Education doesn’t stand still—and neither does its tech. As we dive into 2025, the game has shifted from reaction to resilience. Digital security, equitable access to technology, and the thoughtful adoption of AI are now essential priorities for institutions working to support both students and educators in a rapidly changing environment.
But what kind of tools can actually help schools and institutions meet these priorities in practice? With so many options on the table, it’s crucial to understand which technologies are making a real impact—not just in theory, but in daily educational life. In this article, we’ll highlight key emerging technologies and explore how they’re being applied on the ground to improve security, access, and learning outcomes.
Cybersecurity and device management
Cybersecurity in education means staying ready for the unexpected—because malware doesn’t wait for the morning announcements to start causing chaos. According to the Center for Internet Security (CIS), 82% of K–12 organizations reported cyber incidents over just 18 months. That’s nearly 14,000 security events and 9,300 confirmed incidents.With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that schools are putting serious effort (and budget) into digital protection.
There’s also growing regulatory pressure to secure student data and IT infrastructure, especially as educational tools become more interconnected. In short, no one wants to be the district on the evening news for a ransomware attack.
For understaffed IT teams, headlines like “Ransomware hits another school” feel less like news—and more like a warning shot. Because when things go down, it’s not just about restoring access. It’s about protecting data, preserving trust, and keeping your district off the front page
Zero Trust architecture and behavioral biometrics
Traditional security models assumed that if someone was inside the school’s network, they could be trusted. Zero Trust Architecture flips that logic. It operates on the principle that nothing should be trusted by default—not users, not devices, not even internal connections. Instead of protecting the perimeter like a digital fence, Zero Trust treats every login or data request as potentially suspicious, validating identities and permissions every step of the way.
This identity-first approach has become especially relevant in education, where students, teachers, and staff often connect from home or public networks. To make security even tighter, some institutions and vendors are adding behavioral biometrics into the mix—tracking how a user types, moves a mouse, or even pauses during a session. These patterns are unique enough to flag fraud, even if credentials are stolen.
Fleet management for checkout devices
With 1:1 device programs now the norm, IT teams are basically running a mobile device fleet the size of a startup—minus the budget. Managing thousands of laptops and tablets means visibility is non-negotiable. That’s where Mobile Device Management (MDM) comes in. These systems help IT teams remotely monitor devices, push updates, wipe data if something’s lost or stolen, and keep everything compliant with district policies.
Platforms like Prey offer centralized dashboards to oversee school-issued devices, whether they’re in a student’s backpack, a teacher’s desk drawer, or lost during a field trip. From inventory tracking to location-based actions and security alerts, MDM has become a must-have for any district loaning out hardware at scale.
Compliance and access control
Education IT isn’t just about keeping devices online—it’s about staying on the right side of FERPA, CIPA, and other acronyms that love to keep you up at night. Granular access control is now a baseline, not a bonus.
The move toward role-based access policies, parental controls, and filtered content isn’t just about safety—it’s about smart management of risk. Bonus points if you can handle that without juggling 12 tools and a spreadsheet.
Educational technology innovations
It’s wild to think that not too long ago, “cutting-edge” classroom tech meant rolling in a bulky TV on a metal cart and praying the VCR wouldn’t eat the tape. Fast forward to today, and we’re seeing classrooms powered by artificial intelligence, immersive learning environments, and tools that respond in real time to student needs.
The shift has been nothing short of transformative—and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. Let’s look at the innovations that are redefining how we teach, learn, and manage the academic experience.
Personalized and adaptive learning environments
No two students learn the same way, and edtech is finally catching up to that truth. Adaptive learning platforms use data to understand how a student is performing and adjust the material accordingly. These systems can identify knowledge gaps, speed up review of mastered content, and even recommend supplemental resources tailored to each learner’s pace and style.
This isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s helping educators scale individualized instruction in classrooms that are more diverse and dynamic than ever. Learning analytics offer insights into participation, comprehension, and progress. Automated learning paths then use that data to serve the right content at the right time, whether a student needs remediation or is ready to accelerate. The result? A more responsive, inclusive approach that supports student success without adding to teacher workload.
Smart campus tools and integrated platforms
Schools and universities are increasingly turning to all-in-one platforms to streamline operations across the board. These systems unify attendance tracking, internal communications, class scheduling, grading, and more—making life easier for both staff and students. Cloud-native platforms in particular stand out for their scalability and real-time collaboration features, letting students and teachers work together from anywhere, on any device.
But this level of connectivity also brings new responsibilities. With more data moving between systems and users, securing these platforms is no longer optional. Institutions are investing in layered security for cloud-based tools, including identity management, access control, and encrypted storage. Device security, endpoint monitoring, and proactive incident response protocols are also becoming part of the equation to ensure that innovation doesn’t come at the expense of safety.
Hybrid educational systems: Merging online and in-person learning
Hybrid learning models—combining in-person instruction with online components—have become a staple across many U.S. schools. According to the National Education Association, by 2023, 72% of public schools had adopted some form of blended learning. Students are also embracing the shift: a recent survey showed that 69% prefer hybrid or fully online options over traditional classroom-only formats. These systems offer flexibility, personalized pacing, and wider access to educational resources, making them an appealing choice for both K–12 and higher education institutions.
But with flexibility comes complexity, especially when it comes to device security. Students learning from home, on campus, or anywhere in between rely heavily on school-issued laptops and tablets, often connecting to unsecured networks. As hybrid models expand, safeguarding these endpoints becomes critical. Schools are ramping up their use of endpoint protection, remote wipe capabilities, and monitoring tools to keep devices—and the data they carry—safe in any setting.
The role of AI in education
Wikipedia used to be the ultimate shortcut for student research—just enough information to sound informed, not enough to alarm your teacher. But these days, students are turning to more conversational sources for help. ChatGPT is quickly becoming the go-to sidekick for everything from brainstorming to studying. And believe it or not, some teens even turn to TikTok to prep for their homework—but we’ll go ahead and pretend we didn’t hear that, just for everyone’s sake.
Here are a few standout stats from a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens (ages 13 to 17) during Q3 of 2024:
- 54% of teens say it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT to research new topics.
- Only 29% feel it’s okay to use ChatGPT to solve math problems; 28% say it’s not acceptable.
- Just 18% think using it to write essays is fine, while 42% disapprove of that use.
- Teens in 11th and 12th grade (31%) are more likely to use ChatGPT for schoolwork than 7th and 8th graders (20%).
- About a quarter of 9th and 10th graders also report using it.
- Among teens who have heard a lot about ChatGPT, 56% say they’ve used it for school-related tasks.
AI tutors and student support
AI-driven tutors like ChatGPT Edu and Claude are beginning to play an active role in classrooms—not by replacing teachers, but by supporting them. These tools can be available 24/7, offering students help with writing, study guidance, or even explaining tricky concepts they didn’t quite catch during class. For students who need reinforcement or just prefer learning at their own pace, some schools can use a list of whitelisted conversational AI becomes a low-pressure, always-available academic resource.
When implemented thoughtfully, AI tutors can complement traditional learning by filling in the gaps—especially for students who may be shy to ask questions or who need repeated exposure to grasp a topic. And unlike that tired textbook in your backpack, AI doesn’t sleep.
Content generation and curation
AI isn't just a tool for students—it’s also proving to be a time-saver for educators. Teachers can now use AI platforms to draft lesson plans, create quizzes, summarize texts, or even generate feedback on student work. These systems draw from curriculum-aligned content and real-time data, allowing educators to customize materials for different grade levels, learning goals, and student needs.
This kind of support can ease some of the pressure on educators’ already packed schedules, giving them more time to focus on instruction and student engagement. With better content curation and planning tools, teachers can spend less time formatting slides and more time doing what they do best—teaching.
Predictive analytics and early intervention
One of the most promising uses of AI in education is behind the scenes: using data to help identify students who may be struggling before it’s too late. By analyzing behavioral signals and academic performance, AI systems can flag patterns that suggest a student is falling behind—or, in some cases, becoming disengaged altogether.
This predictive approach allows teachers and counselors to intervene early, offering personalized resources or guidance that’s better matched to the student’s situation. Whether it’s tutoring, mentoring, or curriculum adjustments, early signals make it easier to offer timely and targeted support—before report cards reflect the problem.
Even more applications of AI in education
AI’s role in education goes well beyond tutoring and lesson planning. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education has put together a long list of ways AI is already being used across the system. One example is “Aidan,” a virtual assistant created by Federal Student Aid that uses natural language processing to answer common questions about financial aid. Tools like this aren’t just making systems more efficient—they’re also helping students get quicker, clearer support when they need it.
The Department of Education has even developed a dedicated AI toolkit built specifically for schools. Released in response to President Biden’s 2023 Executive Order on the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence, the toolkit helps education leaders navigate the practical side of AI adoption. It offers guidance on everything from protecting student data to addressing ethical concerns and ensuring all students benefit equally from these technologies.
Challenges and ethical considerations
As technology continues to push education forward, schools face the ongoing challenge of balancing innovation with privacy, equity, and accessibility. AI, in particular, has opened a Pandora’s box—one that won’t be closing anytime soon.
Striking that balance means putting student data protection front and center. Educational institutions—and any company looking to work with them—must prioritize privacy, especially in the U.S. where compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is non-negotiable. Equity also plays a critical role: every student, regardless of background or access to resources, should benefit from the same level of opportunity and protection. Accessibility must be woven into every decision, ensuring that new technologies don’t leave anyone behind.
Rather than trying to ban or penalize students for using these tools, institutions are realizing it’s far more productive to embrace them and implement smart, structured ways to integrate them into learning. But innovation at scale requires more than enthusiasm; it needs sustainable funding, long-term planning, and support systems that can grow with the technology.
Parting Words
Education is evolving—and IT needs to evolve with it. But this isn’t about chasing shiny trends. It’s about building resilient, secure, and human-centered tech ecosystems that support both educators and students—without burning out your IT staff.
Whether you're managing a few hundred devices or a few thousand, the best defense is visibility, automation, and control. Prey’s here to help you track it, lock it, and protect it—on campus, off campus, and everywhere learning happens in between.
