Dear MindShare Learning Community,

 

Happy New Year!

 

In fine tradition, we are excited to kick off 2025 by unveiling our much-anticipated 17th edition of the MindShare Report Top 10 EdTech Trends & Predictions Shaping the Future of Education. These trends encapsulate the dynamic and innovative spirit that continues to redefine education worldwide.

 

I derived great inspiration and insights on future trends from participating as a media partner last week at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), where we hosted a memorable CanAm Celebration of Excellence meetup. We were also thrilled to learn that we were instrumental in helping set a record in Canadian delegate attendance with over 400 Canadians making the trek to FETC in Orlando! 

 

In this edition, I’m thrilled to share our special C21 Canada Leader to Leader podcast with Dr. Chris Kennedy, Superintendent & CEO, West Vancouver Schools, on Innovation, AI & leadership in the year ahead. Incidentally, Dr. Kennedy is celebrating his 14th Anniversary as the longest-standing Superintendent in Canada. Be sure to join us this Wednesday for the C21 Canada Leadership webinar on the Future of AI in K12 Use Case Projects. Click here to register.

 

This year’s MindShare Report provides a comprehensive analysis of trends shaping education in Canada and beyond. From digital equity and GenAI to reimagined learning environments and cybersecurity, this report captures the transformative developments redefining how we teach, learn, and connect in an AI-inspired world.

I’m also looking forward to sharing these insights at the upcoming ERDI U.S. Institute. Please drop me a note if you'd like me to share with your team and discuss the digital transformation process. 

 

As we look ahead, our mission remains clear: supporting teachers and students to thrive through thoughtful innovation and meaningful connections and strategic partnerships with EdTechs. We're also focused on expanding international partnerships and helping Canadian EdTech companies reach global markets.

 

A heartfelt thank-you to our clients, strategic partners, board of advisors, and our dedicated team. Your commitment to educational excellence inspires us daily as we strive to push the boundaries of innovation in education.

 

' Be Bold to Innovate & Transform Learning' is our theme for 2025! Our challenge is to overcome my 'One-Word' for 2025, #Complexity. Together, we can inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration by combining advanced tools with inclusive, adaptive environments.

 

Wishing you a healthy, impactful, and inspiring year of learning ahead. Until next time, let’s keep the digital learning curve steep!

 

Best regards,

P.S. Save the dates! Our  16th Canadian EdTech Leadership Summit returns to Toronto on October 28–29, 2025. Drop me a note if you’d like to present or sponsor this premier event.

 

Robert Martellacci, M.A. EdTech 
President, MindShare Learning Technology™
Chief Digital Publisher, The MindShare Learning Report™
CEO & Co-founder & C21 Canada™

Follow us on Twitter @MindSharelearn

AI-powered tools are transforming the teaching profession by automating administrative burdens like grading and scheduling, offering instant access to resources, and enabling more meaningful interactions with students. Teachers become curators of learning experiences, empowered to focus on mentorship, storytelling, creativity, and fostering a culture of innovation in their classrooms.

 

This trend underscores the symbiotic relationship between technology and educators, highlighting that AI is not replacing teachers but augmenting their capabilities to achieve better learning outcomes.

 

Teachers will recapture control of the classroom and their time by leveraging highly focused AI tools to empower them to focus on what's most important, teaching & learning. An accelerated trend toward digital equity and accessibility to provide every student with mobile devices, access to stable internet, single sign-on apps, and online learning resources to help all students thrive. With this comes an increasing awareness among edtechs to be interoperable, offering seamless, stable technology and respecting student data privacy.

 

• Integrating AI in Education: Transforming Learning, AI Use Case Initiative for Canadian Education

• C21 CIO Alliance on the Future of AI in K12 Education
• Canva, Teacher guides to wow your classroom with AI

Just in time agile Teacher Professional Development is emerging as a significant edtech trend for 2025, emphasizing flexible, iterative, and collaborative approaches to educator training on their terms. AI will be the catalyst to accelerate the shift and streamline the process to upskill teachers & professors. This methodology enables teachers to rapidly adapt to evolving educational technologies and pedagogical strategies, fostering continuous improvement in teaching practices. By adopting agile principles, professional development becomes more responsive to individual educator needs, promoting a culture of lifelong learning and adaptability in the dynamic educational landscape.

 

Teacher shortages are spurring innovation around webinars and Saturday workshops for upskilling. Faculties of Education will emerge as leaders, along with public/private partnerships like CanCode to support upskilling challenges. 

 

• University of Waterloo's Centre for Extended Learning (CEL): Offers agile development support for instructors aiming to incorporate digital components into their courses, applicable to fully online, blended, or on-campus settings. 
• Global Knowledge Canada: Offers a range of Agile and Scrum training courses, from introductory levels to certification preparedness, enabling educators to apply agile practices in their professional development and classroom management.
• Let's Talk Science: Professional Learning for Teachers - Free Skill Development

The rise of GenAI is evloving to more sophisticated AI agents in K20 education transforming classrooms by providing personalized learning experiences, automating routine tasks, and offering real-time support for both students and teachers. These intelligent tools empower educators to focus on creativity and critical thinking, while enhancing student engagement and academic outcomes. 

• Contact North | Contact Nord’s Four FREE, Easy-to-Use AI-Powered Apps for Education and Training
• Eh Eye - Examining Canadian Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: This program is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical understanding necessary to thrive in an AI-driven world. It focuses on integrating AI concepts into the K-12 curriculum to prepare students for future challenges.

The "Classroom of the Future" is here, offering a seamless blend of cutting-edge technology and flexible furniture to create engaging active learning environments. These spaces integrate mobile devices for students, interactive flat panels for collaborative instruction, maker tools for hands-on creativity, and comfy, movable seating to promote flexibility and group interaction. This innovative approach is becoming increasingly cost-effective, making it accessible to more schools and districts. Research from Edutopia shows that such optimized learning environments can improve student success by up to 16%, underscoring the importance of designing spaces that foster collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. AI tools further enhance the impact by personalizing learning and providing real-time feedback, making active learning even more effective.

 

Highlighted Features:

• Interactive Flat Panels: Central to the learning process, enabling real-time collaboration and multimedia content delivery.
• Mobile Devices Integration: Ensuring students have access to digital tools for personalized learning and research.
• Maker Tools and STEM Resources: Providing opportunities for hands-on exploration and project-based learning.
• Flexible Furniture: Moveable seating and tables encourage collaboration and adaptability to various learning activities.

Resources:

1. Furniture and Design Companies:

   • Steelcase Education: Specializing in flexible, innovative classroom designs.
   • Ergotron LearnFit: Mobile desks that adapt to different learning setups.

2. Technology Tools:

   • Teamboard, SMART Interactive Panels: Intuitive and interactive displays for teaching.
   • ClassLink: Seamlessly integrates mobile devices into classroom workflows.
   • Tinkercad: Maker tools for 3D design and hands-on learning.

3. Research and Case Studies:

   • Edutopia's "The Impact of Learning Environments on Student Achievement".
   • ISTE’s "Technology-Enabled Learning Spaces Guide".

4. Professional Development:

   • Webinars on active learning by Future Ready Schools.
   • Workshops by Makerspaces.com for integrating maker tools effectively.

Creating the right active learning environment with a combination of AI, flexible furniture, and advanced technology can profoundly transform how students learn and achieve in K20 education.

5. The Acceleration of CTE (Career Tech Education) Pathways Inspired by STEM, eSports AR/VR 

A focus on creativity, gamification and future-readiness, and 'Real-World SDG Challenges. Canadian schools are doubling down on STEM, robotics, and AI-focused makerspaces, supported by industry partnerships.

 

Real World Problem Solving experiences infused with Design thinking Challenges/ Entrepreneurial and Computational Thinking mindset to help all students thrive and be prepared for careers of today and tomorrow. 

 

Amid the rise of technology, storytelling and fostering human connection become essential, with digital platforms amplifying student voices and creativity while cultivating empathy, cultural understanding and the C 21 Canada 7C's.

 

Teacher and professor student engagement through storytelling is an essential skill for enhancing the evolving classroom experience.

 

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI), education must evolve to equip students with the skills they need to thrive in the future. Traditional notions of the "basics"—reading, writing, and arithmetic—while still vital, no longer suffice on their own. Today, schools must redefine the foundational skills, integrating essential life competencies as outlined by C21 Canada’s 7C’s framework: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Citizenship, Character, and Computational Thinking.

Add Cybersecurity as another essential 'C' and skill for students and teachers alike! Educational institutions need to take more proactive measures to engage teachers and students to be more cyber savvy. Student data privacy protection is top of mind, with edtechs needing to take a greater leadership role in keeping kids safe.

 

• Cyberattack affecting school boards spotlights the need for better EdTech regulation in Ontario and beyond

• Equipping middle and secondary school students with critical skills for a digital-based economy.

• Digital Citizenship  https://mediasmarts.ca/ 

• CyberTitan: https://etalentcanada.ca/for-educators/programs

In the fast-paced world of education and technology, the importance of well-being and positive relationships—physical, mental, and emotional—has never been more critical. Manifesting well-being goes beyond self-care; it is about cultivating environments that prioritize holistic health, resilience, and balance for individuals and communities. Whether integrating mindfulness into daily routines, fitness, outdoor nature walks, leveraging technology for mental health support, or fostering a culture of empathy and inclusion, this trend underscores that innovation thrives when people flourish. As leaders and educators, embracing well-being as a core value not only enhances personal and professional growth but also inspires a future where happiness and success are intertwined. Manifesting well-being is not just a trend—it's a transformative call to action for living and leading with intention. 

 

• PHE Canada: Emotional Well-Being Education Activities
• School Mental Health Ontario

Post-secondary education is undergoing a seismic shift as AI-driven innovation redefines learning and challenges traditional models. Institutions face increasing pressure to adapt or risk becoming obsolete, with many forced to cut underperforming programs or shut down entirely. Students, empowered by technology and driven by evolving workforce demands, are reshaping the educational landscape by advocating for shorter, skills-focused programs, micro-credentials, and experiential learning opportunities that align with their career goals. This disruption is fostering a move away from lengthy lectures and rigid degree structures toward modular, flexible, and personalized learning pathways. To thrive in this new era, post-secondary institutions must embrace AI, prioritize digital transformation, and align their offerings with the needs of a tech-savvy, outcomes-oriented generation. Those who fail to innovate risk being left behind in the wake of an AI-inspired education revolution.

 

Resources:

• Educause Horizon Report
  A comprehensive analysis of trends, technologies, and challenges shaping higher education. The report offers valuable insights into how institutions can adapt to technological disruptions and align their strategies with future workforce needs.
  Website: https://www.educause.edu/

• UNESCO Report: Technology in Education – A Tool on Whose Terms?
  This report explores how technology is reshaping education globally, addressing equity, access, and the implications of AI for post-secondary education. It offers a critical perspective on how institutions can navigate digital disruption.
  Website: https://www.unesco.org/

• Contact North | Contact Nord
  A Canadian organization providing research, tools, and free resources on online learning, micro-credentials, and technology integration in higher education. Their insights are particularly relevant for institutions navigating digital transformation.
  Website: https://contactnorth.ca/

It Takes a Highly Connected Digital Village to Raise a Child in the 21st Century.

This past year's mass AI disruption, coupled with the 'Great Snapback' has catalyzed a renewed openness among school districts and higher education institutions to partner with industry in solving complex challenges. These partnerships are increasingly centered on addressing critical needs such as accountability, interoperability, and the alignment of tools with measurable outcomes.

 

As the sector evolves, strategic alliances are emerging as a key driver of innovation. Organizations such as 1EdTech and the evolutions of the EdTech Canada Alliance are leading the charge by fostering ecosystems that ensure impactful EdTech solutions thrive. These collaborations emphasize not just the deployment of tools but also their sustainable integration into learning environments to maximize value and impact.

 

Looking ahead, the growing willingness of educational institutions to engage with industry partners signals a promising future where technology and pedagogy align to tackle the most pressing challenges in education. This trend of strategic, mission-driven partnerships will be instrumental in shaping a more effective and accountable EdTech ecosystem.