The second episode of the relaunched KSDE Insight Podcast, titled, The Tech Dilemma: Enhancing Education or Hindering Focus?, will be available on April 10. 

In today’s K-12 classrooms, technology is more accessible than ever—bringing new opportunities for engagement, collaboration, and personalized learning. But with increased screen time, digital distractions, and the challenges of managing devices, educators and families are asking: Is technology truly enhancing education, or is it making it harder for students to focus?  

In this episode of the KSDE Insight Podcast, Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson and his guests will explore the benefits and challenges of classroom technology, from 1:1 device initiatives to cellphones and digital learning tools. A parent who is a local school board member, a high school student and a community health expert will join Dr. Watson in discussing how schools can strike the right balance between leveraging tech for learning and maintaining student focus. 

Don’t forget to listen to the first episode, From Slate to Screen: The Journey of Public Education, when Dr. Watson’s guests were Dr. Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education at Kansas State University, and Mark Tallman, associate executive director at the Kansas Association of School Boards. They covered a wide range of education topics and issues that have shaped education in Kansas and across the nation – from the one-room schoolhouses that once dotted the Kansas prairie to the technology-driven classrooms of today.  

Be sure to like and subscribe to the KSDE Insight Podcast. Comments are also welcomed, like this one from a listener of the From Slate to Screen podcast: “Great episode! Fascinating historical perspective of education in Kansas and some of the challenges encountered. Also, great insight into the ‘why’ associated with how public education has come to be in Kansas in 2025.”   

Insight podcasts can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.