In the latest episode of the EdGate Powers Education podcast, host Rich Portelance sat down with Lisa O’Masta, CEO of Learning.com, to explore the rapidly shifting landscape of digital and AI literacy—and how states, districts, and edtech companies are working to prepare students for a world that changes faster than policies can keep up.
A 25-Year Mission Aligned With Today’s Urgency
Learning.com has been focused on digital literacy for more than two decades, long before it became a national priority. Today, AI literacy falls naturally within that mission. As O’Masta noted, the company must think about AI holistically—its impact on internal operations, product development, teaching practices, and student learning.
This integrated view has placed Learning.com at the center of a broader national conversation about what it means to be “future ready.”
Connecting Digital Literacy to the Portrait of a Graduate
Across the country, states are redefining the skills students need to thrive after graduation. The “portrait of a graduate” movement emphasizes durable, human-centered skills: critical thinking, ethical decision-making, adaptability, and digital citizenship.
According to O’Masta, these outcomes map directly to the work Learning.com has championed for 25+ years. Digital literacy is no longer a siloed course—it’s the “connected tissue” bridging core academics and CTE, enabling students to see real-world career applications from kindergarten onward.
Redefining Future-Ready Skills
Being “future ready” is no longer about mastering tools. It’s about mindset:
- digital discernment
- adaptability
- safe and ethical online behavior
- continuous learning
Students must understand how technology influences the world around them—and how their own actions online shape their personal and professional futures.
Supporting Durable Skills Through EdTech
O’Masta emphasized that edtech companies have a responsibility to lead with integrity and research-based design. Learning.com focuses on solutions that reduce complexity for teachers, connect digital competencies to workforce needs, and expand career awareness starting in early grades.
Standards alignment remains a challenge, especially in CTE pathways where state requirements differ widely. O’Masta highlighted EdGate’s role in helping Learning.com rapidly map to evolving state frameworks, including Texas’s TEA initiatives and new digital/AI literacy competencies.
Compliance as the Floor—Not the Ceiling
Innovation and compliance often clash. O’Masta described Learning.com’s philosophy:
meet standards fully, but innovate far beyond them.
Interactive and scenario-based lessons allow students to practice digital discernment, troubleshoot real-life problems, and understand the implications of their choices online.
Integrating AI Literacy into Everyday Learning
AI can’t be something students learn about—it must be something they learn through.
One example: a sixth-grade lesson where students analyze a TikTok license agreement using AI tools. By seeing how their data is used, students gain a new level of awareness and responsibility.
“If students know better, they do better,” O’Masta explained.
Measuring Growth in Future-Ready Skills
Traditional assessments can’t capture changes in judgment, online behavior, or digital citizenship. Learning.com is exploring:
- sentiment scoring
- scenario-based assessments
- tracking cyberbullying trends
- reductions in technology monitoring
- improvements in campus culture
These signals can reflect growth in ways test scores cannot.
Collaboration and Public-Private Partnerships
No state can achieve AI readiness alone. O’Masta highlighted North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Texas as examples of states building strong partnerships to operationalize big goals like career-connected learning and digital citizenship.
The next wave of innovation, she believes, will come from companies and states working together toward common definitions and frameworks—not competing in silos.
Equity and the Digital Divide
O’Masta underscored that digital literacy is a foundational right, especially for rural, high-need, and remote districts. Ensuring all students have access to high-quality digital instruction is essential for reducing inequities.
Human-Centered Skills in an AI-Driven World
Despite rapid AI evolution, O’Masta believes that education must remain deeply human. Students need to know not only how to use technology, but when to put it away. Future curriculum must be adaptive, experiential, ethical, and grounded in empathy.
Advice for Leaders: Don’t Wait
O’Masta’s closing message to education leaders was simple:
Don’t wait for perfect policies or complete plans. Start building foundational AI awareness and digital literacy now.
Her vision: a future where students graduate confident, compassionate, digitally fluent, and thoughtful about how they engage with the world—online and offline