For lifelong educator Dr. Jen Schwanke, Ed.D., new technology like AI brings opportunities for stronger relationships between schools and communities — enhancing human connection and operations.
Dr. Jen Schwanke, Ed.D.
Educator, author, consultant, and instructor in educational administration at The Ohio State University and serves as Deputy Superintendent in Ohio
As an education leader, what do you see as the biggest opportunities for schools to use technology to improve student outcomes and experiences?
The greatest opportunity in educational technology isn’t a specific device or platform; it’s a mindset. I recently had a conversation with Danny Bauer, founder of Better Leaders Better Schools, and he wisely framed the challenge this way: Educators face three potential paths forward with technology. The first path is to embrace technology so fully that it replaces human connection. The second is to rage against it, denying its capabilities in a futile attempt to eradicate it from our work. The third, and wisest, path is to find the balance — embracing technology as a powerful tool while keeping human, social, and emotional learning at the absolute forefront. I have centered my own mindset on this third path. It is the only approach that will prove productive, helpful, and successful in improving student outcomes. This principle — that technology must serve and enhance human connection, not supplant it — should be the guide for all our conversations, training, and implementation strategies
How can school administrators and educators strike the right balance between operational efficiency and keeping the focus on teaching and learning?
I would reframe the question entirely. It’s not a balance. Operational efficiency is the necessary foundation for any meaningful focus on teaching and learning. I am a firm believer in systems — well-communicated processes, clear protocols, and defined workflows — because they exist to protect instructional time. When efficiency breaks down, the cost is always measured in student and teacher outcomes. For example, consider when a student’s laptop keyboard fails. If the teacher doesn’t know the protocol, instruction stops while they figure out who to call and what to do. The entire class is derailed. However, if a clear system exists, the teacher knows the answer. “Please take that to the media center for a loaner; they’ll give you a work ticket.” The disruption is minimal, and learning continues. This same principle of having a ready, known solution applies to countless operational challenges: projector bulbs, login credentials, firewall access, or learning management system support. Strong systems keep the focus where it belongs — on teaching and learning.
What role does technology play in strengthening the partnership between schools, families, and communities?
There is a lot of fear out there about technology, especially since AI has exploded all our assumptions about creativity and work. Parents are anxious, and business partners are anxious about developing a workforce for skills we can’t yet define. With that in mind, it’s important to remember that — as always — schools won’t find strong partnerships unless they extend their education arm to families and communities. Having parent and community outreach about technology can strengthen those connections. To counter anxiety with connection, keep parents updated on policy changes. Utilize business internships to bridge the gap between school and the future workplace. Empower administrators and teachers with innovative professional development. When you pilot new technologies, be transparent and share the results widely. Every time I evaluate a new resource, I force myself to answer one question: How are we going to scale this for our students, staff, parents, and community?
What steps can schools take to make sure technology adoption supports equity and access for all students, regardless of background or ability?
Well, for one thing, we have to keep asking this question again and again — not as a passing thought, but as a formal equity audit. Whenever technology is adopted, whether it is hardware, software, or a differentiated resource, we have to ask: Who benefits? Do they have access they need? If not, why? And how can we remedy any gaps? Fortunately, I think school districts have generally done a brilliant job with this and believe they will continue to do so. The conversations we have had, collectively, as educators, over the past decade have, I believe, created legitimate and well-rooted commitments to ensuring equitable accessibility to all our students. Another victory has been how many technology providers have differentiated their products to allow for adaptability for students of all needs and backgrounds.
What advice would you give school leaders who want to adopt new technologies but are concerned about implementation challenges, from training to security?
My advice is to slow down, ask the hard questions, and call in the experts. Never simply trust a salesperson; their primary goal is the sale. Instead, reach out to your network to find peers who have already vetted the technology. Go visit their sites. Experiment with the platform. Critically, you must add a cybersecurity perspective to your evaluation. Who owns the data? How is it protected? Is the vendor compliant with student privacy laws like FERPA? Learn the technology yourself. If you don’t have the time or expertise, find a trusted team member who does. Insist on, and oversee, a comprehensive training program, and follow through to ensure promises are kept. I know this sounds aggressive, but I have seen too many educators make poor decisions because they were in a hurry or simply hoped it would be alright once the contract was signed. I am blessed to work with a brilliant technology leader whose approach is to view every new product with a dubious eye — she needs to be convinced. This is so wise. The worst approach is to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in the hope that it’s a beneficial resource. Instead, be certain. Do the work on the front end, and you’ll save yourself countless hours and dollars in the long run.
