We recently attended the Future of Education Technology Conference in Orlando, FL where technology providers, educators, and education leaders met to uncover the latest innovations in Education Technology. Through our conversations at the conference, we uncovered 3 themes driving innovation to students, educators, and school districts:
- Artificial Intelligence is at the center of attention to augment traditional learning to drive better learning outcomes and efficiencies for educators. The ship has sailed on banning the use of ChatGPT or AI in the classroom - 86% of students are already using AI in their studies (Digital Education Council). The conversation has pivoted to understanding the best ways for teachers and students to leverage these tools while still achieving learning outcomes. Institutions and educators must prioritize outcome-based learning, focusing on the "why" behind the material and its real-world applications, to help students grasp that AI enhances, rather than shortcuts, the learning journey. For example:
- Companies like BrainFreeze are creating AI tools for students to leverage outside the classroom to help better understand topics on their own time. Students can leverage these AI assistants to effectively have their own virtual math tutor walk through solving a problem step by step. Or have AI proofread an essay and suggest specific changes to improve the grammar and clarity.
- Solution providers like MobileMind are leveraging AI to enable teachers to automatically generate course curriculum, complete with videos and assessments around niche topics that would take days to create manually.
- Investing in Teacher Talent and institution leaders is at the top of minds for districts looking to retain and attract the best educators. In fact, Federal budgets allocate over $2b annually to K-12 districts' teacher professional development. Solution providers are ensuring new teachers have the resources available to them to effectively manage a classroom on day one and veteran educators are kept up to speed with the blossoming technology resources and innovations available to them. For example:
- 97% of new classroom teachers say they lack the comprehensive support they require (We Are Teachers).
- 71% of teachers attribute workplace stress to the adoption of new initiatives without proper professional development (America Federation of Teachers). Companies like friEdTech are helping educators understand and implement the vast technology resources available to them through its professional development services.
- Student Safety & Wellness is vital and the solutions to protect schools and students are ever-expanding. At the conference, we saw a host of solutions solving key problems from ensuring safe web browsing to protecting students during a campus emergency. We expect to see more solutions that blend digital and physical safety. For example:
- Companies like Vivi offer wireless screen solutions for emergency alerts and signage that can be updated and broadcasted school-wide during an emergency. Other solutions, like Pikmykid, offer digital hall passes, dismissal management, and visitor management solutions to ensure staff know the location of everyone entering and exiting their schools. Many of these solutions are eligible for federal funding, so any district can benefit from knowing where their students are during an emergency.
- Student wellness and mental health is also at the forefront of parents' and educators' minds. Solution providers like Securly are monitoring online search activity and social media to prevent students from accessing harmful content and notifying schools when a student's wellness may be at risk.
The Future of Education Technology Conference underscored the incredible potential of innovation to reshape education for students, educators, and institutions alike. From the transformative capabilities of AI to the pressing need for robust professional development, it is clear that technology is no longer just a supporting player in education - it’s a driving force.
