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Panel Discussion

Program Models and Innovation

The Future Is Female: How Women Are Shaping Digital Learning Innovation - and Why

SESSION DATES & TIMES COMING IN AUGUST 2026
Audience Classification: Digital Learning
Audience Expertise: All Levels - This session is intentionally designed to engage and provide value across experience levels-from beginners to seasoned leaders.
Grade Level Focus: Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools
Primary Audience: All attendees
Does this session focus on a specific product? No – This session is focused on ideas, strategies, or practices, not a specific product or service.
Abstract Description : With the post-pandemic flourishing of unconventional forms of education - from speciality virtual schools to super-niche microschools, from connected hybrid homeschooling to “roll your own” bundled-schooling – the role of women in driving this new era is tough to miss. Whether as school founders, sector-building entrepreneurs, or advocates, women are on the frontlines of innovation. Some start by building the education their own kids need, others make the leap from the classroom and the boardroom, and still others are devoted to amplifying the collective voice of fellow iconoclasts. In this session, we’ll explore what the pre-eminence of women means for the unconventional education movement as it seeks to create lasting and systemic change in previously male-dominated spaces like edtech and policy. We’ll also take a look at what it means for the well-being and personal trajectories of these pioneering women themselves.

Learning Objectives:

  • By the end of this session, participants will demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the unique roles played by women on the unconventional edge of today's education innovation.
  • By the end of this session, participants will articulate their own working theories about why women are drawn to create and expand unconventional education opportunities, and the balance of personal benefits/costs of their involvement .