Teaching Technology in High Schools

95% of teens have smartphones, and half report being online "almost constantly" — a 24% increase in just a decade. The knee-jerk reaction? "Less screen time." But what if that's the wrong approach? Instead of "How do we reduce screen time?" perhaps we should be asking: "How do we transform screen time into something valuable?" At our tech schools across America, we've discovered that deliberate screen time can actually double learning speed. The data proves it: Our Brownsville school took kids from the 31st percentile to the 86th in just one year. The 5 Elements of Transformative Screen Time 1. Creation Over Consumption Our 3rd graders don't watch YouTube - they: • Produce news broadcasts • Build business plans with ChatGPT • Program self-driving cars and drones • Create school ambassador presentations 2. AI-Powered Personalization Every student gets a custom AI tutor that: • Adapts to their exact level • Adjusts material in real-time • Identifies knowledge gaps instantly • Tracks genuine mastery (not memorization) 3. Strategic Time Limits The secret is just 2 hours of focused tech learning daily. The rest is hands-on projects and real-world skills. This isn't theory—we've proven it across 10+ schools. 4. Building Status Through Contribution Research shows teens desperately need to feel competent and valuable. We transform passive scrolling into active creation, where students build real confidence through meaningful digital contributions. 5. Adult-Guided Innovation Parents and teachers don't just monitor—they collaborate: • Join coding projects • Review business plans • Guide content creation • Shape tech habits actively What have our results been? Students are more engaged, learning faster, and developing skills they'll actually use. The digital world isn't going away anytime soon. Traditional schools use tech to deliver the same old lectures. We use it to unleash potential. The challenge isn't screen time itself. It's teaching kids to use technology as a tool for growth instead of an escape from boredom. Because the next generation of entrepreneurs, creators, and innovators won't come from less screen time. They'll come from better screen time.

The Department for Education has published its "Technology in Schools Survey 2024–25", and the findings offer a clear picture of how digital capability is evolving across the sector Here are some of the insights that stood out: 🔹 Digital strategies are becoming the norm 70% of secondary schools now have a digital strategy in place, and teacher engagement in digital planning has increased significantly since 2023. But only around a third of schools have any framework for evaluating the impact of their technology use, a reminder that strategy alone isn’t enough without measurement. 🔹 AI adoption is accelerating 44% of teachers report using Generative AI tools, mainly for lesson planning and admin. Younger teachers are leading the way, while leaders report growing challenges around pupil use, from plagiarism to misinformation. Most schools expect to expand AI training over the next two years. 🔹 Infrastructure is improving at pace Schools are rapidly upgrading: Wi-Fi 6, full-fibre broadband, improved cybersecurity practices and greater use of cloud-based storage. Secondary settings continue to demonstrate higher “digital maturity” overall. 🔹 Technology is increasingly linked to workload reduction and attainment 61% of leaders and 43% of teachers say technology has reduced workload over the last three years, with the biggest time-savers being planning, data management, resource sharing and communication. Two-thirds of leaders believe technology has improved pupil outcomes. 🔹 But classroom device use remains limited Despite better access to hardware, most teachers (around 75%) still use end-user devices in fewer than a quarter of lessons. The shift towards more digital-first pedagogy is happening, but slowly. 🔹 Financial barriers remain the biggest challenge Budget constraints continue to top the list of obstacles. Staff confidence and access to CPD are also recurring themes, particularly as technology evolves faster than training can keep up. The report reinforces a message many of us know well: technology alone doesn’t improve learning, strategy, capability, culture and investment do. AI literacy, cloud-first infrastructure, accessibility tools, and digitally confident staff are becoming essential components of a modern, resilient, future-ready institution.

Stanford University has updated its free, ready-to-use AI lessons for high school educators! Classroom-Ready Resources About AI For Teaching (CRAFT) is a co-design initiative from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. If you're looking for engaging, multidisciplinary activities to help students explore, question, and critique AI, these resources are for you. Some of the latest lesson additions include: AI or Not AI? A critical thinking activity about what actually qualifies as AI. How Can AI Help Us Communicate with Whales? Exploring AI in marine conservation. How Does Bias in AI Affect the Global South? Understanding the consequences of biased data in AI systems. Is ChatGPT Plagiarizing? A debate-driven lesson on AI, creativity, and academic integrity. How Can AI Be Used in Music Generation? Comparing AI-generated music to human-created songs. CRAFT’s library continues to grow, so be sure to check back regularly! You can access all of these free resources here: https://lnkd.in/dHie_PHy Learn more about CRAFT here: https://lnkd.in/dQtCQx7N #AIinEducation #Teachers #AIethics #EdTech

If students don’t learn how to think with AI, they’ll let AI think for them. Last Thursday at Shanghai American School, I got to "beam in" to give a keynote presentation on one of the most urgent conversations in education today: How do we integrate AI without losing what makes learning human? Here are the key takeaways from our time together: • Generative AI can amplify learning—or weaken it. Studies show that when students engage critically with AI, they learn more. But when they rely on it to do the work for them, learning declines. The key? Teach students to think with AI, not just use it. • Confidence in AI can lower critical thinking. Research suggests that when people trust AI too much, they question it less. The best educators will teach students how to balance trust and skepticism when using AI tools. • Ethical AI use starts with values. We discussed how every school needs guiding principles for AI integration—beyond just policies. What should we protect? What should we enhance? These questions shape AI’s role in education. We concluded with "Three Ts" for responsible AI use: 1. Talk – Normalize generative AI discussions with students and teachers. I shared my "Generative AI Guidelines Canvas" to support conversations. https://lnkd.in/gyjTkK7d 2. Teach – Build generative AI literacy into the curriculum. I shared Cora Yang and Dalton Flanagan's C.R.E.A.T.E. framework for teaching students to prompt. https://lnkd.in/g-KYt4Uy 3. Try – Teachers should experiment with generative AI tools in meaningful, ethical ways. I shared Darren Coxon's Hattie Bot to let teachers experiment with building lessons that have high effect size. https://lnkd.in/g44gZzA3 This conversation isn’t over—it’s just beginning. Critical thinking isn't optional if machines do the easy thinking for us. Much gratitude to Alan Preis & Scott Williams for crafting such a great experience. Photo Credit Alex McMillan 🙏 P.S. I asked everyone at Shanghai American School: What values should guide our approach to AI in education? What's your answer? #generativeAI #guidelines #teachers #ethics

Back to School Night took an unexpected and fascinating turn! 🎒 As a parent, you go in ready for syllabi and teacher introductions, but I was genuinely intrigued to learn that one of my son's high school classes will be writing their own AI policy for independent research assignments. This isn't just about rules; it's about navigating the future. In an age where AI tools are increasingly accessible, the conversation isn't if students will use them, but how they will use them responsibly and effectively. This initiative perfectly encapsulates the evolving journey of education. It highlights the critical balance we need to strike: ✅ Empowering students with technological literacy: Understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is no longer optional; it's a fundamental skill. ✅Honing timeless critical thinking: Even with AI, the human element of evaluating information, formulating arguments, and generating original thought remains paramount. ✅ Developing strong presentation and communication skills: AI can assist, but the ability to articulate one's findings clearly and persuasively is uniquely human and more important than ever. Kudos to the educators fostering this kind of forward-thinking environment. It's a powerful reminder that education isn't just about consuming information, but about actively participating in shaping the future – responsibly and intelligently. A copy of their scenario building rules below. #Education #AIPolicy #FutureOfLearning #HighSchool #CriticalThinking #Innovation #Parenting

The Futility of Resistance: Teaching the Ethical Use of AI in Education In 1986, math teachers protested the use of calculators because they feared students would lose the ability to do real mathematics. History proved otherwise. Calculators became tools, not threats. They freed learners from mechanical tasks and opened space for deeper understanding. Today, artificial intelligence sits in the same place calculators once did, and resisting it will not stop its advance. AI is not replacing teachers. It is replacing outdated methods. The question is not whether to use it, but how. Ethical and purposeful integration determines whether it becomes a weapon of laziness or a catalyst for learning. Teachers must be empowered to guide its use. Students must be taught discernment, responsibility, and integrity when applying it. Ian’s Taxonomy offers a clear blueprint for this transformation. It does not worship technology. It grounds it in human purpose. The nine components — Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Skills Development, Values and Ethics, Research and Inquiry, Emotional Development, Cultural Awareness, Environmental Stewardship, and Digital Literacy — ensure balance. When AI enters that framework, it becomes a servant to human intelligence, not its master. Critical thinking turns AI into a mirror for reasoning, not a crutch for answers. Skills development ensures students can build, question, and refine digital tools. Ethical awareness keeps learners accountable for how they use machine intelligence. Emotional development teaches reflection before reaction. Technology and digital literacy then bind it all together with competence. Education’s role is no longer to compete with machines but to produce humans capable of leading them wisely. The old resistance to new tools always begins with fear, the fear of losing control. True leadership in education is about guiding that change with moral clarity and creative courage. AI is here. It will reshape how we learn, think, and work. The goal now is not to ban it but to humanize it. That begins with teachers who understand that every tool, when used with purpose, amplifies human potential. #AIinEducation #EthicalAI #DigitalLiteracy #EducationalReform #IansTaxonomy #FutureOfLearning #TeacherEmpowerment #AIinEducation #EthicalAI #DigitalLiteracy #EducationalReform #IansTaxonomy #FutureOfLearning #TeacherEmpowerment Math Teachers Stage a Calculated Protest - The Washington Post https://lnkd.in/dfWjvYGY https://lnkd.in/ddic6SGa

Can you imagine leaving high school not just with a diploma, but with a certification, a portfolio, and real-world experience? That’s what happens when electives are purpose-driven and aligned with career pathways. Instead of treating electives as classroom fillers, schools can (and should!) design them to: 📌 Connect students to high-demand industries 📌 Embed certifications like Adobe, Python, or CompTIA A+ 📌 Provide hands-on, client-connected projects for local businesses 📌 Teach entrepreneurship so students can launch real ventures The future of high school can’t just about learning, it also has to be about doing so students are truly prepared for the real world.  👉 https://bit.ly/42SEFzM