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IDEAcon 2026 was packed with energy, ideas, and honest conversations about where education is headed next and what it will take to get there. Our team was excited to be on the ground connecting with educators, district leaders, and technology partners who are all navigating the same reality: change is accelerating, and schools are being asked to keep up.
During our 30-minute session led by Vishal Shah, our CEO, and Alex Mayszak, Director of Digital Learning and Innovation at East Moline School District #37, we focused on three core themes shaping the future of learning and what they mean for classrooms right now.
One statistic grounded our conversation: nearly 40 percent of today's core skills are expected to become outdated by 2030, raising an important question about what schools should actually be prioritizing right now.
Together, we explored the growing importance of creative thinking, technological literacy, curiosity, and student agency, skills that reflect the reality that the future demands adaptability, resilience, and learning environments where students are encouraged to think, reflect, and iterate.
The takeaway was clear: preparing students for the future is less about adding more content and more about intentionally building transferable skills that will serve them no matter what comes next.
AI was a central theme throughout IDEAcon this year, and our session was no exception. Rather than focusing on hype or fear, we centered the discussion on a practical question: How can AI support teaching without replacing the human connection that makes learning meaningful?
We discussed how AI can help offload repetitive tasks, support personalized instruction, and surface insights that allow educators to focus on what matters most: feedback, relationships, and deeper learning experiences. When implemented thoughtfully, AI is not about automation but about amplification of the work educators are already doing well.
If there was one consistent theme in our conversations at IDEAcon, it was this: teachers are stretched thin, and innovation cannot succeed if it simply adds more to educators' plates. Sustainable change requires time displacement, streamlining tasks so educators can focus on higher-impact work that truly moves the needle for students.
We shared how Castify helps create space for more meaningful teaching moments, from authentic student submissions to personalized video feedback and multilingual support. The goal is simple: make it easier to do the work that matters most, without piling on new processes or systems that create more friction than value.
Outside of our presentation, one of the best parts of IDEAcon was connecting directly with educators at our booth and having meaningful conversations.
What stood out most was the shared commitment to doing this work thoughtfully. Change may be happening quickly, but educators are approaching it with intention, asking hard questions and pushing back on solutions that don't align with their students' needs or their own capacity.
We left IDEAcon feeling energized by the questions being asked and the educators leading the way forward. If we connected with you at IDEAcon, thank you for the conversation. If we missed you, we would love to continue it because the future of learning is being built right now, and we are excited to be part of it!
