This summer, as fireworks light the sky and grills heat up across the country, EMC² Learning is taking a moment to share a spark-filled update of our own — the 2025 State of the YOUnion report!
Each year, we send a short survey to our global community of more than 10,000 educators to get a sense of where things stand. What’s working? What needs tweaking? And how can we keep building the kind of platform that meets the ever-changing needs of your 21st century classroom?
The short version? Your voices matter — and we’re listening.
Let’s take a gander at what our incredible community of Engagement Engineers had to share!
A Peek Inside the Numbers
First things first: while verbatim comments and anecdotal feedback on a per-teacher basis is often the most rewarding data in surveys like these, we also love to keep our eyes peeled for large swaths of information and any patterns of statistical correlation (or anomalies) that might pop up as our survey results come pouring in. So for the past month or so, we’ve been combing through responses from educators across all grade levels, subject areas, and corners of the globe. From first-year teachers to seasoned veterans, the message was loud and clear: educators want resources that are relevant, reliable, and ready to use. They’re looking for support that respects their time and professional development that actually makes a difference.
Here are some highlights that jumped off the page:
- 70.9% of respondents gave EMC² Learning’s resource library a rating of 8 or higher (out of 10).
- 74.5% said they would strongly recommend EMC² Learning to a colleague.
- On average, teachers rated the impact of AI on their lesson planning at 6.4/10, but only 5.4/10 for day-to-day instruction — suggesting many are still figuring out how to meaningfully integrate these tools.
- The average rating for support of non-screen-based learning alternatives was 4.8/10, revealing a growing hunger for hands-on, low-tech options in the age of 1:1 devices.
While big-picture stats tell one story, the written feedback from our Engagement Engineers shows how and why EMC² Learning makes a difference.
Teachers repeatedly praised the platform for its ready-to-use resources, student-centered activities, and the ability to adapt content quickly for their own classrooms. Terms like “love,” “new,” “make,” and “ideas” surfaced again and again — reflecting a clear desire for learning that sparks curiosity and creativity in both students and teachers alike.
This wasn’t just praise for flashy games or one-off gimmicks. Dozens of responses emphasized how EMC² Learning supports deep engagement while saving teachers time. As one high school teacher put it:
“It gave me a whole new perspective on how I could approach my lessons — and my students noticed the change immediately.”
Many also shared that EMC² has helped them rediscover the fun in teaching. Whether it was trying a new resource that “actually worked on the first try,” or simply watching students light up during a hands-on challenge, the throughline was clear: student engagement isn’t a nicety — it’s a necessity. And teachers are hungry for more of it.
PD That Goes Beyond One Day Wonders
Research by the esteemed Jim Knight, founder of the Instructional Coaching Group at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, estimates that traditional PD sees implementation rates as low as 5% once teachers return to their classrooms.
At EMC² Learning, we’re seeing something very different.
Our annual renewal rate has held steady above 80% for four years in a row. The way we see it? That’s more than a statistic: it’s a testament to PD that’s actually making an impact. Here inside the library of resources available at EMC² Learning, teachers aren’t just browsing. They’re using what they find. They’re coming back. And they’re sharing the love with colleagues across their schools and districts.
“I took a course or two and I saw the benefits of gamification; I’m a big proponent of it. I checked out and utilized several resources and implemented them into my classroom routine. I like and use a lot of the foldable resources. They are great.”
Chip Krolik
High School Math Teacher
Teacher Voices Loud and Clear
We asked what’s working — and you told us. Loudly!
“My favorite thing about the resources is seeing the increased student engagement in my classroom. I am so excited to see what is to come! Thank you for everything you are doing to change the game of education!
Dr. Jennifer Toney
Elementary Curriculum Coach
“The best PD I have ever come across in 29 years of teaching. Absolutely love it! John and Michael know the heart of the teacher and understand, truly, what it’s like in the classroom today and their patience and willingness to share relevant engaging resources with the teaching profession.”
Kellie Mallon
Teacher/Student Support Specialist
“I like that the resources are practical and can be used repeatedly no matter what the topic of study is.”
Angela Smith
Middle School HIstory Teacher
“I really appreciate how much is available on your site, the variety and creativity you all offer are a big part of what makes EMC2 so valuable.”
Richard Thomas
STEM Teacher
More Ways to Play for Years to Come
Of course, no platform is perfect — and we’re grateful for the honest reflections that help us grow. The most commonly cited challenge was the sheer volume of resources available on the site. As one teacher put it, “There are so many great tools… it can be hard to know where to start.” Others mentioned a desire for more visual examples, step-by-step guides, and strategies for scaffolding game-inspired lessons into existing curriculum maps.
We hear you loud and clear!
That’s why this summer, we’re rolling out a series of “Pedagogy Playlist” collections, visual walkthroughs, and choose-your-own-EDventure-style onboarding activities to make it easier than ever to find the right resource at the right time. Our goal? To help every teacher feel confident—not overwhelmed—when diving into playful pedagogy. As always, your feedback drives our roadmap, and we’re building this platform hand-in-hand with the educators who use it every day.
You also gave us action steps — and we’re already rolling:
- More plug-and-play resources: You asked for quick wins with big impact. We’re delivering dozens of classroom-ready tools this summer that require less prep and spark maximum engagement.
- Expanded “how-to” tutorials: Visual guides, short walkthrough videos, and more examples are on the way to make it easier than ever to bring game-inspired learning to life.
- Hands-on learning ideas and AI alternatives: Tech is great, but tactile tasks still reign supreme. Expect a growing library of low-tech, high-impact strategies in the year to come. Take THAT, ChatGPT!
The EMC² Learning platform is built on a simple idea: engagement at the speed of life. And your responses to this summer’s survey help us move faster, think bigger, and serve better.
Thanks for being part of this passionate worldwide community of game-changing educators.
More updates — and a whole lot of fresh resources — are just around the corner.
Until then, keep experimenting. Keep engaging. And enjoy the fireworks!
The activities featured in this blog post are just a handful of the 1000+ resources available and on their way to arrive shortly in the EMC² Learning library. This entire library is available to all members with an active Engagement Engineer or Engagement Engineer PLUS account, and is included with your annual site membership. We hope you’ll consider joining us as an Engagement Engineer to unlock a full year of site access. For complete details including our exclusive limited time offer for annual site membership, click here.