What Superintendents Need to be Successful This Year

Celebrating the leaders and experts that are powering education into the future, host JW Marshall sets out to ask the “right questions” in EdTech to understand the changes in policy and technology that will power our universities, tradeschools, and companies – and drive growth in upskilling certifications.

 

Twenty or so years ago, EdTech wasn’t a thing. Now, though, there are plenty of companies that develop products for school districts. The missing piece of the puzzle is when they can’t get their product in front of school administrators.

Enter Doug Roberts, Founder and CEO of the Institute for Education Innovation. They are working to bridge that gap. He talked about this on this episode of Voices of eLearning with JW Marshall. Doug has worked with edTech entrepreneurs and administrators for over 20 years. When he noticed a gap between those who run schools and those who start companies to help schools, he began IEI.

The Institute for Education Innovation “bridges the gaps between the individuals and organizations committed to seeing students succeed in school and life, creating a safe space for constructive problem-solving and innovative thinking.”

According to Roberts, superintendents love talking to vendors, but they want to speak in a productive way. They don’t want to be pitched random stuff. IEI set up an event called the IEI Superintendents Summits to bridge this gap. It helps connect edTech companies with school administrators, and in a way that’s helpful for the school staff.

The duo also talked about technology’s role moving forward after the pandemic. Schools are planning to reduce screen time once they return in person. Roberts believes EdTech will always be a part of K-12 schools, but there will be a push in Fall 2021 to scale back screens and increase one-on-one learning.

Listen to Previous Episodes of Voices of eLearning Right Here!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Texas
Policy, Patients, and the Future of Healthcare: How Texas Plans to Fix a Strained System
May 4, 2026

The U.S. healthcare system is under real strain—and it’s something both patients and physicians are feeling in everyday care. In Texas, those pressures are even more visible, where rapid population growth, rural access challenges, and regulatory complexity are making it harder for patients to get timely care and for doctors to focus on medicine…

Read More
adaptive learning
Scaling Career-Ready Skills: How Adaptive Learning and Generative AI Are Transforming Higher Education
May 4, 2026

Skills-based learning has moved from buzzword to mandate as colleges face mounting pressure to connect credentials, employability, and measurable learner outcomes. Employers are increasingly using skills-based hiring practices, and NACE’s Job Outlook 2026 notes that students need to demonstrate concrete examples of skills in action during hiring processes. At the same time, higher education…

Read More
Gen Alpha
A Gen Alpha Take on Experiential Retail: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Missing
May 4, 2026

Gen Alpha is no longer a future consumer segment—they are already shaping how retail and entertainment experiences are designed today. Research from MG2 shows that a whopping 70% of Gen Alpha influence what adults in their lives purchase, reshaping brand decisions faster than many companies are prepared for. As experiential retail continues to evolve—with…

Read More
TGR Foundation
Tiger Woods’ TGR Foundation Is Reimagining Education Through Learning Labs and Hands-On STEM Experiences
May 4, 2026

Education systems around the world are under pressure to evolve faster than ever, especially for underserved communities. In the U.S. alone, millions of students in low-income households still lack access to STEM resources and career pathways—fueling a widening opportunity gap. For more than 30 years, the TGR Foundation, founded by Tiger Woods, has worked…

Read More