Evidencing Edtech - A Conversation with Prof. Natalia Kucirkova
Feb 25, 2024
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The podcast features Prof. Natalia Kurcikova discussing children's use of e-books and literacy apps, personal data in EdTech, and her 'Sensory Books' project. It also explores the challenges in evaluating educational technology, the debate on standardized assessments, the role of values in EdTech development, and the necessity of context in technological advancements within education.
Integrating scientific research is vital for ethical EdTech development.
Balancing financial success with genuine learning outcomes is crucial in the EdTech market.
Deep dives
Navigating the EdTech Landscape for Impactful Innovation
In the podcast, Natalia Kuchakoden discusses the need for a more careful approach in the EdTech sector, especially with startups aiming to reinvent education rapidly. She emphasizes the importance of integrating scientific research and impact evaluation in EdTech solutions. Natalia highlights the role of her organization, Wicked, in connecting researchers with ethical EdTech and promoting evidence-driven products.
Challenges in Aligning Business Profitability with Educational Impact
The conversation delves into the challenging incentives within the EdTech market, where profit-driven agendas often conflict with educational goals. The discussion raises concerns about the hurried pace of market entry and revenue generation in EdTech startups, leading to a clash between financial success and genuine learning outcomes. It underlines the necessity to align investment incentives with broader educational objectives and align impact metrics with global educational goals.
Enhancing Evidence-Based Approaches and Transparent Evaluation
The dialogue explores the significance of evidence-based approaches in EdTech and the need for robust evaluation practices. Natalia emphasizes the importance of transparent sharing of both successful and unsuccessful outcomes in research and product development. She advocates for an ongoing collaborative process that involves researchers, educators, and technology developers to build a comprehensive evidence portfolio and improve the impact assessment of EdTech solutions.
Balancing Technology Integration with Pedagogical Values in Education
The discussion extends to the broader implications of technology integration in learning, particularly for young children's health and mental well-being. While cautioning against hasty technological adoption, Natalia advocates for thoughtful consideration of technology's role in education. She highlights the importance of fostering critical thinking and collaborative decision-making with children to ensure technology's positive influence aligned with educational and developmental goals.
Natalia is also CEO and Co-Founder of WiKIT which is a university spin-out based in Norway, with a global network of specially trained researchers, to match scientists with ethical EdTech and enable properly evidence-driven edtech products.