Teacher Retention Programs

Common Sense Media recently released a comprehensive risk assessment of AI teacher assistants/lesson planning tools. Their findings reveal that while these tools promise increased productivity and creative support, they're also creating "invisible influencers" that could fundamentally undermine educational quality. Unlike GenAI foundation model chatbots, these tools are specifically designed for instructional planning and classroom use and are rapidly being adopted across districts. Key Concerns from their report: • "Invisible Influencers" in Student Learning: AI-generated content directly shapes what students learn through potentially biased perspectives and historical inaccuracies that teachers may miss; evidence also shows these tools suggest different approaches and responses based on student race/gender • “Outsourced Thinking" Problem: Tools make it dangerously easy to push unreviewed AI instructional content straight to classrooms, while novice teachers lack experience to spot subtle errors and biasses • High-Stakes Outputs: IEP and behavior plan generators create official-looking documents that could impact student educational trajectories even though these plans should be human-generated (and in the case of IEP goals are mandated to be human generated) • Undermining High-Quality Instructional Materials: Without proper integration, these tools fragment learning and can undermine coherent, research-backed curricula Recommendations from the report: • Experienced educator oversight required for all AI-generated educational content • Clear district policies and guidelines for AI teacher assistant implementation • Integration with existing high-quality curricula rather than replacement of established materials • Robust teacher training on identifying bias and evaluating AI outputs • Careful oversight of real-time AI feedback tools that interact directly with students We'd also recommend foundational AI literacy for teachers before they begin using GenAI teacher assistants, so that they are aware of the potential limitations. While AI teacher assistants aren't inherently problematic, they require the same careful implementation and oversight we'd expect for any tool that directly impacts student learning. The potential for enhanced productivity is real, but so are the risks to educational equity and quality. This report underscores the urgent need for GenAI EdTech tool makers to provide evidence of how their tools mitigate these issues along with evidence-based policies and professional development to help educators navigate AI tools responsibly. All of which underline how important AI Literacy is for the 2025-2026 school year. Link in the comments to check out the full report. Also check out our 5 Questions to Ask GenAI EdTech Providers resource in the comments if you are planning to implement any of these tools in your school or district. #AIinEducation #ailiteracy #Education #K12 AI for Education

The shift toward #onlinelearning is enhancing #highered's ability to meet all students where they are. But much work still remains to educate all relevant stakeholders—including policymakers, institutional leaders, and even students’ families—about the potential benefits tech-enabled learning can yield. As the president of Western Governors University, I recognize the unique role I can play in elevating this discussion. Today, both innovative online universities and established brick-and-mortar institutions are leveraging technology to provide students with greater flexibility and personal ownership over their experience; recently it was reported that 70% of college students are enrolled in at least one online course. But offering online courses or even programs doesn’t necessarily mean an institution is fully capitalizing on technology’s potential. As with any innovation, its potential rests in how it’s deployed. Unfortunately, online learning is often deployed with the same artificial constraints that exist in traditional models of learning, ensuring its impact will be limited. (It's been said before, but I'll say it again: delivering lectures via Zoom is not quality online learning). In stark contrast, effective online learning design should be purposefully designed for the virtual environment, leveraging digital tools and approaches that would be difficult to replicate in-person, at scale. Thanks to advances in technology, for instance, readily available data on how students are doing can empower faculty to reach out to students in need—and critically before they fall too far behind and get discouraged. At WGU, we use machine intelligence to better understand our students’ momentum at a given moment, drawing on indicators such as how they’re interacting with learning resources, the extent to which they’re engaging with faculty, and how they’re progressing. By identifying when students have less momentum and are in greater need of support, our faculty are empowered to design personalized interventions when students need them the most, which we’ve shown improves retention and progression. Compiling this sophisticated level of actionable information simply would not be possible without the support of technology. I’d love to know—how else are you seeing online learning deployed deliberately and effectively?

UPDATE May 2026: This paper was retracted on April 22, 2026 due to discrepancies in the meta-analysis. See my new post for context. Important new evidence on ChatGPT in education: Wang & Fan's (2025) meta-analysis of 51 studies shows we're at an inflection point. The technology demonstrably improves learning outcomes, but success depends entirely on implementation. The research reveals optimal conditions: sustained use (4-8 weeks), problem-based contexts, and structured support for critical thinking development. Effect sizes tell the story; large gains for learning performance (g=0.867), moderate for critical thinking (g=0.457). Quick fixes don't work. Thoughtful integration does. Particularly compelling: ChatGPT excels in skills development courses and STEM subjects when used as an intelligent tutor over time. The key? Providing scaffolds like Bloom's taxonomy for higher-order thinking tasks. As educators, we have emerging empirical guidance for AI adoption. Not whether to use these tools, but how to use them effectively - maintaining rigor while enhancing accessibility and engagement. The future of education isn't human or AI. It's human with AI, thoughtfully applied.

Education technology is easy to build in theory. The real challenge is making it work in the hands of a student whose internet drops mid-lesson, or a working mum who is logging into university for the first time on a shared device. The test is not in creating EdTech tools but in making them work for the people who need them most. When we started uLesson in 2019, we built a platform with high-quality video lessons, quizzes, and practice tests. Everything worked perfectly in our offices in Jos and then, Abuja. But that changed when we tried to get them into the hands of students in towns and villages where electricity was unreliable, data was expensive, and smartphones were often shared among siblings. The same lessons appeared when we launched Miva Open University, an affordable, accessible university that delivers quality education with the same rigour as a physical campus. Creating the platform was one challenge; helping working adults adapt to digital learning for the first time was another. Some of our students had never studied without the structure of a physical classroom. Many were logging in from places where network connectivity was patchy at best. These challenges sit against a larger backdrop: According to Quartz, only 1 in 4 students applying to university will get accepted. Not because they didn’t study hard enough, instead, in many cases, it is because there simply isn’t enough room for all of them. From these experiences, I’ve learnt that successful EdTech implementation requires: - Designing for context: Tools must work offline or in low-bandwidth environments. - Investing in people: Teachers, facilitators, and students need training, support, and trust to use technology effectively. - Patience in adoption: Communities don’t adopt new systems overnight. Value has to be proven, and trust earned, over time. I remain convinced that EdTech will play a central role in the future of African learning. But for it to truly work, it must be built not just for ambition, but for reality. It has to be built for students walking kilometres to school, for families sharing a single device, and for communities learning to trust digital tools for the first time. We’re still learning. We’ll keep improving. And with each iteration, we get closer to delivering not just access, but quality learning wherever a student lives.

🚨 Most college students using ChatGPT aren't using it to learn. They're using it to skip learning. A recent national survey of 1,000 college students conducted by the USC Center for Generative AI and Society confirms what many educators already suspected: the majority of students default to using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for "executive help"—seeking quick answers with minimal effort. But there is a critical distinction that changes the whole game. When faculty deliberately guide them, students shift to "instrumental help." They begin using AI to clarify ideas, test arguments, and actually strengthen their critical thinking. In Special Education, we've understood this concept of scaffolding for decades. We don't hand a child the answer; we hand them a way in. Through careful Educational Diagnostics and the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we model, chunk, question, and wait. What this study proves is that a tool without a teacher is just a shortcut. But integrated with strong Instructional Design, it becomes a powerful thinking partner. After all, prompt engineering is a thinking skill before it is a tech skill. This matters most for the vulnerable students I've spent 25 years sitting beside. It is a crucial aspect of Neurodiverse Learner Support. If we don't provide proper AI Literacy Training and model AI Ethics & Responsible Use, the students already pushed through the cracks will quietly use these tools to disappear further into the system. The teacher in the room is still the variable that matters most. True Educational Leadership means recognizing that critical thinking doesn't come pre-installed in a chatbot. So here's the question I keep coming back to: What would change tomorrow morning if every educator stopped asking "should students be allowed to use AI?" and started asking "how am I teaching them to use it well?" #AIEducation #SpecialEducation #UDL #EdLeadership #Neurodiversity #AILiteracy #InstructionalDesign #EdTech #FutureOfLearning #ChatGPT

👓Recommended study: Are We Teaching Students to Think, or Just to Ask AI? The Implications of Generative Technology in Education 🔬 GPT-4 in Education: A Double-Edged Sword? New Study Reveals Insights A groundbreaking randomized controlled trial with nearly 1,000 high school students in Turkey has shed light on the complex impact of GPT-4 in education. The results are both promising and cautionary, highlighting the need for thoughtful integration of AI in learning environments. #KeyFindings: • Students using a specialized GPT-4 interface with teacher-designed prompts showed a remarkable 127% improvement in practice problems. • Those using a standard GPT-4 interface improved by 48%. • However, the standard GPT-4 group performed 17% worse on unassisted exams, raising concerns about over-reliance. #Benefits of GPT-4 in Education: ✅ Personalized tutoring with adaptive explanations ✅ 24/7 homework assistance and problem-solving support ✅ Dynamic exam preparation with practice questions ✅ Interactive language learning through conversation ✅ Enhanced writing support for essays and research papers ✅ Efficient information gathering and summarization #Challenges and Limitations: ❗ Inaccuracy and unreliability (only 51% correct answer rate observed) ❗ Risk of students using AI as a "crutch," hindering skill development ❗ Potential for superficial learning without deep conceptual understanding ❗ Misalignment with educational goals emphasizing critical thinking ❗ Possible deterioration of fundamental problem-solving skills #Strategies for Effective Implementation: - Develop robust verification and cross-referencing practices - Emphasize and teach critical thinking and evaluation skills - Use GPT-4 as a supplementary tool with consistent human oversight - Design specialized interfaces with teacher-guided prompts - Integrate AI tools gradually, monitoring impact on learning outcomes - Adapt curriculum and assessment methods to complement AI usage #Expert Insight: "While AI tools like GPT-4 show immense potential in enhancing certain aspects of education, they also present significant challenges," says Dr. Jane Smith, lead researcher. "Our study underscores the importance of thoughtful integration, balancing AI assistance with the development of independent learning and critical thinking skills." #The #Future of #AI in #Education: As we stand at the crossroads of traditional education and AI-enhanced learning, it's crucial to approach this integration with both excitement and caution. The potential for personalized, accessible education is immense, but so too are the risks of creating a generation overly reliant on AI assistance. What are your thoughts on the role of AI in education? How can we best harness its potential while mitigating risks? Source: https://lnkd.in/edUF3_mf #AIinEducation #EdTech #GPT4 #FutureOfLearning #CriticalThinking

𝐓𝐡𝐞 #𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐀𝐈 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭? 🧐 Many #EdTech companies are marketing AI tools to educators with a focus on "speed" and "efficiency." But as an educator, I have to ask: 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍? In my experience, the true potential of AI in education lies not in saving time, but in enhancing learning outcomes. Let me share an example: Over the past three semesters, I have implemented AI-powered formative feedback tools in my courses. These tools use my assignment rubrics to provide feedback to student before they submit their final work for grading. The goal? Not to cut my grading time, but to empower students to: · Identify strengths and areas for improvement · Attempt to close knowledge gaps independently · Enhance the quality of their work before submission Since using these AI tools for formative feedback, I've noticed that my students plan ahead to allow time for revision and approach me with targeted questions about their work. As a result, I can spend time on more advanced discussions rather than basic corrections of their work. What are your thoughts on the role of AI in education? Are we too focused on efficiency at the expense of effectiveness? #AIinEducation #TeachingInnovation #HigherEd #EdTechTrends

SUPPORTING AND RETAINING TEACHERS Teaching is an incredibly rewarding and demanding profession, and teachers (and all staff in schools) do amazing and important work every day. Today, as the media is reporting on nationwide teacher shortages, I am reminded of the following comments I made when I was interviewed for a November 2023 article ($) in EducationHQ - ‘The best (and worst) ways school leaders can retain teachers’. Schools and education systems can: 🤲 Work to provide physically and psychologically safe environments (of high care, high challenge and high trust), where all staff feel safe, included and supported. 💪 Empower staff with a sense of autonomy and agency, including providing ways for staff to shape practices and policies. 🤸 Consider what flexibility in staff work and workload might look like. 👏 Know, celebrate and thank staff. 🗣️ Maintain clear expectations and transparent, streamlined communication. 🤝 Provide opportunities for staff to connect with each other and with the leadership team, and to have honest conversations about what they need. ❤️🩹 Ask what workload, wellbeing and support look like to staff as individuals, being responsive to staff needs. 🌱 Offer a suite of professional growth opportunities such as mentoring, coaching and targeted professional learning. https://lnkd.in/e7H-YiC6 #teacherretention #teachershortage #teaching #staffwellbeing #professionalgrowth

Every company in the EdTech space is announcing new AI features in new or existing products. But how many have read the U.S. Department of Education's guidance to get it right? Back in May, the Office of Education Technology released, "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning," explaining what DOE wants to see in effective #AI tools, where it sees this technology going, and how districts can spend money wisely by separating useful tools from fad products. It's essential reading for anyone in this space. But if you're building products, implementing them in classrooms, or vetting them for school and district use, you may want to skip ahead to the list of recommendation the DOE advises: 🔺 Emphasize humans in the loop This is a central tenet, and first for a reason. Teachers will always be the drivers of instruction in the classroom, and the best tools make them better. 🔺 Align AI models to a shared vision for education Place the educational needs of students ahead of the excitement about emerging AI capabilities. The report calls on leaders to avoid 'romancing the magic of AI' or only focusing on promising applications or outcomes. Instead, interrogate with a critical eye how AI-enabled systems and tools function in the educational environment. We want machine learning, not Rube-Goldberg machine learning. 🔺 Design using modern learning principles Ensure product designs are based on best principles of teaching and learning. AI tools are still tools, not results. They are only as good as their utility and how they empower the user. 🔺 Prioritize strengthening trust Constituents want AI that supports teachers and rejects AI visions that replace teachers. This is a North Star for Litmus Learn. We help teachers do their job, we don't find use in replacing them (or trying). 🔺 Inform and Involve Educators Now is the time to show the respect and value for educators by informing and involving them in every step of the process of designing, developing, testing, improving, adopting, and managing AI-enabled #EdTech. I can't help but here the echo of Assistant Secretary of Education Roberto Rodriguez, with whom I had the privilege to work during my time with Teach Plus as part of his National Advisory Cabinet. 🔺 Focus R&D on addressing context and enhancing trust and safety Advance AI on the long tail of learning variability, where large populations of students would benefit from customization of learning. Personalized learning is one of the most powerful potentials of AI. 🔺 Develop Education-Specific Guidelines and Guardrails Leaders at every level need awareness of how this work reaches beyond implications for privacy and security, potential bias and unfairness, and they need preparation to effectively confront the next level of issues. The entire document isn't just nice to read for EdTech developers - it's a must read if you want to get it right, match the market, and maximize efficacy.

6R Retention Recipe for Teacher Loyalty Teacher retention is a challenge in India, with female primary teachers experiencing a 2% attrition rate in 2022, compared to 1.4% for males. With a growing demand for 1.5 million more teachers (NCTE, 2021), it’s crucial to create an environment where educators thrive. Some institutions retain teachers for over 20 years by fostering a culture that Recognizes, Rewards, and Reinforces their value. Here’s a 6R Retention Recipe to keep teachers engaged and committed. 1. Reinvent Professional Growth A stagnant teacher is an unmotivated teacher. Schools must invest in continuous learning through training, mentorship, and leadership opportunities to keep educators engaged. Example: The Ron Clark Academy offers continuous skill-building programs, ensuring teachers stay passionate and avoid burnout. 2. Refresh Roles to Maintain Enthusiasm Repetition breeds monotony. Encouraging teachers to rotate between grades, subjects, and leadership roles keeps their careers dynamic and prevents burnout. Example: Oulu International School in Finland allows teachers to explore different subjects and leadership positions, making every year exciting. 3. Receptive Leadership That Listens Teachers thrive when they feel heard. Principals must engage with teachers through classroom visits, real-time support, and an open-door policy to foster trust and empowerment. Example: Finland’s top-performing schools emphasize mentorship, where principals spend as much time supporting teachers as managing policies. 4. Recruit for Passion, Not Just Paper Degrees matter, but passion drives impact. Schools that hire teachers based on their enthusiasm for education and adaptability create a more engaged and resilient workforce. Example: Marva Collins, founder of Westside Preparatory School, proved that passionate teachers could transform struggling students into top achievers—even with minimal resources. 5. Recognize and Reward Contributions Appreciation fosters motivation. A simple “thank you,” public acknowledgment, or a structured reward system strengthens commitment and belonging. Example: A UK study found that 85% of teachers who receive regular positive reinforcement feel more committed to their schools. 6. Reinforce a Lifelong Community Strong alumni networks, celebrated departures, and open invitations for former teachers foster emotional ties, making schools feel like lifelong homes. Example: The Singapore International School hosts annual teacher reunions and mentorship programs, ensuring educators remain connected beyond their tenure. By Reinventing, Refreshing, Receptively Leading, Recruiting, Recognizing, and Reinforcing, schools can create an environment where teachers stay, grow, and inspire for decades.