Jason McKenna

Jason McKenna is V.P. of Global Educational Strategy for VEX Robotics and author of “What STEM Can Do for Your Classroom: Improving Student Problem Solving, Collaboration, and Engagement, Grade K-6.” His work specializes in curriculum development, global educational strategy, and engaging with educators and policymakers worldwide. For more of his insights, subscribe to his newsletter.

Creating a new standard: The aftermath of the PowerSchool data breach

K-12 leaders are building better safeguards and holding vendors accountable in the wake of the most significant edtech cybersecurity incident ever.

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Sustaining STEM excellence: Strategic responses to federal budget cuts

By diversifying funding, revitalizing teacher development, optimizing program design, and building strong community alliances, school leaders can continue to provide high-quality STEM education.

How cuts to the Department of Education will impact STEM education

Despite these challenges, K-12 leaders have demonstrated remarkable resilience and creativity in maintaining educational quality during periods of change and uncertainty.

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Beyond logic: The essential role of emotions in learning

It's vital that we create emotionally intelligent learning environments in schools.

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STEM and SEL: The overlooked connection worth leveraging

Instead of treating STEM and SEL as separate initiatives competing for limited time and resources, educators should identify opportunities where they mutually reinforce each other.

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Most districts struggle to provide PD that works. Which approach is best?

A recent study examined the effectiveness of three common types of professional development.

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Making sure new edtech initiatives succeed: The 3 S’s

By ensuring initiatives meet all three criteria, we can move beyond the cycle of short-lived programs to create lasting positive change in education.

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Making STEM assessment student-centered

How do we maintain academic standards while honoring the creative, iterative nature of STEM learning?

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Restoring trust in the system: Lessons learned from the PowerSchool data breach

The incident should be a wake-up call for administrators, teachers, parents, and vendors to ask tough questions about what data is collected, why it’s being stored, and how it is being protected.

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The importance of starting STEM early: Insights from research and actionable steps for district leaders

Focusing on these subjects during students' formative years can help them avoid internalizing stereotypes and self-imposed limitations.

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10 essentials for STEM teaching: Holiday Edition

It’s a magical season, but teaching and learning can be filled with the same sense of wonder, discovery, and excitement year round.

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For AI to truly revolutionize K12 education, we need to focus on equity and inclusivity

Too often, potentially transformative edtech has only perpetuated inequity. It’s critical that we not allow AI to follow the same pattern.

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