How Schools Can Build Engagement in the Age of AI & Distraction | Thomas Holdren

Описание: In this episode of the TomoClub Podcast, host Avinash Bansal sits down with Thomas Holdren, Assistant Superintendent of Licking Heights Local School District in Ohio, to explore a critical question facing modern education:

What does real student engagement actually look like?

Serving more than 5,000 students from Pre-K through Grade 12, Licking Heights is redefining engagement beyond attendance and compliance. Thomas shares how districts can move past traditional definitions and instead focus on belonging, student voice, persistence, and meaningful learning experiences that help students discover who they are before graduation.

From instructional rounds and student feedback systems to career pathways, peer collaboration, and AI integration, this conversation dives into how schools can design learning environments where students don’t just show up — they genuinely want to be there.

If you’re a school leader, educator, or policymaker looking to rethink engagement in an age of distraction, technology, and rapid change, this episode offers practical, experience-driven insights grounded in real district leadership.

Key Points Discussed

Redefining Student Engagement – Why attendance and compliance are not true indicators of engagement.

Schools as Places of Discovery – Helping students graduate knowing what they want to pursue — or what they don’t.

Instructional Rounds & Continuous Improvement – How classroom observation and collaboration shape teaching practices.

Student Voice as a Driver of Engagement – Listening directly to students to understand real learning experiences.

Belonging Before Achievement – Creating environments where students feel safe, valued, and connected.

Personalized Learning Pathways – Expanding career pathways in technology, business, nursing, education, and communication.

Peer-to-Peer Collaboration – Building confidence and participation through structured student interaction.

Technology Misconceptions – Why devices and software alone don’t automatically create engagement.

Managing Distraction in the Digital Age – Competing with TikTok, YouTube, and short attention spans in classrooms.

Teacher Workload & Sustainable Expectations – Simplifying priorities to support both educators and students.

Cultural Diversity as a Strength – Supporting a district representing 50+ languages through community engagement.

Student Ownership of School Culture – Events like cultural showcases that build pride and belonging.

AI in Education: Threat or Opportunity? – Using AI as a learning assistant rather than a shortcut.

Professional Development for AI Literacy – Training educators to use AI responsibly and effectively.

Measuring Engagement Beyond Test Scores – Voice, confidence, purpose, and readiness as new success metrics.

Time Stamps / Chapters

00:00 Why students should graduate knowing who they want to be
00:36 Introduction to the episode & guest overview
01:21 Thomas Holdren’s journey into education leadership
02:34 Why education needed change
04:19 Innovation takes persistence in schools
06:15 What student engagement really means
07:46 Why engagement can’t be observed — it must be heard
09:01 Belonging as the foundation of engagement
09:50 Cell phone bans and classroom attention
12:03 Competing with digital distractions
13:29 Career pathways and student choice
15:26 Fighting boredom and building resilience
17:21 Lessons from failed engagement strategies
19:27 Peer collaboration and classroom confidence
22:03 Student feedback shaping teaching practices
25:05 Supporting overwhelmed teachers
26:30 Managing cultural diversity in schools
28:03 Building belonging through cultural celebration
30:22 If given $1M to improve engagement…
31:07 What an engagement report card would measure
33:00 AI’s role in student learning
37:30 Why teachers matter more in the AI era
38:52 AI professional development and policy planning
40:18 Becoming a model district for engagement
41:19 Advice for school leaders