Technology Works Best When It Helps Make Learning More Human

One of the reasons I look forward to the Educator Confidence Report (ECR) every year is that it tells us not only how educators are feeling, but also what is giving them hope and what continues to make their work more difficult.

According to this year’s ECR, educator optimism increased for the fourth consecutive year. More than half of educators now say they feel positive about the profession—the highest level of positive sentiment we’ve seen since we first launched this report more than a decade ago. That is certainly an encouraging sign after several years of extraordinary challenges.

Still educators continue to tell us they’re navigating significant pressures. Seven in 10 say they are not confident that the current direction of education policy will improve teaching and learning. And concerns about educator and student mental health also remain top of mind, just narrowly outpacing worries about decreasing funding.

As I said when we released the report, optimism is an important sign of progress, but many educators are still carrying a heavy load. This is especially true as they help students navigate challenges that did not exist a generation ago, while also figuring out how to use new technologies in ways that make their teaching better.

That balance is especially clear in the findings about AI in classrooms. Eight in 10 educators now say they use AI-powered tools, up from just 10% in 2023. Nearly nine in 10 feel confident using AI instructionally, and 84% believe it has the potential to support academic growth.

Much of the conversation around AI has centered on whether it belongs in education at all. Today, these numbers show how quickly AI has become a routine part of educators’ work. Despite this surge in use, educators remain worried about student overdependence, plagiarism, and the possibility that AI could devalue human-led instruction. They are embracing the benefits of this new technology, while being discerning about what could go wrong if it’s used in the wrong ways. That’s a lesson all of us can learn from.

That nuance is one of the most important findings in this year’s report: educators see meaningful potential in AI, but they are not interested in technology for technology’s sake. In other words, educators don’t simply want more technology in classrooms; they want technology that fits naturally into the work they’re doing already.

Technology that supports teaching

When it comes to technology in classrooms, educators aren’t asking for more technology—unless it can genuinely support teaching. That means:

• Practical professional learning and clear ethical guidelines
• Tools that fit naturally into high-quality instructional materials and the work they already do
• Better-connected systems that solve real instructional challenges rather than creating new ones

To me, that is where the conversation needs to remain focused. Technology can help personalize instruction, support student growth, and help teachers respond to individual needs. But it is most valuable when it works in service of high-quality teaching and strengthens, rather than diminishes, the relationship between teachers and students.

The best technology does not need to become the focus of the classroom—it works in the background, giving teachers valuable time to build relationships with their students, better insights to respond to students’ needs, and greater flexibility to focus on meaningful learning experiences.

That’s what gives me confidence as I look ahead. Educators are embracing the possibility of AI while remaining clear-eyed about its risks and limitations. And they are asking the right questions—not simply whether technology belongs in education, but whether it is helping them teach more effectively and helping students succeed.

Education will always be about the people. Our responsibility is to make sure the technology educators rely on keeps their needs, and the needs of their students, at the center. And that’s a vision of the future worth feeling optimistic about!

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