Building Trust and Evidence in the EdTech Sector: Stakeholder Insights from in-person EdTech Strategy Labs Workshops

Trust plays a crucial role in the development, selection and adoption of quality EdTech solutions. However, several challenges undermine this trust, including a general bias against technology and the private sector and the regulatory complexities of fragmented education systems. Recent in-person workshops through the EdTech Strategy Labs, held at the Global Education Coalition meeting at UNESCO in March, SETT Stockholm in April, and the EdTech Austria Summit in May, have highlighted some of the key issues facing trust and evidence.

Teachers and decision-makers are overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of available options and lack clear criteria for decision-making. One participant at the EdTech Austria Summit workshop referred to this dilemma as, “When searching for a needle in a haystack, it’s important to be able to trust someone.” A lack of common definitions and understanding further complicates the landscape.

Evidence is essential for building trust, but the sector also faces significant challenges in this area. There is no common understanding of what constitutes evidence and what should be measured, and the types of evidence needed likely vary widely among stakeholder groups. Workshops indicated that teachers often focus on peer recommendations, while existing quality frameworks often emphasise rigorous evidence creation, such as randomised controlled trials (RCTs). An activity involving students at the EdTech Austria Summit revealed that their primary concern was the impact on their motivation. Further research is needed to determine which stakeholder group prefers what type of evidence and why, especially regarding teachers, who are the primary implementers.

Austrian students answering what is important to them about learning apps

According to workshop participants, the lack of evidence is partly driven by insufficient incentives and constraints on budget and time. An EdTech startup at SETT Stockholm expressed this problem to the point: “It is unclear why we should do research. EdTech procurement decision-makers care very little about evidence.” 

Resource constraints emerged as a significant challenge for both educators and corporate entities. Educators need time and funding to research and identify effective apps, while companies face competition and fast production cycles, hindering thorough research for evidence-based solutions.

Workshop participants suggested several solutions to foster evidence, including establishing standards and criteria for evidence, promoting transparency, and making research more accessible. Collaborations with academic institutions and involving learners and teachers in the process can also enhance the credibility and relevance of evidence. Moreover, independent evaluations and facilitating access to resources, such as a “universal test bed,” were recommended.

Transparency in research and data use was deemed essential to overcoming trust barriers. Currently, the opacity of research sources and data protection concerns remain significant issues, raised by several stakeholders throughout all workshops. Certifications aim to enhance trust in EdTech solutions by indicating that these technologies are supported by evidence. However, the proliferation of certifications makes it challenging to discern their quality and funding sources. 

Partnerships were seen as playing a crucial role in creating trust and ensuring the development, purchase, and adoption of the most suitable EdTech solutions. However, these partnerships face challenges like a lack of testing environments, competition, and differing working dynamics between public and private actors.

By understanding what each stakeholder group needs to gain trust and considering what counts as relevant evidence for different stakeholders, we can start brokering a common understanding and agree on minimum standards for quality assurance. These standards can then be adopted by developers, procurers, and implementers of EdTech solutions alike.