About the EdTech Strategy Lab
EdTech evaluation frameworks support the distinct needs of different stakeholders with a variety of different outputs creating an ecosystem of evaluation types. It will be necessary to create more systematic connections between these various types of evaluation frameworks in order to develop a comprehensive ecosystem of evaluation, and to ensure that all stakeholder needs are met.
The absence of alignment among these initiatives poses a significant obstacle. Without a space for discussing interoperability, or establishing trust, these certifications can become an overwhelming burden both for EdTech providers, especially those active in multiple markets, and end-users like educators, who must decipher and compare their offerings.
There is a lack of structured dialogue enabling knowledge sharing or meaningful engagement with stakeholders to ensure that measures successfully address concerns, increase trust, and support evidence-based decision-making practices. It is imperative to facilitate common understanding to support the effective utilisation of EdTech in educational settings.
This is where the EdTech Strategy Labs project comes in: Through ongoing interviews and workshops, the EEA aims to support existing and developing frameworks in their knowledge and experience exchange with a goal of increasing evidence-informed decision making. See more about the EEAs future role in this work here >
“When searching for a needle in a haystack, it’s important to be able to trust someone.”
- Participant at the EdTech Austria Summit referring to the challenge of dealing with the extensive range of offerings in the EdTech market.
Importance of Trust
Trust is pivotal in the EdTech ecosystem, bridging the gap between the industry and decision-makers in educational institutions. The integration of EdTech tools depends heavily on their perceived efficacy, security, and alignment with educational goals.
However, the sector faces a critical challenge - leading EdTech publication, EdSurge, illustrated the scope of the problem by explaining "there is a stunning lack of research and evidence to support the efficacy of those products."
To counter this, various quality assurance certification initiatives for EdTech products and services have been launched. These include EduCheck Digital, Safer Technology for Schools, OEAD Lern-Apps-Gütesiegel, and multiple, privately funded initiatives. However, these initiatives currently lack a structured approach to collaboration, information sharing, interoperability and effective engagement with stakeholders.
The absence of alignment among these initiatives poses a significant obstacle. Without a space for discussing interoperability, or establishing trust, these certifications can become an overwhelming burden both for EdTech providers, especially those active in multiple markets, and end-users like educators, who must decipher and compare their offerings.
There is a lack of structured dialogue enabling knowledge sharing or meaningful engagement with stakeholders to ensure that measures successfully address concerns, increase trust, and support evidence-based decision-making practices. It is imperative to facilitate common understanding to support the effective utilisation of EdTech in educational settings.
The results of the 2024 European EdTech Map show that 87% of the 1480 EdTech organization respondents believe evidence-based testing would help them build trust and enter markets.
Current research offers an initial overview of certain EdTech impact evaluation frameworks, explores the environments within which certain pieces of this testing and evaluation can take place, and establishes tenets and principles for evaluation.
Often, these studies are providing small snapshots and are not actively developing or analyzing connections or alignment between these initiatives.
Local and supranational political support for quality assurance and certification mechanisms is increasing. This is demonstrated in the Council of Europe developing a “feasibility study for an international review system for EdTech solutions” and the European Commission supporting funded projects for cooperation and quality assurance.
Additionally, a number of private initiatives aim to provide more targeted and agile support, for example, EdTech Impact, and Education Alliance Finland. Other, international product certification frameworks can be found in the civil sector from organizations such as Digital Promise or ISTE.
Research based initiatives including certification practices such as those of the EdTech Index (Germany), ICEIE (Norway), or studies from UCL Institute of Education, are exploring the efficacy of EdTech and developing research addressing key issues of EdTech quality.
Join Us
Register your interest below to join us at an upcoming EdTech Strategy Lab event