Preparing New Teachers for Long-Term Career Success

PowerSchool and Microsoft Support Tomorrow’s Teachers at UC Davis School of Education with Modern Digital Learning Lab

In early 2021, a RAND study on job-related stress found that a startling “one in four teachers were considering leaving their job by the end of the school year.” Though the survey results may not come as a surprise given the impact COVID has had on educators worldwide in the last two years, the implications remain significant, especially when coupled with statistics about fewer Americans entering into the field of teaching in general, as shown in recent studies from the Economic Policy Institute and Center for American Progress.

At PowerSchool, moving education forward is at the heart of what we do. And we know this starts with passionate, engaged, and prepared teachers. As part of this endeavor, PowerSchool has partnered with Microsoft to help create the PowerSchool and Microsoft Digital Learning Lab at the University of California, Davis School of Education. The new facility gives UC Davis students access to the training and tools they need to prepare for their future careers in the teaching profession.

UC Davis School of Education unveiled the PowerSchool and Microsoft Digital Learning Lab on October 6, 2021, in a special on-campus ceremony. L-R: Shaun Keister, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations, UC Davis; Marcy Daniel, Chief Product Officer, PowerSchool; Lauren E. Lindstrom, Dean, School of Education, UC Davis; Gary S. May, Chancellor, UC Davis; Mary Croughan, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, UC Davis; and Hardeep Gulati, CEO, PowerSchool

Equipping Tomorrow’s Teachers with Digital Teaching and Learning Skills

Located on campus at the UC Davis School of Education in the Academic Surge Building, the new Digital Learning Lab features state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and leading education software solutions. The lab includes access to PowerSchool PowerSchool Schoology Learning, the award-winning learning management system that schools and districts use to deliver personalized instruction, track student performance, and manage communication with families.

In the lab, students who are preparing for their teaching credentials can:

• Work with faculty to learn best practices that incorporate instructional strategies to leverage best-in-class technology
• Use the latest audio-visual equipment, including document cameras, laser projectors, and a wireless sound system to assist those who are hearing impaired
• Access interactive workstations where faculty and students can collaborate to digitally share ideas and information

“A world-class teaching and learning environment is instrumental to advancing our faculty’s groundbreaking research—and to preparing the future teachers and education leaders who will put this knowledge to work in classrooms and communities across our state and nation,” explained Lauren Lindstrom, Dean of the UC Davis School of Education. “A key element in our strategic vision for the future is revitalizing the physical learning environments for our faculty and students at every level. Together with PowerSchool and Microsoft, we can better prepare teachers in an environment suited to today’s model of collaborative innovation and hybrid education to support student learning.”

Learning in a Modern Digital Lab

The revitalized modern computer lab comes at an important time as students prepare to chart a new future for education. Yet, the learning often takes place in classrooms built in the pre-digital age. Now students at the UC Davis School of Education will be able to gather in learning pods and have their material on screen, allowing everyone to interact. Faculty can move about the room, giving feedback and bringing information to the entire class. Local students will be able to attend learning in person, while students from campuses in other parts of the state can attend remotely.

“For many teachers, there has been minimal exposure, training, and access to classroom technology to prepare for new models of teaching such as hybrid learning and data-driven personalized learning plans that are needed now more than ever before,” shared PowerSchool CEO Hardeep Gulati, who also serves on the UC Davis School of Education Board of Advisors where he offers strategic guidance to drive the goals of the school. “The new Digital Learning Lab and collaboration with UC Davis will help prepare the next generation of teachers in today’s rapidly changing way of teaching and learning by ensuring they have the needed tools, training, and development to be successful at their jobs.”

Making an Impact throughout the Education Ecosystem

In addition to supporting the UC Davis School of Education with the new Digital Learning Lab, PowerSchool is also making a larger impact across the U.S. with our PowerSchool Education Fund. With a $1 million initial donation, PowerSchool is working with key stakeholders in the education ecosystem, including innovative universities and mission-driven organizations like DonorsChoose to create an impact on a large scale.

Through collaborations with these universities, PowerSchool is addressing issues around the teacher shortage—a concern that’s worsening as the educator diversity gap widens—by reducing the financial burden of becoming a teacher, which can be a significant entry barrier.

In addition, PowerSchool, along with impact funding partners Robert F. Smith and Vista Equity Partners, recently worked with DonorsChoose to fulfill 1,800 teacher requests to promote equitable access to resources and technology throughout many southern communities.

As a partner in the edtech space, PowerSchool is striving to offer K-12 schools and districts the solutions they need to boost student outcomes and drive operational efficiencies. In addition, we are working hard to make a broader impact on the overall educational experience of teachers and students, ultimately helping each child to succeed in their own way.