Scaling back on innovation in education will require ed-tech entrepreneurs to understand exactly which tools educators need
There’s good and bad news for the future of K-12 education technology.
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: An annual survey from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) reveals that financial constraints continue to limit technology in schools.
CoSN senior consultant Denise Atkins-Shorey laments that districts may be forced to delay tech repairs due to lack of funding: “In the technology world, that’s a really dangerous piece, because if a piece of equipment were to fail and it’s no longer supported… there’s no replacement for it.”
Read the full story in Government Technology News.
Although financial setbacks do pose legitimate concerns, they also provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to work closer with districts to improve learning while keeping costs down.
(Next page: Ed-tech entrepreneurs must understand their audience)
This is a hot time for ed-tech entrepreneurs. Influential donors and foundations, and the meteoric success of Shark Tank provide startups with the capital and business acumen to help schools deliver instruction more effectively and enhance the student experience.
While every startup thinks their solution to education will revolutionize learning, they must, according to journalist Jordan Shapiro, understand exactly what teachers want and need.
“Perhaps your new product is disruptive, but disruption is not what we need,” says Shapiro who receives scores of letters from ed-tech startups.
A Gates Foundation survey found 5 crucial responses from teachers about what type of tools best supports their needs.
For more on Shapiro’s analysis and the 5 teacher responses, read the full story in Forbes.
Do you think ed-tech budget cuts will encourage innovators to work closer with educators and administrators? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and by joining the conversation on Twitter @Michael_eSM.
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