AI will never replace teachers, but educators must learn how to use it effectively. More than 6,000 teachers should be trained not only to apply AI in the classroom but also to guide students in using it responsibly, shared Antonio Roca, Managing Director, Academica Virtual Education in an exclusive interaction with Kaanchi Chawla of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:
How does Academica Virtual Education differentiate itself from other virtual learning providers in terms of pedagogy, technology, and student outcomes?
Academica Virtual Education has been operating for over 15 years as the result of a collaborative effort between educators in both brick-and-mortar schools and virtual learning environments. This unique combination allows the organisation to bring proven best practices from traditional classrooms into the digital space.
Unlike many other virtual providers, Academica benefits from a large network of over 200 schools across the United States, serving more than 150,000 students in physical classrooms daily. With nearly three decades of experience in physical education, the organisation has effectively transferred this expertise into creating high-quality virtual learning experiences.
A key differentiator is the emphasis on making digital learning highly engaging and personal. The platform “Collegiate” connects a global base of over 200,000 learners, fostering collaboration and community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Academica integrated advanced tools—such as auto-tracking cameras, high-definition video, and highdefinition audio—into physical classrooms. This ensured that students learning remotely could participate as if they were physically present.
By seamlessly merging physical and virtual spaces, Academica provides students in both settings with opportunities to interact, while enabling educators to teach effectively across platforms in real time. This blended approach strengthens pedagogy, leverages technology, and enhances student outcomes.
What policies or partnerships have proven effective in closing the digital divide for your virtual learners?
I believe it is essential to launch Collegiate so that every student becomes familiar with a digital platform that is compatible with iOS, Android, desktops, laptops, and iPads. Many of our schools are moving to fully digital learning, where books and other materials are accessed on iPads. To prepare students, especially those in middle and high school, for the rigorous challenges of this transition, it is important that they learn to navigate Collegiate, send messages to parents, teachers, and principals, and use the platform effectively. Our elementary school students are already logging in and exploring these features.
Equally important is ensuring that parents are not left behind. All parents and guardians of our students have access to Collegiate, allowing them to communicate seamlessly with teachers. They no longer need to call the school or write a letter; they can email or send real-time messages directly to their child’s teacher. This two-way communication also enables teachers to easily reach out to parents, recognising the critical role parental involvement plays in student success.
Breaking down barriers between the schoolhouse and the home is vital. Establishing partnerships and developing platforms that make this process as seamless as possible is, I believe, essential for the future.
Do you see AI as a collaborator, competitor, or catalyst for the future of virtual education, and how are you preparing students for this shift?
I believe AI is both a catalyst and a collaborator. We were early adopters of artificial intelligence and firmly believe it will be a driving force in digital education. We have even developed our own AI platform, the Adaptive Instruction Advisor (IA). Harnessing AI tools provides unprecedented opportunities for individualised learning.
Traditionally, education has followed the “one teacher, 30 students” model, where instruction is often aimed at the middle. This leaves fast learners bored and slow learners struggling. AI changes this by enabling truly individualised learning. For example, by analysing practice data from standardised or interim exams, such as state assessments, SATs, or ACTs, AI can generate custom learning objectives and targeted exercises to strengthen each student’s specific areas of need.
AI will never replace teachers, but educators must learn how to use it effectively. More than 6,000 teachers should be trained not only to apply AI in the classroom but also to guide students in using it responsibly. By leveraging classroom data, teachers can create unique, targeted, and customised lessons. Educators have a responsibility to teach students how to use AI ethically, as every young person entering the workforce in the next 10–15 years will need to master working with AI.
The future will belong to those who can ask the best questions and create the most precise prompts. This requires subject knowledge and the ability to frame inquiries clearly and intelligently. Those who can do so will receive the best, most relevant answers from AI systems.
In conclusion, AI is here to stay. Like calculators in mathematics, it will not replace teachers or classrooms but will enhance them, equipping both educators and students with powerful tools for better learning outcomes.
How do you envision the ideal “hybrid school of the future”—one that fully blends digital flexibility with real-world community engagement?
We are implementing learning centres in various contexts to enhance individualised learning. These centres will provide students with flexible environments, allowing them to learn outside the traditional classroom setting. For example, students may work in pods using virtual learning tools and artificial intelligence to reinforce certain concepts during part of the day. In another part of the day, they may join collaborative group sessions with teachers to work on subjects they studied independently.
The goal is to create a fluid learning environment that leverages technology for personalised education while maintaining essential social interaction. In today’s world, where many adolescents and teens lack in-person engagement, the human connection offered in these settings is invaluable. Learning centres will facilitate project-based and collaborative learning while accommodating individual schedules. For instance, a student who is an athlete may attend later in the day rather than at 7 a.m.
By combining flexibility, technology-driven personalised learning, and human interaction, these new learning environments can support diverse student needs and prepare them for the future of education.
Also Read: Empowering Educators & Creating Scalable Teacher Training Models
Can you share measurable outcomes or success stories that highlight the impact of Academica Virtual Education on underserved communities?
The vast majority of the brick-and-mortar schools we operate in the U.S. serve underserved communities. That has been our focus since we began 30 years ago—creating educational outcomes and disproving the notion that poor children cannot learn. We have proven, time and again, that this is a fallacy.
One of the key strategies we use to support underserved communities, both in person and virtually, is after-school tutoring. Traditional tutoring after school is expensive, and most brick-and-mortar schools cannot afford to keep their entire teaching staff for extended hours. While we have organised classes in the past, what has truly made a difference is establishing computer labs within schools. These labs give students access to virtual lessons for reinforcement on topics they may not have fully understood, providing remediation or acceleration as needed.
This approach allows us to deliver personalised learning at scale without straining school budgets. Instead of paying for dozens or even hundreds of teachers to stay after school, digital learning offers a cost-effective alternative. Students can learn asynchronously, work independently, and reinforce concepts outside the regular classroom. This blend of inperson education with technology has proven to be one of the most effective tools for serving underserved communities beyond the daily classroom experience.
