In the rapidly evolving world of educational technology, Al Kingsley, CEO of NetSupport and developer of classroom.cloud offers a wealth of insights. Recently featured in an EDiT Spotlight interview with EDT&Partners, Kingsley delves into the current state of EdTech its challenges, and the opportunities that lie ahead.
With three decades of experience in EdTech leadership school governance, and policy advocacy, Kingsley provides a unique perspective on the sector. His discussion moves beyond the negative headlines to focus on the real challenges and opportunities where leadership, technology, and policy intersect.
Redefining Educational Technology
Kingsley challenges the broad, negative perception often associated with educational technology. He points out that over half of a school district or multi-academy trust’s tech is used for administrative purposes, such as access controlcashless catering and student information systems. These systems perform essential work that doesn’t directly impact student screen time.
The Importance of Co-Production
Building impactful educational tools is not a one-off transaction; it’s a relationship. Kingsley emphasizes that the best tools are platform-agnostic and interoperable. They are built in collaboration with schools to solve direct operational or workload problems. This approach ensures that the tools meet the specific needs of the educational institutions they serve.
The Path to AI Literacy
With frameworks like PISA’s MAIL (Media and AI Literacy) on the horizon for, Kingsley notes that forward-thinking schools are already treating AI literacy as a fundamental pillar of digital citizenship. He highlights the importance of teaching students to spot bias, question accuracy, and prevent harmful cognitive offloading. This preparation is crucial for navigating the digital world effectively.
Inclusion Through Technology
Despite public pushback on school technology, Kingsley argues that tech is one of our greatest tools for accessibility. From screen readers to reading pens technology supports all students in the classroom. True inclusion occurs when these supportive tools are used natively by all children, rather than singling out students with additional needs.
Kingsley’s perspective underscores the importance of thinking of educational technology as a relationship rather than a transaction. He believes that an educational technology company working with a school should involve significant amounts of training and support to ensure the school gets maximum value. This approach is at the heart of effective EdTech implementation.
To learn more about Al Kingsley’s insights and his work in educational technology, you can visit his website here.
