The Digital World: Getting Ready for 2025

As we get closer to 2025, I've been thinking about the amazing things my team and colleagues have done over the past 15 years.

Back in 2012, we led Battle Abbey School through e-Mature adjudication, making it one of the few schools in Europe to earn this status from Dr. Chris Leigh. This put Battle Abbey School on the map as a leader in using and integrating digital technologies in its curriculum and infrastructure, even in the nursery.

Key contributors in our nursery school included Teresa Rapley , in our prep school Mr. Croft and Mrs. Hazell, and in our senior school Damian Baldry, Philip Usher , and his wife. For example, iPads were seamlessly integrated into PE and science lessons in both senior and prep schools. We excelled in leadership and vision, professional development, and digital resources. Grassroots work and collaboration within each faculty were crucial.

This led to Battle Abbey School being part of a special group of schools in Europe leading the integration of digital technologies to facilitate learning within the Open Discovery Space Project by Dr. sofoklis sotiriou and his team. I received a lot of support from people outside my institution, like Alan Greenberg and Richard Taylor , both Edtech Worldwide Champions and good friends of mine. Over the past decades, they have revolutionized learning strategies through educational technologies.

Of course, the launch of Khan Academy in 2008 was a major driver for change in education, and we were pleased to be on the same wavelength. Back then, we were sure that the pace of change over the next 30 years would mirror the digital revolution we have experienced in our lifetime. We knew those who embraced and drove that change would be better prepared for our digital future.

In 2012, we made enough of a difference with our 'technology for learning' to be part of a small elite group of schools labeled e-Mature, actively engaged in curriculum design, international education, and educational leadership.

The ODS was one of the largest projects in educational change ever funded by the European Union back then.

Fast forward to now, and what have we seen happen?

By 2016, companies like Uber and Airbnb were already changing the way we live and work. These changes were not just about technology; they were shaking up the whole system. Then COVID hit, and online remote learning platforms took off to keep students on their learning journeys with minimal disruption. Teachers had to reinvent themselves and adapt their teaching practices to online lessons.

Fibre optic and broadband connections became bottlenecks for many schools trying to deliver online content or run lessons with multiple students logged in at the same time. This created new challenges to overcome.

This reminds me of a story told by Dr Christina Preston about the “tech in cupboards” syndrome. In the 1990s, modems were distributed to London schools. Many schools didn't know what modems were for, and they simply gathered dust on window sills or in cupboards. Some headteachers didn't know what they were and thought of them as dust traps.

Fast forward to today, and we still see interactive whiteboards, iPads, 3D printers, and green screens worth thousands of euros sitting unused in cupboards.

With 2025 on the horizon and AI flooding the educational landscape, we must ask ourselves: why does this happen, and how can we prevent it?

One of the main reasons is the “loss of champions”: often, the person who spearheaded the technology initiative leaves, taking their enthusiasm and knowledge with them. Another issue is the lack of training, as educators may not receive adequate training or ongoing support to fully integrate these tools into their teaching. Of course, there's also resistance to change. People naturally resist change, especially when the benefits of new technology aren't immediately clear.

It's always worth asking if someone has 20 years of experience or one year repeated 20 times!

However, with AI and its clear benefits, many teachers are now jumping on the bandwagon.

Finally, budget constraints are important. Often, after the initial investment, there's not much budget left for the updates needed to keep your e-platform relevant and efficient.

We have seen exponential growth in technology capacity but have lagged in developing a viable and sustainable philosophy of learning that connects meaningfully to personal needs and the requirements of the 21st-century globalized labor market.

Central to this issue is leadership.

So, how do we keep the cupboard doors open and ensure these tools are used effectively? Provide ongoing training and support for all staff (and please don’t drown them in paperwork) to use new technologies effectively. Make sure all stakeholders are involved: teachers, administrators, students, and parents must be involved in the decision-making process to ensure buy-in and practical implementation. Showcase all your success stories. Highlight and celebrate instances where technology has been successfully integrated to inspire others. Conduct regular reviews to assess the usage and impact of new technology and make necessary adjustments.

In the words of a former student of mine, Brendan O’Keeffe , “a robust digital strategy is no longer optional – it is essential. Schools need to leverage technology to enhance learning, improve safeguarding, and prepare students for the world ahead.”

In 2025, this change will be even more dramatic. Artificial intelligence will be part of our everyday lives, helping us with everything from shopping to healthcare. The way we work will be very different, with more flexibility but also new challenges. However, our schools often don't prepare students for this changing world. They still focus too much on memorizing facts instead of teaching students how to think critically and solve problems.

This gap between what students learn in school and what they need to know in the real world is growing bigger.

In 2025, this will become a serious problem.

Today's students will be the leaders of tomorrow, and they need the skills to succeed in a complex and ever-changing world.

The future is not something that happens to us; it's something we create. Let's make sure our schools help students build the skills they need to create a brighter future for everyone.

Thank you for reading my post.