Strategies to tackle the major challenges in education

Key points:

While most students express eagerness to learn and a strong sense of belonging in school, teachers still encounter challenges that hinder improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes, as stated in a recent report from Discovery Education.

Teachers are willing to embrace changes that lead to positive outcomes, but significant barriers remain, according to The Education Insights Report by Discovery Education.

The report highlights key areas for enhancing student engagement and captures prevalent attitudes and beliefs from superintendents, teachers, parents, and students.

Three primary focus areas emerged in the report:

1. All stakeholders must promote student engagement to stimulate curiosity, encourage exploration, and facilitate effective learning. Research demonstrates that engaged students are more likely to find learning interesting and empowering. Sixty-eight percent of teachers identify getting students excited about learning as a top challenge. Furthermore, nearly all teachers and students (94 percent) agree that curiosity is essential for unlocking learning, but 80 percent of students feel there are insufficient opportunities to be curious. Students need to be appropriately challenged in their learning, and prioritizing curiosity and exploration can enhance student engagement.

2. Career exploration and the development of 21st-century skills are increasingly crucial as teachers, parents, and students express concerns about students’ preparedness for the evolving workforce. When students understand how their current studies relate to potential career paths, they are more likely to be motivated and invested in their education. Integrating curiosity-driven learning with practical exploration of future opportunities guides students towards academic and career success. Sixty-seven percent of students worry that their education is not adapting to meet future workforce demands. While 74 percent of superintendents believe student preparedness for job opportunities has improved compared to five years ago, only 41 percent of teachers agree. As educators strive to engage and motivate students, survey findings suggest a need to focus on two key areas for better preparing students for the future—career readiness and the development of interpersonal skills.

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3. Providing more targeted support for teachers and students can boost confidence and enhance outcomes. Studies indicate that supported teachers are more likely to experience job satisfaction and remain in the profession longer, creating a more stable and effective learning environment for students. Research consistently shows that personalized learning approaches—where instruction is tailored to students’ unique strengths, needs, and interests—lead to improved academic outcomes, increased engagement, and higher motivation levels.

“While The Education Insights Report by Discovery Education reveals a generally positive outlook on the current state of education among students, parents, teachers, and superintendents, it also highlights hurdles to overcome,” stated Brian Shaw, Discovery Education’s CEO. “Educators are concerned about maintaining student engagement, and students feel uncertain about their readiness for the future. Through this research, Discovery Education aims to identify opportunities for improvement so that all stakeholders can collaborate to address these challenges and create brighter futures for all learners.”

Additional findings include:

Curiosity is crucial to all. More than 90 percent of stakeholders surveyed agree on the importance of curiosity in learning. However, 82 percent of students and 75 percent of teachers believe there are inadequate opportunities for curiosity in today’s classrooms.

Students desire to learn more life skills. While 88 percent of district leaders, teachers, parents, and students consider life skills very important, only 57 percent of students believe their schools adequately teach the life skills necessary for future success.

Teachers see potential in adaptive learning. Ninety-three percent of teachers believe that adaptive learning resources would enhance student learning effectiveness, and 75 percent of students indicate that learning at their own pace would increase their engagement with lessons, empower them in school, and better prepare them for the future.

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Time is of the essence. Ninety-four percent of teachers surveyed express a need for classroom tools that would give them more time to focus on students.

AI tools from education experts are more trusted. Regarding Artificial Intelligence, 72 percent of teachers and parents, as well as 85 percent of superintendents surveyed, believe that AI-powered customized learning materials are more reliable when developed by education experts. Additionally, 84 percent of teachers and 90 percent of superintendents believe that as teachers receive more training on AI usage, it will become a more trusted tool in education.

Survey data was collected by The Harris Poll, a leading research organization, on behalf of Discovery Education in August 2024. It included 1,524 responses from K-12 students, parents of K-12 students, and K-12 teachers and superintendents.

Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

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