Even before the pandemic, Lumen Touch was working with Kansas schools to envision the future of education. That future is technology, whether in the classroom or when learning from home. Technology doesn’t replace teachers – it frees them from the mundane, repetitive tasks of education and allows them to focus on enrichment and one-on-one development with students. It allows every student the opportunity for an individualized education. This was true before the pandemic and it remains true now.

Identifying the Gaps

What the pandemic has shown us is that while we already have some of the tools we need in place, there are gaps. Some students do not have access to the internet; some don’t have laptops or computers at home; some districts have no budget to provide these things. That’s where we– as edtech leaders, educators, and school administrators – need to devote ourselves as we move forward. The future of education needs to be, above all, more equitable.

Identifying the Opportunities

We have also discovered that, when done well, distance learning can lead to positive outcomes in which students are stimulated and curious and excited about learning. We’ve met teachers along this journey who are adept at leveraging technology to deliver a memorable learning experience to their students. And we’ve found unsung heroes in every corner from businesses that have stepped up to fill in the gap by providing devices and internet access to parents and teachers who collaborate to ensure that students’ needs are met.

Where Do We Go from Here?

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Because even as we see our way through this pandemic, the world of education will be forever changed. Classrooms will not be the same and neither will schools. As we move forward, we need to consider how to design an education system that:

• Leverages technology without sacrificing human interaction
• Delivers meaningful, student-driven instruction that is engaging and stimulating
• Pivots quickly as needs change and as our understanding of learning improves

We recently hosted a live streamed webinar on the future of education. You can watch it here to get more perspective on where we’re headed:

Lumen Touch is dedicated to being part of the future of education. We focus on improving the learning opportunities for children with measurable outcomes. We have been diligently listening to educators and experts to develop and improve our all-in-one solution. We’re discovering through this pandemic how critical it is to have something like Lumen Touch in place for a seamless transition from the classroom to home education without missing a moment. In a potential hybrid-style future, in which split schedules are the norm and education time is divided between school and home, this is critical. We are in the process of expanding our services to all 50 states. If your school is preparing for a permanent change in instruction and delivery, get in touch.