Getting Global Perspective @bettuk

Last month, I had the opportunity to attend BETT in London—for the first time.
I went with two goals in mind: learning and relationship-building. BETT delivered on both, and it reinforced something I believe deeply in my work with districts and education organizations: technology decisions are ultimately leadership decisions—and culture matters as much as tools.
Across sessions and conversations, two themes consistently surfaced: a strong commitment to student and staff wellness and a thoughtful, systems-level approach to AI literacy. What stood out wasn’t flashy innovation but intentional design—how policy, curriculum, professional learning, and safeguards were being considered together.
One session on media and digital literacy was especially impactful and led me to explore several UK-based resources that exemplify what intentional integration can look like when it’s treated as core educational infrastructure, not an add-on:

• The Guardian Foundation (Newswise)
• Internet Matters
• BBC Bitesize
• PSHE Association
• Good Future Foundation

Together, these resources reflect something we are still grappling with in the U.S.: shared guidance and guardrails for AI literacy, media literacy, and digital citizenship. Too often, districts here are left to navigate risks and possibilities independently. The result is predictable—inequity, uneven understanding, and fatigue among leaders who are trying to do the right thing without a common roadmap.
Several ideas from BETT conversations continue to stay with me:

• “The path to social mobility is fundamentally changing.”
• “Kids need to work at their learning edge.”
• “Personal identity is now a part of media.”

These statements underscore why this work cannot live in isolation. AI literacy and media literacy are not just instructional issues—they are student experience, leadership, and systems issues.
I was also grateful for time spent with Duncan Verry and the BETT leadership team. Duncan and I first connected last summer when I joined his podcast, and our conversations immediately clicked. What stands out about him—and his team—is their global, human-centered perspective: intentionally bringing together the best thinking across countries to broaden how the education community learns, leads, and adapts.
That’s why I’m genuinely excited about what’s ahead with BETTUSA in 2027. There is real opportunity to bring a more connected, coherent, and leadership-driven approach to edtech conversations in the U.S.—one that centers people, purpose, and practice alongside innovation.
👉 If you’re thinking about AI literacy, media literacy, or digital citizenship—and how to approach this work more intentionally and equitably—I encourage you to explore the resources above and follow BettGlobal.
We don’t need to solve these challenges alone. In fact, we shouldn’t.