Education in the Age of AI: Professor Mark Gura Explores the Future of Teaching and Learning
As artificial intelligence, digital media, and emerging learning technologies continue to reshape modern life, education is undergoing a profound transformation. In the 2026 State of EdTech report, Mark Gura, a faculty member in the Educational Technology program at the Touro University Graduate School of Technology, examines how these rapid changes are influencing classrooms, educators, and educational leadership.
Through four insightful articles, Professor Gura explores the accelerating pace of technological change, the evolving needs of today’s learners, the innovators driving progress, and the growing importance of human connection in education. Together, his contributions provide a thoughtful perspective on how educators can navigate—and embrace—the transformation of teaching and learning in the age of AI.
To provide readers with a clear and cohesive overview, Professor Gura’s articles are presented below and can be accessed here.
Thinking About Change in Education
In his article “Think ‘CHANGE!’”, Professor Gura reflects on the extraordinary speed at which new technologies are influencing education. Artificial intelligence tools, social media platforms, and digital learning technologies are evolving rapidly, often emerging at the same time and reinforcing one another.
Rather than occurring in isolation, these developments interact in ways that reshape how students learn and how educators teach. As Gura explains, these shifts affect fundamental aspects of education, including student focus, teaching methods, and how knowledge is created and shared.
“Changes have been hitting us at an extraordinary pace… and they often travel in packs.” he writes.
For educators, the challenge is not simply keeping up with technological advances, but adapting teaching practices thoughtfully so students can thrive in a technology-driven world.
The Blueprint of Education Is Changing
In another article, Gura examines how emerging technologies are pushing education beyond traditional instructional models. Tools such as AI chatbots, virtual reality platforms, and personalized digital learning resources are expanding what is possible in both physical and virtual classrooms.
At the same time, today’s students are growing up in a digital environment shaped by fast-moving online media. Many regularly engage with short-form video content that encourages rapid shifts in attention. While this environment can support curiosity and exploration, it also presents challenges for traditional teaching approaches that depend on sustained concentration.
To respond to these changes, educators are increasingly experimenting with innovative strategies such as:
- Short, engaging instructional videos
- Collaborative digital projects
- AI-powered tutoring and personalized instruction
These approaches can make learning more flexible and accessible while offering individualized support for students from diverse educational backgrounds.
Movers, Shakers, and Difference Makers
In “Movers, Shakers, and Difference Makers,” Gura turns attention to the individuals who are shaping the future of education. The article highlights educators, entrepreneurs, and creators who are pushing the boundaries of teaching and learning through creativity, innovation, and technology.
Although these innovators come from diverse backgrounds, they share a common goal: improving education and expanding opportunities for learners.
As Gura observes, their “passion, vision, and efforts are giving the field lift and helping to establish an inspiring communal space for the making of education magic.”
Their stories demonstrate that while technology is a powerful tool, it is ultimately people who drive meaningful progress in education.
The Power of Connectedness
In his concluding article, “Possibilities & Opportunities: Connectedness,” Gura explores one of the most significant developments shaping modern education: the growing network of collaboration among educators worldwide.
Digital platforms, professional communities, and social media now enable teachers and educational leaders to share ideas, resources, and insights across geographic boundaries. This connected environment has fostered new forms of leadership that are increasingly collaborative, networked, and decentralized.
Educators today can influence peers widely without holding formal leadership roles, contributing to a culture of shared learning and innovation.
“The human impulse to share discovery and realization, to bring others along, is present in abundance,” Gura writes.
For Gura, this expanding network of shared knowledge represents one of the most promising aspects of the technological era, allowing educators everywhere to learn from one another and respond collectively to the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
About Professor Mark Gura
Mark Gura is a faculty member in the Educational Technology program at the Touro University Graduate School of Technology. A veteran educator and technology leader, he taught in New York City public schools in East Harlem for two decades before serving as Deputy Director of the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Instructional Technology. In that role, he helped oversee technology initiatives supporting approximately 1.1 million students—one of the largest school systems in the United States.
Throughout his career, Professor Gura has focused on helping educators integrate technology effectively into teaching and learning while preparing schools for the future of education.