrators and partners with whom you’ll want to work.”

Tammy Wincup: 3 Observations of the Evolution of Edtech

The K-12 tech user and buyer is far more sophisticated. In the early 2000’s, there was a misconception that K-12 weren’t great adopters, and so you could give them average tech. The CTO buyer is one of the most sophisticated vertical buyers out there so their expectation is higher for what providers are providing to them. Setting the bar higher is a good thing for our kids and for education.

It's a noisier market. K-12 used to be a place where all single-point solutions could bloom. Anybody who had an idea for a feature could find their way. Education, correctly, is now super sophisticated in saying, ‘That's not good enough.’ Just because you have a great idea of what might help in the classroom, that is not enough.

There is a new reality because of cybersecurity. This idea that technology providers would go directly to teachers and say, "Use my thing," does not and should not fly anymore because of overall safety and security. This is another area that has evolved for the betterment of our students.

Meeting the Leaders

Wincup believes that the best relationships grow when districts ask for help to solve some of their biggest challenges.

“My hope for the summit is that we will have really robust conversations about the problems we can actually help them solve,” she says. “I'd love to hear and really dive into the big look-around-the-corner challenges that districts are facing, and put it to the larger community with an expectation that we actually help solve them.”

Wincup will be sharing her insights during the EdExec Summit at:

• CEO Keynote Panel: Strategies for Leading Through Market Uncertainty
• Table Discussions: The Compliance Moat: Privacy, Cybersecurity & AI Governance
• The Security Vetting Hurdle: How to proactively pass district safety requirements to prevent stalled deals

CoChat is an AI-powered tool that provides educators, students, and researchers with a host of capabilities when it comes to conducting research.

While there are other AI research tools, a common problem is citation hallucination. CoChat is designed to cut back on those hallucinations, and that feature is definitely a plus in my experience with CoChat.

Additionally, CoChat is great for deep research. When I searched topics, I was well-versed in, it brought up papers that had taken me hours and, in some cases, days, to track down on my own the old-fashioned way.

After using it for a few weeks, I am impressed with CoChat overall and find it to be the strongest AI deep research tool that I've tried. Here's a closer look at how CoChat works, what it costs, and its best features.

What is CoChat?

CoChat is an AI research tool that harnesses advanced LLMs, including GPT, Claude, and Google, to search more than 200 million academic papers. It offers a feature that allows you to compare different answers from different models and then choose the best one.

In practice, CoChat functions as a highly skilled, very quick research assistant that can find and summarize relevant research on a given topic. CoChat also automatically verifies citations to reduce the frequent AI problem of citation hallucination.

After using CoChat to search several different research areas, ranging from quantum physics to education and health, I have been impressed with its ability to quickly collate research that would take me hours to track down with a tool such as Google Scholar. As with any research tool, it didn’t find all relevant research, though it did a better job than other similar tools I’ve used previously.

More broadly, I still wonder whether there are benefits to the old-fashioned Google-style search. Certainly, the time I’ve spent searching for relevant research hasn’t all been a waste because when I’m doing it, part of my learning process is the search itself.

That said, I do like using a CoChat-like tool toward the end of the process, just to see if this different method turns up anything new.

What Are CoChat's Best Features?

CoChat’s best feature is its robust ability to search through academic research and summarize its findings, all while providing direct links to the original papers. It accomplishes this through access to cutting-edge AI models and, in my experience, seems capable of both speeding up new research and helping expand research I’d previously conducted.

Additional strong features are that it urges you to double-check its work and that its default writing mode is a conversational summary and literature review style. This review summary is helpful, and as an added bonus for educators, is not something a student might be tempted to hand in as their finished paper.

That said, CoChat does frequently offer to help students do more with their research. For instance, after telling me it made a literature review table, it offered to “turn this into a shorter plain-English brief or a tighter source matrix for class use.” When I took it up on this offer, I suspected it would turn the work into a paper that a student could then submit. By doing this, I worried it would move from what I see as an appropriate AI use, research assistance, to an inappropriate one, doing the writing and thinking for a student. Ultimately, those fears were unfounded. CoChat just condensed its findings and used a more conversational tone to explain.

Despite passing this test, when I explicitly asked CoChat to turn its findings into a paper for an assignment "in my class," it was willing to do that, which isn’t ideal.

Even so, given that the availability of AI tools willing to write your papers, emails, and texts is so widespread, it was refreshing that CoChat required this additional step.

What Does CoChat Cost?

The basic version of CoChat is completely free and is what I used for this article. I didn’t come up against any limitations, but there are some metered elements to the free tier such as three file uploads per day and a limit of 10 citation verifications.

Subscriptions start at $9 per month, and there is a pro tier at $19 per month.

The Best CoChat Tips and Tricks

Verify Research

One of CoChat’s main selling points is its ability to check sources it has cited to make sure none are fabricated. Users should take advantage of this feature.

Create an Instant Literature Review

CoChat is as good as any tool I’ve encountered at creating fast and helpful literature overviews on diverse topics.

Use It In Addition To Other Research

Even though it’s tempting to use CoChat at the start of your research, I like using CoChat after I’ve done some research to make sure I found all the relevant material and/or see if it turns up anything that I missed in my old-fashioned search; both happen on occasion. Therefore, using CoChat in this manner seems to deepen my research process overall.

NoodleTools is a research and citation platform designed to help students manage every stage of the research process, from finding sources to creating accurate bibliographies.

Rather than simply generating citations, the platform encourages students to think critically about the information they're collecting, organize their ideas, and develop original written work.

Concerns continue to grow around plagiarism, AI-generated assignments, and students' ability to evaluate trustworthy online information. As such, research skills have become more important than ever. Teachers need tools that don't just automate academic tasks but actively teach students how to research, analyze, and synthesize information responsibly.

That's where NoodleTools stands out. Thousands of schools and universities use this as it combines citation management, note-taking, outlining, collaboration, and teacher feedback into a single online workspace. The result is a platform that supports the entire research journey, not just the finished bibliography.

What is NoodleTools?

NoodleTools is a cloud-based research management platform built specifically for education. It helps students organize research projects by collecting sources, creating citations, taking notes, building outlines, and drafting written assignments.

The platform supports the major citation styles, including MLA, APA, and Chicago, while encouraging students to understand why citations matter -- no more relying entirely on automatic generation.

NoodleTools treats research as an ongoing learning process. Students evaluate sources, connect evidence to arguments, organize ideas visually, and prepare structured writing before beginning their final draft.

Teachers and librarians can also monitor progress, provide feedback directly inside projects, and collaborate with students throughout the research process.

How does NoodleTools work?

Students begin by creating a project and selecting the citation style required for their assignment. As they research, they can add books, websites, journals, videos, interviews, and many other source types to their bibliography.

Each source becomes part of a wider research workspace. Students can attach notes, quotations, images, PDFs, and comments before organizing everything into digital notecards.

These notecards can then be tagged, grouped, rearranged, and connected to sections of an outline. This helps students identify themes, compare evidence, and gradually develop stronger arguments before writing begins.

Teachers can access projects in real time, allowing them to monitor progress, identify where students may be struggling, and provide targeted feedback before assignments are submitted. This ongoing visibility makes it easier to teach research skills throughout the process instead of simply grading the finished product.

NoodleTools also supports collaborative projects. This allows multiple students to contribute to shared research, while making individual contributions visible to teachers. Because it's entirely web-based, projects can be accessed from virtually any modern browser without installing software. Schools can also integrate the platform with Google, Microsoft 365, and Clever for single sign-on.

What are the best NoodleTools features?

One of NoodleTools' top features is its focus on critical thinking rather than automation. Students are encouraged to evaluate sources, organize evidence, and build original arguments instead of simply collecting references.

The integrated citation tools support multiple academic styles and help students generate accurate bibliographies while learning proper citation practices.

Its digital notecard system remains one of the platform's best features. Students can collect evidence, record ideas, tag themes, and reorganize information as their understanding develops -- creating a much more flexible alternative to traditional paper note cards.

Visual outlining tools help transform research into structured writing. Students can connect evidence directly to sections of their outline, making it easier to spot weak arguments or missing evidence, before drafting.

For teachers, classroom management features provide value. Educators can monitor research progress in real time, comment on student work, track collaboration within group projects, and intervene early when students appear stuck or heading in the wrong direction.

The platform also places a strong emphasis on student privacy, avoiding advertising and marketing, while giving schools confidence that student work remains protected.

How much does NoodleTools cost?

Individual plans for NoodleTools are $15 per year.

Prices for school and district plans are quoted on an custom basis, with discounts available for larger groups.

Free versions, such as NoodleTools Express and MLA Lite, are available and provide more limited functionality.

Best NoodleTools tips and tricks

Build better source evaluation
Instead of asking students to find sources, have them explain why each source is credible.

Check progress before deadlines
Use the teacher dashboard to review student projects throughout the research process.

Teach organization skills
Encourage students to use digital notecards and outlines before writing.

Support group research
Assign collaborative projects in which each student contributes different sources and notes.

Focus on research
Use NoodleTools as a research-thinking platform rather than simply a citation generator.

For Melissa McCalla, the winds of Hurricane Harvey did more than cause damage to her school in Pasadena ISD–they blew her into a new chapter of her career.

McCalla had been a teacher, an assistant principal, and finally a principal, when the devastating storm struck Texas in 2017. It flooded homes and shut down her school, but did also have unintended positive consequences.

“It kind of fundamentally changed me as a leader,” McCalla says. “I had an opportunity to really engage with our technology division teams. Eventually I was leading libraries and instructional materials as part of that work, and then I eventually became the CTO.”

McCalla has been CTO five years now (and in the district for 25 years), during which she’s implemented a personalized learning initiative at 47 of 67 of the district’s campuses that involved coaching principals. She has also been instrumental in the district’s first full-time, structured virtual school, which opens this month.

“I never thought I would sit in the chief technology officer role,” she says. “It kind of came as a surprise.”

For this and other efforts, McCalla was recently recognized with a Tech & Learning Innovative Leader Award at the Tech & Learning pre-ISTE Leadership Summit in Orlando. She shares how her district is launching a new virtual high school, boosting its CTE pathways, and more.

FLExible Learning

To address different kinds of learning, Pasadena ISD is launching FLEx Virtual High School, which will feature a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction. The initiative came about after the Texas legislature expanded virtual and hybrid learning and from feedback from students and parents who were looking for a more robust learning environment.

“This will be the first year that we're able to really provide a student with opportunity that if they want to do FFA [Future Farmers of America] in person, like raising an animal, you can go to one of our brick-and-mortar schools and take those classes in a face-to-face environment, but then you could also take four or five of your other classes virtually,” McCalla says. “I think that that's a new avenue for us that we haven't had the opportunity to really do in Texas previously.”

But those other classes are not simply static online learning.

“For instance, a virtual lab for chemistry might include getting online together and doing a lab together synchronously versus you know a traditional more synchronous self-paced lesson,” she says. “Each student has an individual mentor that they meet with weekly to set goals, and a cohort of students that they would work with as in the traditional home room and virtually as well.”

Speaking of opportunities, Pasadena ISD also offers a comprehensive CTE program that has been recognized at the state level and offers diverse pathways such as criminal justice, veterinary science, and because of its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, maritime studies.

“Our program helps students to do work that sets them up for success in the Port of Houston area, including setting the stage for them and working on ships,” says McCalla. “We have a full-time maritime simulator and our students can actually learn how to pilot a boat.”

The district’s newest initiative is partnering with San Jacinto Community College in launching a gamified cybersecurity course for students in grades 5-12. McCalla also touts the district’s welding program, which offers very lucrative job opportunities thanks to all the oil and gas refineries in the region, as well as the nearby port.

“One of the great things about all of those programs, technology and learning and innovation all go together with them to some extent,” she says, adding that the skills learned in these opportunities are translatable to all manner of post-secondary paths. “You know, the way to communicate, the way to work hard. The types of professional skills that you need to work collaboratively, to think innovatively.”

Boosting Digital Wellbeing

Through a project involving ISTE and the Pinterest Impact Fund, the district has prioritized digital well-being as a key element of its innovation strategy. Part of that is creating a supportive culture that helps staff, students, and families navigate digital spaces responsibly rather than implementing restrictive bans on technology.

To do that, Pasadena ISD is utilizing parent coordinators to bridge the gap between home and school, and make sure that everyone is consistent and on the same page when it comes to the message and practices around digital wellbeing, be it at school, at home, or when a student is on their own.

“So what does that look like, and then how are we helping teach students to navigate those spaces together?” says McCalla. “What are our students saying are the important things to them and the experiences they're having in digital spaces, and then how do we help support them in being successful there as much as it is in being successful outside of those spaces?”

Building Long-Term Success

For a leader who is looking to go down the path of digital innovation, McCalla advises building a diverse task force that includes students and parents in addition to others from across the district, and then make them an active part of the work.

“Don't just get them to give you input, but actually help them create a working group that brings in their voice in and then contribute to what you're working toward,” McCalla says. “That has made a big difference for us. I believe it’s going to lead to the long-term success of this work that we're doing because they become the advocate and they help tell the story across your community. So it's not just a one-off, it's not just a one point, it really is truly a collaborative ongoing work together.”

Tools They Use

• ParentSquare
• Microsoft Copilot
• LinkedIn
• ClassLink
• Incident IQ