Why Schools Don’t Need Digital Transformation (Yet)
Originally posted on LinkedIn
Created on 2025-04-23 13:49
Published on 2025-04-23 15:17
Author: Martin Byford-Rew, Freelance EdTech Consultant
Anyone who believes they can transform education through digital technology alone is, frankly, deluded. We have seen it too many times before: exciting new tools arrive with great promise, only to be quietly retired a few years later. Think back: interactive whiteboards, desktop-mounted visualisers, netbooks, even the first wave of virtual learning environments. The graveyard of good ideas is well populated.
But here’s the thing: there was nothing inherently wrong with most of the technologies themselves. What failed was the ecosystem around them. Look just beneath the surface and you’ll find the root causes: lack of vision, poor staff training, no time for planning, no buy-in, no cultural shift. Technology might be the tool, but people, processes, and culture are the levers.
Beyond the Classroom
Another common misconception is that transformation begins and ends in the classroom. I’m not convinced. Yes, digital tools can enhance the teaching and learning experience, but the real, untapped potential often lies outside the classroom. The admin team that still relies on paper-based systems. The finance office buried under spreadsheets. The safeguarding lead managing risk without meaningful data insights. In these operational spaces, transformation can be not only quicker and more measurable, but more sustainable. In fact, this is where many schools see the biggest return on their digital investments.
Culture First, Then Change
You can’t overlay transformation onto a school without laying the foundations first. That foundation is culture. A culture that embraces change, encourages experimentation, and empowers staff at all levels to engage with new systems. Without that, even the best tech becomes shelfware. But how do you change culture in a busy school? The biggest barrier is always time. However, the good news is that time doesn’t need to come in big chunks. Cultural change is possible through small, consistent actions embedded into the day-to-day rhythm of school life.
Building a Culture of Digital Confidence
Here are some realistic, low-pressure strategies that schools can adopt to build digital confidence and foster a climate of ongoing, organic learning:
Share-A-Mare Sessions: Normalise digital mishaps by encouraging light-hearted storytelling in staff meetings.
Three to Five-Minute Tech-Talks: Short demos from staff showing how a tool helped them.
Digital Champions Network: Appoint digital champions to act as local advocates.
Peer Pairing for Tech Support: Pair up staff to support each other informally.
Digital Noticeboard or Newsletter: Use platforms to share digital tips and resources.
Drop-In Tech Clinics: Optional help sessions—fortnightly, relaxed, practical.
Core Competency Framework: Clear expectations for digital skills by role.
EdTech Staff Voice Panel: Give staff input into tech choices.
Micro-Credentials or Digital Badges: Recognise small wins (Microsoft Learn certs.).
SLT Modelling: Leaders using tech effectively sets a powerful example.
Embedded Tech in Everyday Practice: Use tools in regular CPD and meetings.
Apprenticeship Programmes: Provide apprenticeships for existing or new staff to create Educational Technologists or Digital Learning Specialists that specialise in digital technology and pedagogy
Student Tech Leaders: Students supporting and showcasing tech in lessons. The guiding principle here is simple: digital culture doesn’t grow from a single event—it grows from continuous exposure, support, and shared ownership.
By creating and implementing opportunities for ongoing learning, evolution will naturally transform into adoption, as staff begin to truly embrace and integrate technology.
Crisis as Catalyst
It’s worth noting that some schools have undergone rapid transformation—but usually not by choice. A ransomware attack, a catastrophic server failure, or the merger of two trusts can force a kind of digital reckoning. But the pace of change in these cases is often chaotic and exhausting. The key lesson? If change is forced, sustainability becomes even more critical.
The Weight of Compliance
Another barrier to transformation is the need to adhere to standards: data protection, cybersecurity, accessibility, and curriculum frameworks. These aren’t optional extras, and rightly so. But they drain time and energy from innovation, especially when the same team responsible for keeping systems online is also expected to lead transformation projects.
Evolution Over Transformation
Which brings us to an alternative: Evolution. Where transformation implies rapid, radical change, evolution means steady, incremental improvement. It’s more achievable. More sustainable. And more compatible with the lived reality of schools. Evolution allows schools to remain compliant, protect wellbeing, and introduce technology at a pace that supports, not disrupts, the core mission of education.
Final Thought
Maybe it’s time to stop chasing transformation and start planning for evolution instead. Not every school needs to be ‘cutting edge’, but every school can be better tomorrow than it is today. And that’s where the real work begins.
Footnote
Martin is a senior EdTech consultant with over 30 years of experience working in education. If anything in this document has sparked interest that you'd like to discuss, please feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn.