Hosted by Christine Weiser, Content Director for Tech & Learning, the recent Future of Edtech webinar showcased two award-winning products and explored critical trends in K-12 technology integration.
Featuring "Best of ISTE" award winners ClearTouch and PowerSchool, the product demonstration addressed practical issues such as cost savings, implementation challenges, and the necessity of aligning new technology with human-centered instruction.
Watch the webinar on demand here
Takeaways
Trends From ISTELive 2026
Matthew X. Joseph, an award-winning district leader and longtime Tech & Learning adviser, concluded the session by sharing a few trends he noticed during the recent ISTELive 26 conference in Orlando.
“The tools and our partners like you just heard from are really critical to our work,” Joseph said, “But one thing that hasn't changed with the evolution of technology is the importance of educators and teachers and using these platforms to enhance student learning.”
Among Joseph’s observations:
- AI is moving from “Wow!” to “How?” “ISTE was a great opportunity to use some of these AI tools, but it was the human connection to how we are using them,” he said. “Moving past ‘How great it is and this is new for us’ to ‘How is this being impacted in our work, in our instruction, and for our students?’”
- Personalization gets real. Joseph noted that personalization with AI is not about having 25 students doing 25 different things. “It's having students get the access and content they need through the work, that they've input to some of the devices that you've seen and some of the programs that utilize the AI tools,” he said.
- Less edtech, better edtech. Having more edtech apps and platforms can sometimes be too much of a good thing. “I think where we get into trouble is when we have fifty, sixty options and we collect apps,” Joseph said. “But then more choices mean we're not honing in on the work and the efficiency of the tools and how they can impact student learning.”
ClearTouch 6,000 Nova Series
Tristan O'Connor, Product Solutions Manager at ClearTouch, introduced the ClearTouch 6,000 Nova Series, a panel designed to solve long-standing flat panel problems: the main board failing, the ports breaking, the backlight fading, and the overall longevity of the device.
The Nova Series features a core module, which is a swappable TV board and port system that allows districts to upgrade their internal hardware without replacing the entire panel. O'Connor highlighted the panel's optical bonding technology that connects the glass and backlight with resin, preventing dust and moisture accumulation while improving color differentiation.
“One of the cool things about the Nova series is you can use an OPS as well,” he said. “So if you want a Windows computer or a Chromebox, you can use it simultaneously with the core module.”
Beyond hardware, the Nova series integrates AI tools designed to be practical, not “scary." A standout feature is the offline, on-device transcription and translation software, which supports more than 90 languages. This allows teachers to provide real-time subtitles to students’ devices in the classroom, bridging communication gaps for multilingual learners without requiring a constant internet connection.
PowerSchool's Naviance
Erin Hawkins, Product Solutions Director at PowerSchool, showcased the award-winning Naviance platform, a comprehensive K-12 college and career readiness solution.
Naviance supports students from early elementary school through graduation, using gamified platforms for self-discovery and a special curriculum for career and financial planning. It utilizes more than eight research-backed self-discovery assessments, such as Gallup’s Strengths Explorer, to help students align their interests with future pathways.
“The good news is that the information that a student captures and engages with in the elementary solution moves with the student up to the six through 12 solution,” Hawkins said.
A significant addition is PowerBuddy, an AI-driven chat assistant available 24/7. It helps students navigate complex questions about college admissions, career paths, and FAFSA completion.
Hawkins emphasized that Naviance offers more than 115 configurable reports, allowing districts to track student milestones (such as diploma requirements or service learning hours) and export data. By integrating eDocs for transcript delivery and college applications, Naviance centralizes the post-secondary planning process so that counselors and parents can monitor student progress.
