In a world brimming with technological change, parents are looking for schools that will help their students thrive today and in the future.
Technology changes our lives in many ways, including how, where, and what we learn. The rapid growth of the world wide web 30 years ago led to an explosion in access to information. This change encouraged teachers to shift their approach in some ways, such as moving from simply delivering information to helping students find, verify, understand, and interact with information. Now the emergence of generative AI is pushing educators to think even more deeply about the school’s role in the learning process, as well as AI’s role in our collective future.
Educators and parents alike are asking challenging questions about education in this new paradigm. What skills do students need to be ready to enter an AI-embedded workforce? What is the right amount of technology in school? How can we protect children’s safety and prepare them for a future that may look very different from today? These questions are critical for schools and families to explore as they work together to support students and prepare them to be future-ready.
Mission: future-ready
I lead the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), a network of 2,000 independent private schools. NAIS member schools come in many sizes and types, including day and boarding, religious and secular, and coed and single-gender schools. Each independent school has a unique mission that guides all aspects of the school and the student experience.
NAIS member schools vary in their approaches to teaching and their philosophies on incorporating technology, including AI. Some independent schools are tech-forward, infusing the latest technology into every class, while some have little or no technology in the classroom. Most are somewhere in between.
With their missions as their guides, many independent schools are focused on cultivating skills they know will help students thrive in a tech-filled future. These skills include analytical judgment, flexibility, creative thinking, resilience, and curiosity — skills identified by organizations such as Microsoft and the World Economic Forum as essential for the workforce. Schools also want to help students develop the interpersonal skills that will allow them succeed in all aspects of life, whether at work or play.
What never changes
What students study and how they’re taught might look different now than it did when today’s parents were in school. However, no matter what technology is used, or in what ways, great teachers are still the essence of any school. They get to know what interests and motivates each student, providing the individualized attention students need to excel.
Great teachers still focus on the relationships they build with students, and these relationships are at the heart of learning. How teachers incorporate technology into the classroom environment is an extension of these relationships, of curricular goals, and of the school’s mission.
Five questions to ask
How can families ensure that schools will meet their students’ needs and goals? As you consider educational options for your child, consider asking schools questions like these to understand their approach to technology:
- What is the school’s overall philosophy on technology?
- How does the school instill competencies in students that will serve them well in a technology-rich future?
- How do teachers of different grades or divisions vary their use of technology?
- Is technology used to individualize students’ learning? To track or assess their progress?
- What policies and practices are in place to keep students safe and secure, including in an online environment?
Questions like these will help families ensure they find the right school for their children — schools where educators and families work together to help students become future-ready.
