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Education Technology · Topic

Future Of Learning

30 articles from Education Technology practitioners

The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed

The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…

Darin Francis·Mar 9, 2026
The DisruptED Journey with Tim Maitland at MarketScale (Episode One)

The DisruptED Journey with Tim Maitland at MarketScale (Episode One)

Education doesn’t change in neat, predictable cycles—it shifts when people start asking better questions. Over the past several years, those questions have become louder and more urgent, driven by workforce disruption, new technologies, and a growing demand for learning that actually prepares people for real life. At the same time, media itself has evolved, favoring…

Ron Stefanski·Jan 15, 2026
From 30 to 1,500 Students: Scaling Mass Experiential Learning with How to Change the World

From 30 to 1,500 Students: Scaling Mass Experiential Learning with How to Change the World

Higher education is at a crossroads. Institutions are being asked to do more with less—serve more students, prepare them for a rapidly changing, AI-shaped workforce, and prove the real-world value of a degree—all at the same time. Employers consistently note that while graduates are technically capable, many struggle to apply what they’ve learned to…

Darin Francis·Jan 5, 2026
How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Transforming Workforce Education for America’s Frontline Employees

How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Transforming Workforce Education for America’s Frontline Employees

Work is changing fast. Automation and artificial intelligence aren’t just reshaping how we work—they’re redefining who gets access to opportunity in the first place. With frontline workers making up a significant share of the American workforce—and one in eight Americans having worked at McDonald’s—the discussion about education, skills, and upward mobility feels more urgent…

Ron Stefanski·Oct 21, 2025
Grow Your Own Talent: How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning

Grow Your Own Talent: How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning

The world of work is changing faster than ever. Automation is reshaping jobs, new technologies are rewriting what “qualified” means, and a new generation of workers is redefining what they expect from employers. From fast food to healthcare, companies are realizing they can’t just hire talent — they have to build it. They’re starting to…

Ron Stefanski·Oct 7, 2025
How AI is Reshaping Talent, Training, and Logistics to Build the Workforce and Military Force of the Future

How AI is Reshaping Talent, Training, and Logistics to Build the Workforce and Military Force of the Future

Artificial intelligence is radically transforming the military—an institution grappling with an eligibility crisis at home. According to the Department of Defense, a mere 23% of Americans aged 17 to 24 qualify for military force without needing a waiver, meaning that 77% are currently ineligible due to factors like obesity, drug use, and mental or…

Ron Stefanski·Sep 8, 2025
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: With Traditional Training Models Failing, It’s Time for Employers and Educators to Build Solutions Together

Building a Future-Ready Workforce: With Traditional Training Models Failing, It’s Time for Employers and Educators to Build Solutions Together

In an era where the average job tenure in the U.S. hovers under four years and industries are evolving faster than academic curricula can keep up, the need for a new approach to workforce development has never been more urgent. Companies like Amazon and McDonald’s are responding by investing in “education as a benefit”…

Ron Stefanski·Jul 30, 2025
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Disrupting Outdated Education with Employer-Driven, Community-Powered, Practical Skills Training

Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Disrupting Outdated Education with Employer-Driven, Community-Powered, Practical Skills Training

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report…

Ron Stefanski·Jul 28, 2025
Unity’s Jessica Lindl on Playing the Career Game Loop: Learning to Earn in the New Economy (Episode 3)

Unity’s Jessica Lindl on Playing the Career Game Loop: Learning to Earn in the New Economy (Episode 3)

As AI, automation, and immersive tech accelerate disruption, the future of work is being reshaped faster than most institutions can adapt. Entry-level roles for recent graduates are shrinking, traditional degrees are being questioned, and lifelong careers are being replaced by continuous reinvention. In this climate, the most valuable assets are no longer technical certifications…

Ron Stefanski·Jun 16, 2025
Unity’s Jessica Lindl on Playing the Career Game Loop: Learning to Earn in the New Economy (Episode 2)

Unity’s Jessica Lindl on Playing the Career Game Loop: Learning to Earn in the New Economy (Episode 2)

Today’s workforce is facing profound disruption, driven by automation, AI, and shrinking entry-level job opportunities. According to SignalFire’s 2025 State of Talent report, entry-level hiring in tech has dropped by 50% from pre-pandemic levels. In this shifting landscape, younger workers aren’t just seeking jobs—they’re demanding agency, feedback, and purpose. Game-based learning models like the…

Ron Stefanski·Jun 16, 2025
SkillsWave Makes Workforce Upskilling Accessible for Every Business – Episode 2 with Tech Titan John Baker

SkillsWave Makes Workforce Upskilling Accessible for Every Business – Episode 2 with Tech Titan John Baker

Digital learning is undergoing a major shift. As businesses look to retain talent and equip employees for evolving roles, the demand for workforce upskilling is rising fast. A 2023 McKinsey Global Institute survey found that 87% of companies worldwide are either experiencing skill gaps or expect to within five years, posing risks to productivity…

Ron Stefanski·Jun 6, 2025
The Future of Higher Ed? Mass Experiential Learning That Delivers Durable Skills

The Future of Higher Ed? Mass Experiential Learning That Delivers Durable Skills

Higher education is at a turning point. As employers demand more than technical proficiency, schools are being challenged to equip students with durable skills like collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Traditional classroom models often fall short of this need. This shift has fueled growing interest in mass experiential learning as a way to prepare…

Ron Stefanski·Jun 4, 2025
Generative AI tools Is Taking On the Tedious Tasks—Freeing Teachers to Inspire, Mentor, and Elevate Student Thinking

Generative AI tools Is Taking On the Tedious Tasks—Freeing Teachers to Inspire, Mentor, and Elevate Student Thinking

Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of engagement in education. As generative AI tools like ChatGPT become increasingly integrated into academic environments, they’re reshaping what productivity, personalization, and pedagogy look like. According to McKinsey’s research, teachers typically spend 20 to 40 percent of their time on tasks that could be automated with today’s technology,…

Michael B. Horn·May 21, 2025
AI in Education Can Democratize Expertise—But Only If Systems Evolve

AI in Education Can Democratize Expertise—But Only If Systems Evolve

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in our everyday lives, AI and education are becoming more tightly intertwined. Many teachers and students are experimenting with AI in education, from personalized tutoring tools to automated lesson planning. While traditional edtech tools struggled to deliver on the promise of personalized learning, today’s generative AI appears poised to…

Michael B. Horn·May 14, 2025
Classroom AI: Who Should It Serve First—Teachers or Students?

Classroom AI: Who Should It Serve First—Teachers or Students?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming nearly every sector, and education is no exception. As AI capabilities evolve, tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta have increasingly showcased education as a core use case in product rollouts. But the tools being created often split along a critical divide: are they meant for teachers, or for…

Michael B. Horn·May 12, 2025
JUST THINKING… About Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Intelligence with Dr. Michael Harvey

JUST THINKING… About Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Intelligence with Dr. Michael Harvey

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve at lightning speed, the conversation is shifting from what AI can do to what it should do—and how it compares with, or complements, the uniquely human traits we bring to learning, work, and society. While schools grapple with AI’s integration into classrooms, some educators are asking a deeper question:…

MarketScale·May 12, 2025
The Future of Residential College: Hybrid, Scalable, and Built for Student Demand

The Future of Residential College: Hybrid, Scalable, and Built for Student Demand

As enrollment pressures mount, smaller institutions are abandoning one-size-fits-all models in favor of flexible learning formats that meet evolving student exp

Darin Francis·May 8, 2025
Nontraditional Education Is Outpacing the System With Real-World Skills, Student-Led Ventures, and Community-Driven Networks

Nontraditional Education Is Outpacing the System With Real-World Skills, Student-Led Ventures, and Community-Driven Networks

Alternative learning models are giving students hands-on experience and entrepreneurial networks that traditional schools struggle to provide

Michael B. Horn·May 7, 2025
Reboot Business Education: Make Lifelong Learning the Default

Reboot Business Education: Make Lifelong Learning the Default

Business schools must shift from credential factories to continuous learning ecosystems as AI and digital transformation accelerate workforce demands

Michael B. Horn·May 5, 2025
Career Planning Beyond the College Track: How Work-Based Learning Expands Career Options for Students

Career Planning Beyond the College Track: How Work-Based Learning Expands Career Options for Students

Students are discovering viable career pathways that skip the traditional four-year college route and lead to six-figure earning potential

Michael B. Horn·May 2, 2025
Will the New Education R&D Bill Spark the Innovation Schools Desperately Need?

Will the New Education R&D Bill Spark the Innovation Schools Desperately Need?

Federal lawmakers propose a DARPA-style research hub to fund breakthrough education innovations that traditional funding mechanisms have left behind

Michael B. Horn·Apr 25, 2025
TGR Foundation Scales Career-Connected Learning With Measurable Impact

TGR Foundation Scales Career-Connected Learning With Measurable Impact

A nonprofit demonstrates how embedding real-world career experiences into K-12 curricula produces measurable gains in student engagement and workforce readiness

Michael B. Horn·Apr 16, 2025
Fixing College and Career Guidance for Parents, Students, and Schools

Fixing College and Career Guidance for Parents, Students, and Schools

Overwhelmed families and underprepared graduates reveal a critical gap in how schools guide students toward viable career paths

Michael B. Horn·Apr 14, 2025
Mesa’s Team Teaching Model Tackles Teacher Shortage and Accelerates Learning

Mesa’s Team Teaching Model Tackles Teacher Shortage and Accelerates Learning

Pairing educators in classrooms proves to boost retention while freeing teachers to focus on individualized student growth

Michael B. Horn·Apr 9, 2025
Preparing Students for the Real World: Why Career Education, Not College, May Be the Answer

Preparing Students for the Real World: Why Career Education, Not College, May Be the Answer

Millions of young adults are neither working nor studying, signaling that traditional pathways may be failing students in today's job market

Michael B. Horn·Apr 7, 2025
Tackling All That K-12 Schools Try to Do: The Solutions

Tackling All That K-12 Schools Try to Do: The Solutions

Schools grapple with impossible mandates while emerging technologies challenge how education's expanding mission should be divided among institutions

Michael B. Horn·Mar 31, 2025
What K-12 Education System Tries to Do And Where It Misses

What K-12 Education System Tries to Do And Where It Misses

American schools struggle to balance expanding social missions with declining literacy proficiency among core student populations

Michael B. Horn·Mar 26, 2025
DisruptED in the D: Educational Outtakes with Jason Aubrey and Dr. Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich (Ep. 2)

DisruptED in the D: Educational Outtakes with Jason Aubrey and Dr. Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich (Ep. 2)

As student debt hits $2 trillion, education leaders debate whether traditional degrees still deliver the skills and ROI today's economy demands

Ron Stefanski·Feb 26, 2025
DisruptED in the D: Educational Outtakes with Jason Aubrey and Dr. Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich (Ep. 1)

DisruptED in the D: Educational Outtakes with Jason Aubrey and Dr. Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich (Ep. 1)

Two education leaders examine how rising tuition and skills gaps are forcing institutions to rethink the traditional degree model

Ron Stefanski·Feb 26, 2025
Community and Belonging in the DisruptED World of Education

Community and Belonging in the DisruptED World of Education

Students thrive when they feel connected, even as technology transforms how and where they learn

Ron Stefanski·Oct 2, 2024
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