Education
Why I Believe We Need to Redesign Schools Around Decision-Making
School shouldn’t just be a place to learn academic skills, but a place for students to practice making meaningful decisions about their learning and lives. I personally never faced a weighty decision about my learning until I had to declare a college major. In grade school, I was a confident student who knew how to ace tests and please my teachers. Once I got to college, however, my A-student record failed me. I had no idea what major I was passionate about, nor any of the steps to figure it out. I considered majoring in English since I loved reading, or maybe pre-med for financial stability. My practical immigrant parents talked me out of the first, and a terrible grade on a chemistry midterm out of the second.
It seems like luck that I eventually found my way to a lifelong profession as a K-8 educator, which has kept me eager to grow within it, unlike the spin-the-wheel decision-making I had during college. But it didn’t have to be this way. What if grade school were designed to teach students how to make decisions and know themselves deeply as much as it taught them math and literacy? What if school had helped me figure out early, often and intentionally what I wanted to learn or accomplish, and how I would do it?
My experiences as a student and later as a teacher in traditional K-8 schools convinced me that the entire purpose of school needed to be different. So, in 2019, when I found out that a former manager of mine was starting a school that answered the same questions that plagued me, I knew I wanted in. She brought me on board to help launch the school, and Red Bridge, a private, K-8 school, opened its doors in September 2020.
As a founding school leader, I’ve helped design systems and a student-initiated promotion process that gives students a voice in their education. While students don’t make every decision and still participate in teacher-driven parts of the day, what’s different in our design is that the school curriculum pushes them to explore three questions: “What do I want to learn?”; “When and how will I learn it?”; and “Is my learning the right level of challenge?” By asking these questions, we instill the importance of decision-making skills in students and a sense of responsibility for their learning that traditional school models otherwise lack.
What Do You Want to Learn?
Asking students what they want to learn shows them that their questions about the world are valuable, and hopefully gets them fired up to learn.
When I taught fifth grade at a school in Nevada, I had to follow the curriculum in the provided textbooks, and there was no room to deviate. One time, I planned a novel study around a book my students selected, but I was forced by an administrator to trade it in for standardized test prep. In contrast, at Red Bridge, we spend two weeks of each term immersed in a “deep dive”: a project-based learning unit designed around a question of students’ interest instead of regular instruction.
Two years ago, as we approached our last deep dive of the year, my team noticed students launching entrepreneurial endeavors during recess. Some were crafting bracelets and setting up bartering systems with them, and others expressed an interest in bake sales. To harness that curiosity, we designed the deep dive around the question, “How do you build a small business?” In week one, we created lessons for students on everything from organizational structure and ethical decision-making to budgeting; we then took students to visit local businesses to interview the owners. In week two, students collaborated with peers to pitch their own small business ideas; once their pitches were approved, they wrote business plans.
Walking around the culminating marketplace experience, I could see students brimming with pride as they presented their inventory, budgets and logos. We had taken their interests seriously and made room in the school experience to study a topic of their choice. The results were joyful, a little messy, but entirely theirs. If I had experiences in grade school that supported me in pursuing topics of my own interest, I would have known how to navigate the sudden responsibility I had over my learning when I got to college.
When and How Will You Learn It?
As a classroom teacher in traditional schools that focused heavily on compliance, I frequently wondered if my students could succeed in the future without me telling them what to do constantly. At one school, I was trained to have all 33 of my students place their pencils on their desks in the same spot at the same time, drill sergeant-style. I couldn’t foster ownership if the system itself required passivity, and I was convinced there had to be another way.
When it came time to design Red Bridge, our founder told me we would balance teacher-led time with student-led time by implementing a self-directed learning block. We designed the block so that, for an hour each day, students make their own learning plans, keep track of time, mark what they accomplish and transition between activities with relative independence. Our teachers explicitly teach students how to make time- and goal-management decisions during daily morning meetings.
A few years ago, three second graders at my school approached me after school, excited to show me their plan to launch an environmental club. The paper had a list of tasks: make signs, start a protest, pick up trash and write a book about the environment. They labeled each task “done,” “in progress,” or “not yet” — similar to the type of learning plan they made in self-directed time during the day. These young students took what they learned about setting goals, worked toward them and applied that sense of ownership to their personal lives. Their initiative gave me confidence they could navigate future goals, and that our school’s design was actually working.
Is Your Learning the Right Level of Challenge?
Perhaps the most powerful decision-making opportunity we’ve created at my school is a space for students to assess whether their learning is appropriately challenging and if they’re ready for the next step. Students’ primary cohorts are determined by their level of independence and self-directedness. When a student believes they are ready to move up, they complete a series of tasks and gather evidence of their readiness for greater responsibility.
Repeatedly, I’ve seen previously unmotivated students rise to the challenge. A parent once shared with me, “I was so worried the first few times about how disappointed he’d be if he failed. But when he finally succeeded, his pride in accomplishing something himself was amazing.”
Recently, a teacher reflected on a student who went through the process successfully and said, “Her whole attitude changed when she realized that her goals were in her own hands. She just started showing up differently for her learning.” Tackling this big decision lets students experience success and failure in a safe environment and develops self-reliant individuals who can handle any obstacle — whether it be academic, professional or personal — that comes their way in the future.
Building Student Confidence in Their Lives
Being a founding leader of this school has given me the opportunity to build the school of my dreams. These moments of student growth, fueled by ownership over their learning, are the reason I believe this kind of educational design matters for students of all backgrounds. School shouldn’t be a place where students listen passively to adults for the majority of their days. Schools should be designed to give students meaningful opportunities to make big decisions — that is how we set kids up for lifelong success. By emphasizing the what, how and challenge our students seek in their learning in the framework of our school design, we give students space to determine the pathway of their education.
I hope the students I once taught don’t have to stumble into their passions like I did, and I sincerely hope school helps them know themselves sooner and trust themselves more.
New Delhi [India], July 9: Harsh Kapadia, Trustee of The HB Kapadia New High School, represented the institution at the prestigious Economic Times Annual Education Summit 2025 in New Delhi. The summit, themed “Fuelling the Education Economy with AI: The India Story”, brought together some of the country’s most influential voices in education, technology, and policymaking.
Sharing the stage with national leaders such as Sanjay Jain, Head of Google for Education, India, Aanchal Chopra, Regional Head, North, LinkedIn, Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman of Jaipuria Group of Schools, and Shantanu Prakash, Founder of Millennium Schools, Mr. Kapadia highlighted the critical role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping the future of Indian education.
In his remarks, Mr. Kapadia emphasised the urgent need to integrate AI into mainstream schooling. He also said that this will begin not with advanced algorithms but with teachers.
“AI does not begin with algorithms. It begins with empowered educators,” he said, calling for schools to prioritise teacher readiness alongside technological upgrades.
He elaborated on HBK’s progressive steps under its FuturEdge Program, a future-readiness initiative that integrates academics with emerging technologies and life skills.
“Artificial Intelligence will soon be as essential to education as electricity and the internet,” he said, emphasising that while AI is a powerful technological tool, its greatest impact lies in how teachers and students use it collaboratively. He noted that AI won’t replace teachers, but teachers who use AI will replace those who don’t.
His recommendations included weekly AI training periods for teachers, AI-infused school curriculum, infrastructure upgrades, and cross-industry collaborations to expose students to real-world applications of AI.
Mr. Kapadia shared that HBK has already begun incorporating AI into its school assemblies and is planning to introduce a dedicated “AI Period” in the academic calendar. The school is also conceptualising an annual “AI Fest” for students, where innovation and problem-solving will take centre stage. In terms of infrastructure, the school is actively upgrading classrooms with AI-enabled digital panels and computer labs designed for hands-on learning.
Calling for greater collaboration between schools and industry, Mr. Kapadia also proposed regular expert-led sessions with professionals from Google, LinkedIn, IBM, and AI startups.
Concluding his address, he reaffirmed HBK’s commitment to pioneering responsible and human-centred use of technology in education, saying, “AI is not a separate subject. It is a way of thinking, creating, and teaching. If we want future-ready students, we must begin with future-ready schools.”
In the clever changing landscape of creative industries, the lines between disciplines are increasingly blurred. The rapid pace of change in technology, culture, and industry has left higher education grappling with a fundamental challenge: how can institutions prepare students for careers that may not yet exist and how to adapt when the sector changes?
At the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM), this challenge is met head-on with an approach that doesn’t just adapt to industry trends but anticipates them. Our interdisciplinary provision is a response to a pressing need in the education sector: to go beyond rigid, siloed curricula and embrace a model that mirrors the realities of the creative world. It’s built around a rapid development cycle that brings students, academics, thought leaders, and industry professionals together in a draw demand model.
Today’s students aren’t just looking for qualifications – they are seeking experiences, networks, and skills that translate directly into professional success. This generation is defined by their adaptability, their desire for creative autonomy, and their need for learning environments that offer more than just passive instruction. They want active, meaningful engagement. Content is no longer king, especially with the ubiquity of high quality online courses outside of the formal HE sector which anyone can access. Really, what the HE sector needs to respond to a a decentralisation of education.
Today’s students aren’t just looking for qualifications – they are seeking experiences, networks, and skills that translate directly into professional success
But traditional higher education has often been slow to respond. While some institutions remain fixated on lectures and exams, ACM takes a different approach. Our courses are designed to be immersive and experiential, breaking down barriers between disciplines and fostering collaboration across creative fields. Whether it’s a music producer working alongside a game designer, or a songwriter teaming up with a digital marketer, our students learn by doing – and by doing together.
Soft skills have long been undervalued in education, often dismissed as secondary to technical expertise. But in the creative industries – and beyond – they are critical. Communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and resilience are not just ‘nice to have’; they are essential for success. We know that all industries are changing and the need for agility, to be able to work as project stakeholders and managers, and leadership is essential irrespective of your field.
At ACM, we don’t just teach these skills; we reframe them. Our students engage in industry-driven projects where they learn to lead, negotiate, collaborate, and solve complex problems in real-time. They are assessed not only on technical proficiency but on their ability to navigate group dynamics, deliver under pressure, and communicate effectively.
The challenge that we face is in making sure that these elements are not at odds with technical skill development and competencies. We believe that in higher education first and foremost as something wondrous, inquisitive, experiential, fulfilling, introspective, and deeply developmental to the individual. Those kind of graduates by their very nature are more likely to be not only employable but resilient, empathetic, ethically minded, critical thinking, and ready for any vocation they may choose.
What sets ACM apart is not just what we teach, but how we teach it. Our partnerships with industry leaders – including Metropolis Studios in London – ensure that our students work in environments that directly reflect professional settings. They gain hands-on experience, solve real-world problems, and receive feedback from active professionals. They also have a brilliant time while they are doing this, and build long lasting relationships and networks which they will carry with them for the rest of their career.
This goes beyond guest lectures or industry visits. Our curriculum is co-designed with industry partners, who help shape course content, set project briefs, and provide mentorship. This means that our graduates are not just familiar with industry practices; they have already operated within them – our ultimate goal is to completely dissolve the boundary between education and industry for our students and partners. Our role at ACM, as much as it is to provide excellent quality teaching and learning, is that of a facilitator.
We understand that no two students are the same. That’s why our programmes are flexible and modular, allowing learners to tailor their education to their ambitions. From digital micro-credentials that certify specific skills to interdisciplinary projects that span multiple fields, ACM offers a personalised, career-focused learning experience. Our students graduate with more than just degrees – they leave with portfolios of work, professional networks, and the confidence to navigate an uncertain future.
Higher education is at a crossroads. As industries transform, so too must the institutions that prepare their talent. ACM’s interdisciplinary, industry-integrated approach is our answer to this challenge, ensuring that our graduates are not only equipped to succeed – they are prepared to lead.
About the author: Tom Williams is executive dean of education at ACM. Tom is an education leader and specialist with over twelve years experience in higher education working in both the public and private sector across a range of departments and roles. Tom is passionate about developing education practices to dissolve the barrier between education and industry. His expertise is in music and the wider creative industries, as both an educator, researcher and practitioner of twenty years. Tom is currently the Executive Dean of Education at the Academy of Contemporary Music in the UK.
Key points:
As districts grapple with mounting financial pressures, a new report notes a noticeable shift in edtech strategy as leaders prioritize impact over volume, demanding stronger alignment with institutional goals.
The eighth EdTech Top 40 report also reveals that K-12 district leaders want evidence of effectiveness and long-term value from every tool they adopt. The report, published by LearnPlatform by Instructure, offers a comprehensive, data-rich snapshot of how K-12 schools across the United States used digital tools, resources and edtech solutions during the 2024-25 school year.
The report analyzed more than 64 billion interactions from 3.7 million students and 546,000 educators across the United States and provides a comprehensive view of how districts are navigating a crowded and complex educational technology landscape.
Since the surge in edtech adoption in 2020, engagement levels have continued to grow at a steady pace. The report found that districts accessed an average of 2,982 distinct edtech tools annually–a nearly 9 percent year-over-year increase–highlighting ongoing challenges related to tool sprawl and duplication.
On average, districts saw students access 1,165 tools and teachers access 1,045 tools each month. Students used 48 tools over the course of the year, up from 45 the prior year. Educators also saw a modest increase, with 50 tools accessed annually, up from 49 the previous year.
“Districts are under increasing pressure to simplify and optimize their tech ecosystems to maximize value and learning impact while avoiding tool sprawl and staff burnout,” said Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure. “In this environment of budget cuts, it’s critical to ensure every investment drives real learning outcomes. We’re entering a new era where every tool must prove its value by supporting instruction, improving outcomes and aligning to long-term goals. This year’s EdTech Top 40 reflects that evolution.”
As schools face a defining moment in allocating limited budgets, the message is clear: evidence and alignment must guide edtech decision-making. This is reflected in this year’s Edtech Top 40, which found that 45 percent of the tools in the report have published ESSA research, up from 32 percent last year. ESSA-aligned research provides districts with independently reviewed evidence of a tool’s effectiveness in improving student outcomes, helping education leaders make informed, accountable decisions. The rise in evidence-backed tools signals growing demand for solutions that demonstrate a measurable impact.
Analysis, tools, and reports are compliant with all federal and state student data privacy laws, including FERPA, COPPA, CIPA and PPRA. The EdTech Top 40 is based solely on quantitative analysis of engagement and does not reflect user sentiment, effectiveness, or utility.
This press release originally appeared online.
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