Layered educator support: coaching, curated resources, low-lift entry points, and community engagement¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The report recommends building layered systems of support for teachers at every comfort level when introducing powerful technology. It advises: 'Provide scaffolding for teachers at every level of comfort and experience. Offer "low-lift" entry points, like turnkey project ideas and templates, alongside deeper professional learning opportunities.' Concrete mechanisms include one-on-one coaching, resource curation, conference engagement, newsletters, open-lab hours, and co-teaching, modeled on Digital Promise's supports at YCHS and proposed practices at Anaheim.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Sustained investment of human resources alongside technology; ongoing professional learning tied to curricular goals

Constraints¶

• Teacher engagement may lag student use; the report notes many teachers are unsure how to begin and need more direction

Target Learners¶

• K-12 educators and instructional coaches

Target Learning Goals¶

• Confidence and fluency with AI tools and lab technologies
• classroom integration of AI

Claims¶

• Educators report needing training, resources, and institutional support to introduce educational change [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Curate and connect open education resources for making, re-formatted and linked to standards, to meet champions' demand for student project guides
• District actions for sustained, equitable impact with powerful technology
• Accommodate Varying Technology Experience
• Multi-layer coach training and support system: coach camp, paired mentoring, ongoing webinars, and coach-the-coach sessions
• Scaffold adults from beginning users to confident digital citizens with hands-on, competency-based classes and layered teacher support
• Involve teachers as co-designers of AI-based intelligent systems, with agency to train, correct, interpret, and override system recommendations
• Invest in dedicated instructional technology leadership roles and role-specific professional learning for AI literacy
• Provide sustained, powerful professional development with professional learning communities for QTEL implementation

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Schiner, N. (2025). Empowering the future: powerful technology for powerful AI teaching and learning [Project report]. Digital Promise. https://doi.org/10.51388/20.500.12265/261