News Literacy Project board member Anne Murguia on tech in schools: Focus on what works
Anne Murguia’s career has been all about building and growing.
She’s established brands and carved out whole new types of businesses, turning the software recruiting company Jobvite from a startup into a market leader.
What she didn’t build from scratch, she helped grow into a juggernaut. As the leader of sales, marketing and customer success at Clever, a student identity protection platform, Murguia helped the company become a trusted provider for 75% of U.S. K-12 schools.
Her most important work has been building teams and coaching leaders; and she has seen the impact of lifelong learning and critical thinking skills on individuals in all stages of their careers.
Now Murguia brings her expertise to the News Literacy Project as the nonprofit focuses on improving its free teaching resources and deepening relationships with school districts. She joined the board in April.
We asked Murguia about screen time debates in schools, the lessons she’s learned about building trust, and more. Here are her answers, lightly edited for length and clarity.
Q: Families are raising important questions about technology use in classrooms. How can educators balance legitimate concerns with the value of proven virtual offerings like Checkology?
A: Both online and offline learning experiences spark the imagination and impart vital information; there’s a place for both.
Not all technology tools are great — and I’ll tell you that in the classrooms I grew up in, not all the worksheets, textbooks and educational films were effective either. The key concern is the result for the learner. We have a greater ability to measure impact in education than ever before, so we can make evidence-based decisions. Recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Education calls for just that, while noting the importance of technology in supporting student achievement.
The News Literacy Project has been evaluating the effectiveness of its programs from the beginning and can point to years of independent evaluations that show learning gains in news literacy. That kind of information is valuable for families and school leaders to consider when deciding how to spend precious classroom time and resources.
If we are deliberate about selecting online and offline tools with a positive impact, we’ll make good choices. Let’s approach decisions about learning tools, online and offline, with the data, rather than dogmatically.
Q: At a time when trust in institutions is at all-time lows, nonprofits buck that trend. What has your career taught you about earning and maintaining trust, and why do nonprofits like the News Literacy Project excel at building trust?
A: To build trust, we need to show up with consistent transparency, accountability and empathy. These aren’t the goal or responsibility of any one person in an organization but everyone throughout an organization. The advantage that nonprofits have is that they’re built around those guiding principles. The News Literacy Project lives up to these ideals by disclosing its donors, studying and sharing student learning outcomes and constantly seeking feedback from educators.
Recent research shows that direct engagement with a nonprofit boosts trust in the sector. It’s exciting that the News Literacy Project is hosting its first National News Literacy Conference this fall because in the ultra-online world, finding ways to engage directly with the people you serve can deepen connections that sustain institutions and their worthy goals.
Q: How has marketing in the education space evolved as consumers’ information habits have changed, and where do you see the field headed next?
A: Consumers are rightly becoming more skeptical as we have fewer shared sources of reputable information, and many lack the skills to seek out reliable information. To be effective, people need to understand the value you can provide, rather than just promote, promote, promote.
In education especially, educators and parents want to see results — positive impact on student skills and outcomes — not vague promises. Organizations like the News Literacy Project that can show their programs are effective are in a strong position to share clear, verifiable and trustworthy information that is valuable to stakeholders. Although learning can be fun, education should be a no-hype zone.
Q: What message do you wish could reach educators and families about the importance of news literacy education to navigate today’s information ecosystem?
A: We know that educators are teaching the skills now that will help students be self-sufficient, fulfilled, and healthy throughout their lives. These years are a critical time to gain knowledge because gaps in learning can negatively impact young people for years to come. The knowledge, skills and judgment they develop will support them at each step along their paths. Educators and parents know how important each year of learning is.
Being able to navigate today’s information ecosystem is critical in obtaining work and growth in any chosen field, in making personal decisions in areas like health and finance, and in exercising the rights and responsibilities of citizenry.
Q: Are there any other important issues happening in the world of journalism, AI, education, or nonprofits that you want to address?
A: Education in K-12 is increasingly occurring in a greater variety of settings. Student enrollments in public schools are falling while it increases in home schooling, private and charter schools. Even the traditional public school classroom setting is evolving as the retention of teachers becomes more tenuous. These broad trends impact how nonprofits in the education sector go about reaching, engaging and supporting young people. To serve our mission, we need to design the learning experience to be useful and relevant in all these scenarios.
