Sep 30 | 2026
Summary
Education institutions across Southeast Asia face a critical turning point as digital tools, platforms, and artificial intelligence capabilities proliferate at an unprecedented pace. At Bett Asia 2026, a panel of regional education leaders addressed the pressing challenge of EdTech overload. The discussion established that successfully supporting learners requires first creating sustainable, human-centred ecosystems for educators. Rather than introducing additional software or compulsory training sessions, institutions must focus on building internal support networks, establishing clear policy guardrails, encouraging peer-to-peer learning, and instilling pedagogical purpose into technology adoption.
1. The Core Challenge: Moving Beyond Technological Complexity
Opening the panel, Lina Oey framed the central paradox facing modern classrooms: whilst digital platforms and generative AI offer revolutionary opportunities for teaching, teachers remain burdened by heavy administrative duties and competing classroom priorities. When new platforms are introduced without adequate support, they add operational complexity rather than efficiency.
The fundamental query for school leadership is no longer whether an institution can adopt a new tool, but whether that tool genuinely assists teachers in their daily practice. To deliver meaningful benefits for learners, educational systems must prioritise the confidence, well-being, and workload of the educators utilizing these technologies.
2. Transforming One-Off Workshops into Sustainable Support
Addressing why traditional professional development frequently fails, Rizqi Khoirunnisa highlighted the limitations of short, isolated training sessions. Teachers often leave one-day workshops highly motivated, only to encounter technical or practical barriers when implementing tools in their classrooms. Without immediate assistance, educators feel isolated and naturally revert to familiar, traditional teaching practices.
This pattern is rarely caused by a lack of teacher motivation. Instead, it stems from the absence of an ongoing support structure. To create lasting change, schools must move away from single event workshops and establish sustainable internal mechanisms, such as Learning Hubs and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
Addressing the Confidence Gap
Drawing from work across diverse educational contexts in Indonesia, Khoirunnisa noted that the primary obstacle for senior or less digitally experienced teachers is confidence rather than raw capability. Rapid tool rollouts can induce anxiety among staff. School leaders must provide a safe environment, dedicated time, and flexible pacing, allowing teachers to experiment without fear of failure or forced adoption deadlines.
3. System-Level Transformation: The Four Cs Ecosystem
Reflecting on systemic transformation across 27 campuses serving 3,000 lecturers and 30,000 pre-service teachers at the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM), Rohaida Abdul Manap emphasized that digital transformation requires an integrated, institutional framework across three distinct phases: before, during, and after training.
Before Training: Establishing clear policy direction, governance, and infrastructure so educators understand the institutional rationale.
During Training: Ensuring content is directly connected to real classroom pedagogy and practical application.
After Training: Providing peer mentoring, communities of practice, and safe spaces for continuous experimentation.
The Four Cs Framework
IPGM structures its digital initiatives around a practical lens known as The Four Cs:
Compliance: Aligning digital tools with ethical guidelines, regulatory policies, and institutional priorities to provide clear guardrails.
Content: Ensuring technology serves explicit educational and pedagogical purposes. Technology must never be the starting point; curriculum goals come first.
Culture: Recognizing that digital readiness varies across staff, requiring differentiated learning pathways and leadership that grants autonomy rather than pressuring staff to adopt trending applications.
Catalyst: Building strategic external partnerships with industry bodies, technology providers, and educational agencies to bring external expertise into the ecosystem.
Abdul Manap warned against measuring digital transformation success purely by software usage statistics, as this practice creates unnecessary adoption pressure and exacerbates feelings of overload.
4. Classroom Integration: Pedagogy, Critical Evaluation, and Privacy
From an operational perspective at Overseas Family School in Singapore, Mathieu Dooms outlined three essential pillars for implementing educational technology effectively:
A Mindset Shift in Leadership and Staff
Digital adoption must transition from top-down mandates ("leadership requires this tool") to a shared understanding of mutual benefit. When leadership provides accessible support, educators can view AI and digital software as operational leverage that simplifies administrative tasks and enhances student engagement.
Critical Selection over the 'Shiny Tool Trap'
Educators and students must be encouraged to think critically about tool selection. Schools ought to avoid the "shiny tool trap" driven by vendor marketing and instead evaluate whether a tool suits their unique community context. Dooms stressed that knowing when not to use technology—and returning to pen and paper when pedagogically appropriate—is a mark of digital maturity that builds trust among teaching staff.
Translating Data Privacy into Plain Language
Whilst institutional leadership and IT teams may understand security regulations, technical compliance must be translated into clear, accessible language for teachers. Clear guidelines explain the boundaries of data usage without creating administrative friction. Dooms recommended running brief 10- to 30-minute micro-workshops targeted at staff, students, and parents, alongside appointing a dedicated, non-judgmental support contact person within the school.
5. Strategic Advice for Education Leaders
To conclude the session, the panellists provided actionable guidance for school leadership navigating digital and AI acceleration:
Rohaida Abdul Manap: "Give educators clarity, give them confidence, and give them choice. Remember, educators are smarter than AI; let technology support their intelligence and purpose."
Rizqi Khoirunnisa: "Teachers learn best from other teachers. Give them the space and time to learn from each other."
Mathieu Dooms: "Ensure an accessible support network exists—even starting with one designated contact person whom staff can approach without fear of judgment."
Audio and written summaries powered by Gemini Notebook, a free generative AI tool grounded in your provided sources. Try Gemini Notebook for free. You can listen to the audio overview of the session here.
Education institutions across Southeast Asia face a critical turning point as digital tools, platforms, and artificial intelligence capabilities proliferate at an unprecedented pace. At Bett Asia 2026, a panel of regional education leaders addressed the pressing challenge of EdTech overload. The discussion established that successfully supporting learners requires first creating sustainable, human-centred ecosystems for educators. Rather than introducing additional software or compulsory training sessions, institutions must focus on building internal support networks, establishing clear policy guardrails, encouraging peer-to-peer learning, and instilling pedagogical purpose into technology adoption.
1. The Core Challenge: Moving Beyond Technological Complexity
Opening the panel, Lina Oey framed the central paradox facing modern classrooms: whilst digital platforms and generative AI offer revolutionary opportunities for teaching, teachers remain burdened by heavy administrative duties and competing classroom priorities. When new platforms are introduced without adequate support, they add operational complexity rather than efficiency.
The fundamental query for school leadership is no longer whether an institution can adopt a new tool, but whether that tool genuinely assists teachers in their daily practice. To deliver meaningful benefits for learners, educational systems must prioritise the confidence, well-being, and workload of the educators utilizing these technologies.
2. Transforming One-Off Workshops into Sustainable Support
Addressing why traditional professional development frequently fails, Rizqi Khoirunnisa highlighted the limitations of short, isolated training sessions. Teachers often leave one-day workshops highly motivated, only to encounter technical or practical barriers when implementing tools in their classrooms. Without immediate assistance, educators feel isolated and naturally revert to familiar, traditional teaching practices.
This pattern is rarely caused by a lack of teacher motivation. Instead, it stems from the absence of an ongoing support structure. To create lasting change, schools must move away from single event workshops and establish sustainable internal mechanisms, such as Learning Hubs and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
Addressing the Confidence Gap
Drawing from work across diverse educational contexts in Indonesia, Khoirunnisa noted that the primary obstacle for senior or less digitally experienced teachers is confidence rather than raw capability. Rapid tool rollouts can induce anxiety among staff. School leaders must provide a safe environment, dedicated time, and flexible pacing, allowing teachers to experiment without fear of failure or forced adoption deadlines.
3. System-Level Transformation: The Four Cs Ecosystem
Reflecting on systemic transformation across 27 campuses serving 3,000 lecturers and 30,000 pre-service teachers at the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM), Rohaida Abdul Manap emphasized that digital transformation requires an integrated, institutional framework across three distinct phases: before, during, and after training.
Before Training: Establishing clear policy direction, governance, and infrastructure so educators understand the institutional rationale.
During Training: Ensuring content is directly connected to real classroom pedagogy and practical application.
After Training: Providing peer mentoring, communities of practice, and safe spaces for continuous experimentation.
The Four Cs Framework
IPGM structures its digital initiatives around a practical lens known as The Four Cs:
Compliance: Aligning digital tools with ethical guidelines, regulatory policies, and institutional priorities to provide clear guardrails.
Content: Ensuring technology serves explicit educational and pedagogical purposes. Technology must never be the starting point; curriculum goals come first.
Culture: Recognizing that digital readiness varies across staff, requiring differentiated learning pathways and leadership that grants autonomy rather than pressuring staff to adopt trending applications.
Catalyst: Building strategic external partnerships with industry bodies, technology providers, and educational agencies to bring external expertise into the ecosystem.
Abdul Manap warned against measuring digital transformation success purely by software usage statistics, as this practice creates unnecessary adoption pressure and exacerbates feelings of overload.
4. Classroom Integration: Pedagogy, Critical Evaluation, and Privacy
From an operational perspective at Overseas Family School in Singapore, Mathieu Dooms outlined three essential pillars for implementing educational technology effectively:
A Mindset Shift in Leadership and Staff
Digital adoption must transition from top-down mandates ("leadership requires this tool") to a shared understanding of mutual benefit. When leadership provides accessible support, educators can view AI and digital software as operational leverage that simplifies administrative tasks and enhances student engagement.
Critical Selection over the 'Shiny Tool Trap'
Educators and students must be encouraged to think critically about tool selection. Schools ought to avoid the "shiny tool trap" driven by vendor marketing and instead evaluate whether a tool suits their unique community context. Dooms stressed that knowing when not to use technology—and returning to pen and paper when pedagogically appropriate—is a mark of digital maturity that builds trust among teaching staff.
Translating Data Privacy into Plain Language
Whilst institutional leadership and IT teams may understand security regulations, technical compliance must be translated into clear, accessible language for teachers. Clear guidelines explain the boundaries of data usage without creating administrative friction. Dooms recommended running brief 10- to 30-minute micro-workshops targeted at staff, students, and parents, alongside appointing a dedicated, non-judgmental support contact person within the school.
5. Strategic Advice for Education Leaders
To conclude the session, the panellists provided actionable guidance for school leadership navigating digital and AI acceleration:
Rohaida Abdul Manap: "Give educators clarity, give them confidence, and give them choice. Remember, educators are smarter than AI; let technology support their intelligence and purpose."
Rizqi Khoirunnisa: "Teachers learn best from other teachers. Give them the space and time to learn from each other."
Mathieu Dooms: "Ensure an accessible support network exists—even starting with one designated contact person whom staff can approach without fear of judgment."
Audio and written summaries powered by Gemini Notebook, a free generative AI tool grounded in your provided sources. Try Gemini Notebook for free. You can listen to the audio overview of the session here.
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