Educators and EdTech Collaboration

Exploring Collaboration – ACEL and EduGrowth Bring Together Educators and Edtech Founders

Collaboration is a key component of EduGrowth’s mission.  We combined with the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) to co-host an event that connected educators to EdTech founders.

The theme of the event was sharing experiences to drive education technology and innovation development in the K12 School sector.

The Educators on the panel delivered us these key messages

  • Innovation is driving infrastructure development at exponential rates
    DET specifically are seeing almost a doubling of bandwidth and data consumption on an yearly basis – and that’s before virtual reality starts taking hold.
  • Students should be the key to your product
    Student success will require a range of competencies, some of which are only just emerging or not clearly defined yet.  New EdTech products that put the student at the centre are being sort by schools to help in this area. Data from your products should include feedback and insight for students, teachers and parents.
  • Connect your product to the curriculum
    Students in the digital age need  a broad range of skills, and innovative educational technology products can enhance this.  Connecting your product directly to the curriculum is key for K12 School market success.
  • Consider training and implementation right from the start
    Teachers are more comfortable with technology than most EdTech Founders think.  But you need to consider the roll-out, training and implementation model right from the start.  This is especially true in a school network as diverse and dispersed at the Western Australian DET system.
  • Use the language of K12 Schools when designing your communications plan
    The SAMR model, for example, is used by educators in assessing all classroom practice, using this to describe your EdTech product makes it immediately accessible to educators you’re connecting with.

The key message from EduGrowth was

  • K12 Schools have a real place in the EdTech ecosystem
    K12 Schools can play a part in the development of innovative technology for the classroom.  Their input and experience is highly valuable, particularly in the ‘ideation’, ‘efficacy’ and ‘first customer’ stages of EdTech company development.

Speakers:

David Dans
Chief Information Officer
WA Department of Education

Doug Cook
Director, Teaching and Learning
WA Department of Education

Bhavneet Singh
Principal Consultant
WA Department of Education

Simon Mansfield
Deputy Principal
Vasse Primary

Matt Zarb
Head of Design and Technologies
Helena College

David Linke
Managing Director
EduGrowth

Sharon Grosser
Director & Co-Founder
SEQTA