In Australian schools, there’s no denying that digital transformation is ramping up.
According to the latest Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), about two-thirds (66%) of lower secondary teachers reported using AI in the past year, putting Australia as the fourth highest country within the OECD and far above the OECD average of 36%.
When it comes to the type of digital tools that schools are using, a separate study by Campion founds that 93.1% use core digital platforms (such as LMS like Compass/Canvas), 83.7% are using digital textbooks and 81.8% use learning software.
Experts say the timing is critical for Australia’s economic future. The Tech Council of Australia recently revealed that AI is projected to contribute up to $600bn to GDP by 2030, with demand for skilled workers expected to increase significantly.
However, without early intervention, Australia faces a projected shortfall of 60,000 AI professionals by 2027.
For school leaders in 2026, a big challenge is two-fold. Embedding digital transformation across the campus, and doing it in a way that is effective and sustainable.
This was the focus of a recent virtual roundtable, Embracing Change: Strategies for Successfully Leading Technology Adoption in Schools, hosted by Sentral, a secure, cloud-based school management system powered by Microsoft, in collaboration with The Educator.
The event, held on 19 March 2026, brought together leaders from across Australia’s independent school sector, offering a grounded look at what it really takes to implement technology in a way that sticks.
What digital challenges are schools facing in 2026?
Key discussion points ranged from what makes technology change succeed to recognising change as an ongoing reality rather than a one-off project, alongside the critical role of leadership, the need to balance innovation with practical constraints, and how schools can build organisational resilience for what comes next.
Moderating the roundtable was Matthew Esterman, Founder of The Next Word, a forward-thinking consultancy dedicated to helping educators, universities, government agencies, and private organisations harness the power of artificial intelligence.
One clear theme that emerged early was that change in schools is no longer a discrete project with a start and finish line, but a deliberate, ongoing, layered, and often chaotic, process.
Many leaders shared anecdotes about the sheer volume of digital initiatives that can be running at any given time, whether it’s overhauling finance platforms to introducing new student information systems or rethinking reporting models.
Unfortunately, this many leaders are trying to manage this juggling act with limited time, budgets, and human resources.
One leader who addressed the virtual roundtable highlighted the value of knowing what not to do, pointing out that saying “no” can be just as important as saying “yes” – especially when new ideas or tools don’t align with a school’s broader strategy. Without that discipline, one leader cautioned, projects can quickly become messy and overwhelming.
Another key point that was raised during the discussion was that while the spotlight is on ensuring students’ digital experiences are safe and secure, busy Principals don’t always have the time or resources to ensure that their staff aren’t being exposed to digital risks.
Recent data from the Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Annual Cyber Threat Report, schools are becoming an increasingly vulnerable target for cybercriminals, underscoring the importance of leaders taking a proactive approach to digital safety in their schools.
Meanwhile, cyber experts warn that Australia’s private schools are being increasingly targeted by ransomware attacks because of the sheer volume of valuable student and staff identity data they hold.
One leader said their school’s IT team have so much time on ‘business as usual’ that to do a project is stretching their capacity. Another described the issue of having to trust a new digital platform for 3-5 years before deciding whether keep it.
But the problem isn’t always to do with technology, as one Principal pointed out. Getting buy-in from both staff and parents can be tricky, especially when the school has done things a certain way for so long.
The overarching message from the virtual roundtable was that managing tech transitions must be deliberate, tiered approach that creates a strong culture of digital literacy and which permeates throughout the school community.