Education technology has the potential to expand the capacity and efficiency of educators, personalize student learning, and increase access to enriching experiences and information. These changes are important—not just for enhancing student learning today, but also for preparing students to thrive in the technologically advanced environments of tomorrow.

In the past decade, schools have taken great strides in harnessing technology to encourage and empower student learning. As of late 2019, nearly every school had access to high-speed internet, enabling educators to leverage a vast array of digital learning tools for students during the hours they are inside the school building. Yet issues of equity remained: low-income students and students of color had less access to tech at home, leading to a “homework gap” caused by the digital divide in many communities.

The problem of the digital divide came into sharp focus in 2020, as COVID-related school closures and disruptions pushed educators everywhere to confront the accessibility challenges of remote teaching and learning. For many, the first order of business was getting computers and Wi-Fi into students’ homes, as it became clear that even a student with a computer and Wi-Fi at home might be sharing that equipment with multiple family members.

Creative schools continued to invent, tapping into technology to stay in touch with students and enable meaningful remote learning while school buildings were closed. Schools like Crosstown High in Memphis gave students simple online tools to manage their weekly assignments, consistent with the school’s vision for developing students who are “Learners for Life,” an XQ Learner Goal. Elizabethton High in Tennessee and Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indiana recruited outside experts to serve as advisors and panelists for virtual student presentations. Many high schools launched or expanded their use of online learning management systems, scheduling tools, and video conferencing applications.

There is much to be learned from these experiences, as schools search for lessons on how best to incorporate technology meaningfully into the educational experience. The right tools and techniques are those that advance a school’s vision for teaching and learning, meet the needs of educators and students, and help the entire school community stay authentically connected, even in challenging times.

Leveraging technology creatively and effectively involves:

• Thinking strategically about how and why to use technology
• Seeking out expertise about what tech can and can’t do for education, particularly in light of your own unique design for teaching and learning
• Exploring the full range of technological solutions available and tradeoffs among them
• Assessing cost and accessibility issues for all students and families and making necessary accommodations
• Considering data privacy and security issues
• Giving educators and students opportunities to inform and offer feedback on possible ed tech choices
• Providing support for educators to use new tools and asking them for feedback on how they’re working