Edtech holds the potential to be extremely versatile and beneficial in the classroom. In many cases, it can create better outcomes and deepen the learning experience for students. Other programs are designed to help educators with classroom management. These digital tools can be a wonderful addition to a teacher’s toolbox, but not all products are useful. Too many programs and tools are designed to be flashy and marketable instead of catering to the teacher and student needs.
Some teachers are beginning to resent the push toward digital learning in the classroom. In fact, only 58 percent of teachers feel comfortable using technology in their classroom according to a recent study. It makes sense that so many teachers would be hesitant to use these tools in their classroom. The products that their districts are purchasing seem like a good idea, but edtech companies are lacking in the humility necessary to create a superior product. Edtech needs a bit more humility and caution in order to make their products more effective for the classroom.
A Growing Trend
It comes as no surprise that edtech is a growing phenomenon. Everyone loves the idea of individualized learning for every student. Children can work at their own pace using tools that are tailored to their learning needs, taking some of the burdens off teachers. Theoretically, this type of program sounds ideal but it often falls short in practicality. Most of the programs designed for classroom instruction were not created by actual teachers.
More and more educators are speaking up and asking edtech companies to stop building what they think teachers need. There’s a growing push for these tech companies to have a little more humility to ask educators what needs they have in the classroom. What gaps could their new products fill to make learning a better experience for teachers and students alike?
Caution and Humility Lead to Success
How do caution and humility contribute to the overall success of an edtech company? When they can slow down long enough to ask thoughtful questions and come up with creative solutions, school districts are bound to sense a company’s ingenuity. You must be willing to approach schools and teachers with a humble attitude. Being ready to learn what it’s like to be involved in the classroom is essential to creating effective technology for teachers and students. Ask lots of questions and move slowly when coming up with solutions instead of jumping head-first into a flashy program.
Be willing to accept constructive feedback as well. Most companies would prefer not to hear that there are areas where their product falls short. However, this feedback is a crucial part of the development phase. Using this criticism and insight to adapt your platform or tool can better develop your company and create a lasting product that truly meets teacher needs.
Pausing before the development of a solution and taking the time to humbly accept criticism is necessary for edtech companies. This is how we create products that have the best outcomes for students and a generation of learners. We cannot forget the importance of these two qualities when starting edtech companies that could help us to create a better future for our students.
