Educational Technology Products: Fill & Download for Free

Historically, decisions involving educational purchases and resource allocations have been made by parties who don't have a massive, universal incentive to maximize student learning: (1) tech-averse bureaucracies -- school boards and school districts -- and (2) various other school system decision-makers.These traditional decision-makers move slowly, often have multiple agendas, have entrenched interests around current educational models / structures, and are reluctant to embrace technology, especially disruptive technology. They are also very reluctant to experiment and are hyper-focused on the downside of experimentation.Having said this, parents are the one group with a massive incentive to improve the education of children. The good news is that parents are becoming increasingly empowered to impact a child's learning with technology products. As mobile penetration increases (smartphones, touch / kid-friendly devices like iPads, etc.) and innovation in Web and mobile learning products explodes, parents of young children will spend more and more $$ on products directly, disintermediating the educational system. This will create more of a Darwinian marketplace where great products are rewarded bigtime.This trend may convert the education technology market from a "non-profit enterprise market" (i.e., where it's been historically) into a straight consumer market where great products don't need lots of political help to attract lots of direct parent $$.

Keith Scott,It seems to me that China is looking at Australia as an unreliable trade partner, and simply an often obnoxious adversary.NOTE: I am trying to understand how they MIGHT consider us, and react accordingly.[1] The banning of Huawei (high quality and reasonably priced kit) FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER apart from “China cannot be trusted” and our enthusiastic pushing this line among the 5 Eyes consortium of spooks is simply an insult, quite apart from the implications for any high technology products (internet of Things) that China intends to develop in its “Made In China and Paid For In Renmimbi 2025” initiatives.What other high technology products will we ban because “China cannot be trusted”. What opportunities for joint collaboration have we thrown away?[2] The high-volume preaching at China about civil rights, in its own territory, is simply counter-productive. We have our own issues (for example, aboriginal health, incarceration rates, employment and housing) and treatment of refugees that are a source of shame and international condemnation. The recent nonsense about the propaganda creation about how 20 of our SAS murdered 40 Afghans simply highlighted how inept Scotty From Marketing / Mr Shouty / the Bull in the China Shop is when dealing with foreign affairs.How would we handle some provocations from young Chinese artists about these issues?[3] The high-volume preaching at China about how it handles the existential threat from the Untied States is simply counter-productive. At least we have not joined the USA in its “freedom of the seas” provocations up and down the Chinese coast.NOTHING we do will affect China’s determination to defend itself.We need to acknowledge to China that the Huawei decision was a huge mistake, and set up a joint telecommunications testing authority that can test ALL telecommunications kit FROM ALL CONTENDERS for deliberate or accidental defects, and to educate our telco engineers about the Internet of Things.We need to lower the volume and improve the tone of what our politicians say, and what our media trumpet about China. Muzzling fools like “Aid N” Abetz would be a good start!China recently released a list of 14 complaints about Australia [China leaks dossier of 14 disputes with Australia as tensions increase]. What are they? Why has there not been an official response, apart from saying we reject them. Because! Meanwhile we whinge because Chinese ministers will not take our calls. Maybe they are busy? Maybe they see no point?

Determining whether your education technology is a success or failure starts with asking how it is being used, as compared to your goals. If only 8% of your students use a program on a regular basis and you expected 60% to do so — that’s not good.If you look at your usage numbers and realize that you never set any goals — there’s nothing you can do about that now but you can commit to setting goals going forward for every existing and new technology.Important to remember, however, is that usage does not guarantee learning. Some edtech products are barely more than games that cause students’ brains to squirt dopamine without generating meaningful learning, much like slot machines in Vegas.In general, edtech companies can report on usage but it takes someone in a school pulling “results” data in order to power proper analysis of any given edtech product or service.It is not enough to buy something and feel good about it being used. You should go further and demonstrate to yourself and your stakeholders that any given product is actually having an impact.The federal government has some great free tools that are worth exploring, related to rapid cycle evaluations.Educational Technology Rapid Cycle Evaluations - Office of Educational TechnologyEd Tech RCE Coach