When purchasing new edtech tools for your district, ask yourself, “What is the instructional problem that I’m trying to solve with this product?” If you’re unsure, ask your teachers and, if appropriate, ask your students and bring their ideas to the table.
“Identifying the problem and potential solutions should involve everybody who’s engaged in it,” says Francie Alexander, senior vice president of efficacy and consulting research at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH). She notes that school districts nationwide rely on edtech to boost student academics, putting immense pressure on vendors to produce high-quality results.
She advises leaders to focus on “data-rich” insights and look for tools that do more than provide raw data about their students. Instead, find a product that guides and informs instruction to boost student outcomes.
Alexander cautions against the “dreaded drip” that comes from having too much data. The most effective products should help educators identify meaningful and actionable data.
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