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4 Insights on the Next Era of Education from Moreland’s Founder

| by Alex Skov

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Education is entering a new era. With new technologies and shifting expectations, many aspiring teachers wonder what the classroom of tomorrow will actually look like. 

Fortunately, Moreland University founder Dr. Emily Feistritzer joined the Front of the Class podcast for a wide-ranging discussion about the evolution of teaching, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the policy shifts needed to support educators. 

As a third-generation educator, Dr. Feistritzer’s deep roots in the field have shaped her approach to modern teaching, including her creation of the TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program. Below, you can explore some of the most powerful insights and biggest ideas from her Front of the Class appearance.

1. Reframe Teachers as Learning Facilitators, not Knowledge Dispensers

Teachers have often been seen absolute subject-area experts who share facts for students to remember. 

Dr. Feistritzer advocates for a different model. 

“What was passed down to me is that the primary role of teachers is to be facilitators of learning, of course, but also the adult in the room with learners,” she said. “If you go back to when we had one-room schoolhouses, those teachers didn’t know physics and chemistry and history and geography, but they knew how to help young people learn.” 

As Dr. Feistritzer sees it, this approach is timeless. 

“The context in which [teaching] happens has certainly changed many, many times over the decades, but the essence of what teachers do is help young people learn, grow, and develop — and I think the context in which teachers find themselves teaching can continue to change,” she shared. 

With more changes on the horizon for the education landscape, it’s important that educators remain resourceful and adaptable to best serve their students and answer the questions that young minds might come up with, rather than focusing heavily on just sharing facts.

2. Reevaluate Testing, Curriculum, and Regulation

For years, education has leaned heavily on memorization. Students spend hours memorizing dates, facts, and figures to pass required exams. However, that may not be the most effective way to prepare students for success outside of the classroom, according to Dr. Feistritzer. 

“I think the testing requirements over the years and even today are unrealistic because they’re really content based. It definitely doesn’t fit in the world we live in now,” she said. “In the history of education in my lifetime, one of the biggest handicaps to real student learning is this emphasis on content knowledge acquisition.” 

When students are pushed to memorize the exact year a document was signed or the details of a specific battle, they can miss the bigger picture, even if it helps them prepare for a content-focused exam. Instead, asking why these events happened and how they relate to us today helps students think critically and refine their inquisitive skills. 

“I think where education over time really got off the rails, and continues to from time to time, is with a lot of external regulation and a lot of demands about, ‘Teach this subject this way,’ [which] has really inhibited the robustness of actual learning with young people,” Dr. Feistritzer observed. 

By focusing students’ energy on how to analyze information rather than just repeating it, teachers can provide a much richer educational experience.

3. Embrace Artificial Intelligence as an Educational Tool

New technology can feel intimidating for educators. With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming a more accessible tool in classrooms, though, Dr. Feistritzer sees it as a powerful ally for teachers — even going so far as to call it one of the most exciting developments she has witnessed in her lifetime. 

“It really does redirect what the focus should be in learning,” Dr. Feistritzer said. “It’s way beyond acquiring bits of knowledge that you have to keep in your brain until you take a test.” 

Since anyone can look up basic facts on a smartphone or computer, the need for teachers to serve as walking encyclopedias is gone. This shift can empower teachers to assign fact-finding as homework and use class time for meaningful discussions. 

“I think it provides opportunities for us to use the brains that we have to really analyze facts and figures and data and what AI spits out and really deal with the fundamental question of, ‘What do we do with this information?’” Dr. Feistritzer noted. 

By embracing AI, educators can also use it to help identify learning gaps and design personalized experiences for students. 

“I think that’s a fabulous way for education to move forward,” Dr. Feistritzer said, “and I think the robustness of ways that [AI] can be used in formal and informal education are just phenomenal.”

4. Remove Barriers for Passionate Educators

Each state has its own unique requirements that aspiring educators must meet to earn a teaching license, with additional steps that current educators must meet to keep their licenses valid. In Dr. Feistritzer’s experience, these complicated, varied regulations can prevent talented and experienced individuals from stepping into the classroom. 

When asked if there was one thing that she would change about the U.S. education landscape, she had an immediate response. 

“It’s an easy answer for me: to stop what I think is unnecessary state-by-state requirements for becoming a qualified teacher,” Dr. Feistritzer responded. “Those regulations and requirements, I know them well. I’ve written about them. I’ve done studies about them. I started TEACH-NOW [and] dealt with them. Those requirements are not the kind of standards and requirements that I think we should be using to ascertain whether or not a grown adult with an education can be a qualified teacher.” 

Her suggested solution would go beyond just U.S. teacher licensure. 

“I would go global,” she stated. “The world is a big place. There are 69 million teachers in the world — 3.4 million of them are in the USA — and I’m concerned about all of those people because people are moving around.” 

According to Dr. Feistritzer, establishing a global set of standards based on certain core competencies would help teachers find quick success in any classroom and make smooth transitions if they choose to move between districts, states, or countries at any time. However, she acknowledges that this restructuring of the teacher certification process isn’t something that can happen overnight. 

“There’s a lot of research that needs to be done. Ideally, we would have a set of criteria for what makes for an ideal competent teacher, and it would not include half the things that are now required as hoops that a person has to jump through in order to be a qualified teacher,” Dr. Feistritzer said. “I think we can get rid of all of that and come up with a set of criteria that are measurable that make for a good teacher, like empathy and caring and knowing how to use resources and knowing how to equip, enable, and empower students to learn on their own. There are [qualities] that teachers have to have, but the state regulation requirements for that are getting further and further away from what actually is required of an adult to be a good teacher.” 

This philosophy is aligned with the values that Dr. Feistritzer used to found Moreland University and create the TEACH-NOW program as she wanted to build a pathway that empowers professionals to become certified teachers based on practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a genuine passion for education.

Preparing for the Next Era of Education

Education will continue to change. However, the need for caring, dedicated teachers will never go away. Dr. Feistritzer’s message to new and aspiring teachers is incredibly simple: believe in yourself and love your students. 

“Dream big and don’t believe in failure,” she said. “If you can dream it, it can come true.” 

If you are feeling inspired to learn more about the evolving landscape of education or take the next step in your own teaching career, there are plenty of resources available to support your journey:

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