Why EdTech Success Depends on Evidence and Usability: Tal Havivi of ASCD & ISTE Explains
Sep 30, 2024
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Tal Havivi, the Managing Director of R&D at ASCD and ISTE, passionately discusses the evolution of evidence in EdTech. He highlights why teacher usability is vital for successful learning outcomes. Havivi reveals ISTE's initiatives aimed at improving the evaluation of EdTech products and shares the five quality indicators essential for assessing solutions. He also addresses the challenges of bridging research with practical classroom application and emphasizes the role of informed buyers in enhancing product quality.
The evolution of evidence-based EdTech emphasizes its critical role in enhancing product effectiveness and validating educational efficacy.
Teacher usability in EdTech is essential, as tools must both simplify tasks and support high-quality instruction for successful learning outcomes.
Deep dives
The Importance of Pedagogical Usability
Pedagogical usability emphasizes how education technology should not only be easy to use but also enhance the quality of instruction. If educators are using tools that simplify tasks at the expense of effective teaching, the technology fails to serve its purpose. The goal is to create tools that facilitate high-quality instruction while minimizing complexity. This involves developing frameworks like the Teacher Ready Framework to ensure that products endorsed for use in classrooms genuinely support educators in delivering effective lessons.
Establishing Quality Indicators in EdTech
A coalition has been formed among various educational organizations to define and standardize quality indicators in the EdTech market. This includes interoperability, data privacy, usability, accessibility, and a research basis, which are essential for evaluating products. By establishing these indicators, the intention is to create coherence, helping educators and decision-makers navigate the complex procurement landscape. This framework allows educators to focus their evaluations on tools that align with their specific needs while relying on validated indicators.
The Role of Evidence in EdTech Decisions
Evidence plays a crucial role in validating the efficacy of EdTech products, yet it is often poorly defined and challenging to obtain. Many schools depend on anecdotal evidence or word of mouth, which may not provide reliable insights into product effectiveness. The shift in funding and prioritization has pushed school systems to demand better partnerships with EdTech vendors, emphasizing the need for products backed by solid research. Resources like the EdTech Index aggregate trusted validators to streamline the evaluation process for educators.
Bridging the Research-Practice Gap
The gap between educational research and practical application in EdTech has been a persistent challenge. Many school systems lack the capacity to engage in systematic research, yet educators are willing to contribute their experiences to improve products. Initiatives like Ed Confluence encourage collaboration between educators and vendors to align product development with real classroom needs. Increasing support and resources for research participation could enhance the relevance of EdTech tools and foster a more robust connection between research and practice.
Tal Havivi is the Managing Director of R&D at ASCD + ISTE, focusing on initiatives to improve the health and effectiveness of the EdTech market. He leads research around high-quality EdTech design, programs focused on improving evaluation processes in school systems, and supports EdTech providers. Previously, he led Education Strategy at Amazon Business focused on improving education procurement. He also has experience working at edtech startups and in K-12 administration.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How the role of evidence in EdTech has evolved over the last decade and why it’s more critical than ever.
The importance of teacher usability in EdTech tools and how it impacts learning outcomes.
What ISTE and ASCD’s initiatives are doing to create a more rigorous evaluation framework for EdTech products.
The five quality indicators used to assess EdTech solutions: Usability, Interoperability, Accessibility, Data Privacy, and Research Basis.
How EdTech providers can bridge the gap between research and practical application in schools.
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Introduction to Tal Havivi and his role at ASCD & ISTE. [00:02:59] The coalition behind EdTech’s five quality indicators. [00:05:41] How evidence-based EdTech has evolved post-pandemic [00:09:11] Why teacher usability is crucial for EdTech success. [00:15:55] ISTE’s 2025 plan to prioritize validated EdTech vendors. [00:19:37] Challenges in bridging research and practical EdTech solutions. [00:29:38] The future of EdTech evaluation and quality standards.
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.
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