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• Students work and collaborate both inside and outside difficult to work collaboratively on projects. Students
the classroom. Learning is personalized and self- have multiple demands on their time, including music
directed. Students have flexible, anytime access to lessons, sports, looking after siblings and jobs. It’s more
infinite resources. Students learn and achieve in new and more challenging for students to find time to work
ways. together.
• Parents are kept informed of their child’s progress at • Interest and Attention: Today’s learners are
all levels. They can access assessments and teacher accustomed to being entertained due to special effects
feedback and communicate with teachers and on TV and in movies, and immersive experiences such
administrators. School performance improves, as does as video games. Educators find that adequately engaging
their child’s education. students is challenging as a result.
• Teachers access rich content resources and tailor • Diversity: Students have varying needs. Kinesthetic
instruction to the needs of individual students. They learners have different requirements than reflective
track student progress and rapidly take appropriate learners, for example. Students with visual impairments
action when necessary. Teachers communicate easily may only have one large print resource book available
with parents, administrators, and each other. Flexible, for a research project where other students have access
self-directed professional development enables teachers to dozens of resources.
to continuously improve their skills. • Equitable Access: Many students lack easy access to
• Administrators work in an integrated environment quality learning materials, resources, technology, their
where student information is seamlessly integrated teachers, and in some cases, their own parents. This is
between systems within the school, across schools, in part economic, in part social, and in part cultural.
and with government agencies. Work processes are a Economic: Not all schools or families can afford to
streamlined and automated. Administrators easily provide computing access or network connectivity.
communicate with stakeholders, manage costs, and a Distance: Distance or geographic location
improve school performance. can limit students’ access to outside speakers,
educational options, courses, or the ability to work
Students in the Ecosystem collaboratively with others.
a Cultural: Some students are limited to only those
Students are busy. With demands on their time, they juggle instructional materials available in a particular
multiple projects and responsibilities. Students need tools language or that present a particular perspective.
that will help them overcome challenges and manage their
learning and their lives. They need a learning ecosystem that Teachers in the Ecosystem
enables them to make the most efficient use of their time.
They also need tools that meet their diverse learning styles Teachers are on the “front lines” of education and one of
and situations. With a more effective learning ecosystem, the most critical factors to student success. They are the
a day in the life of a student is more easily managed and designers of learning activities, the providers of feedback
productive, and their learning experience enhanced. and the intermediaries that understand why a particular
student may be thriving or struggling. In today’s knowledge
In an effective and comprehensive learning ecosystem, economy, teachers are required to be accountable for more
students can: information than they have time to absorb. Information
• Manage their time. systems must help them assimilate knowledge in a time-
• Work collaboratively. saving, not time-consuming, method.
• Learn effectively outside of school.
• Access powerful tools for learning and presenting. In an effective and comprehensive learning ecosystem,
• Quickly and conveniently access personal and global teachers can:
learning resources anytime and anyplace. • Manage their time
• Query subject matter experts without limiting time and • Streamline administrative tasks
geography constraints. • Plan effective curriculum
• Meet individual and group learning needs
Challenges to Improving the Learning • Pursue continuous professional development
Ecosystem for Students • Communicate with parents, peers, and administrators
There are a number of challenges that students face in the
current learning ecosystem. The following are just a few of
the more prominent factors that affect their ability to learn:

• Time: Students have very busy schedules, making it

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