Global EdTech Trialing Network Releases 'Tenets & Principles of EdTech Trialing Networks & Environments Within the US'

KANSAS CITY, Mo., November 15, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Education leaders, policy makers, venture capitalists, and researchers have come together to produce a new resource that guides EdTech research and development in US classrooms. The “Tenets & Principles of EdTech Trialing Networks & Environments” is a timely release on the heels of President Biden’s executive order calling for equitable technology usage in schools amid the rapid proliferation of AI tools.

The Tenets & Principles are the first United States-focused resource to emerge from the Global EdTech Trialing Network (GETN), an interdisciplinary global community led by Leanlab Education, University College-London, and OpenDevEd. A collaborative working group from the United States spun out to focus on the unique issues facing ongoing R&D of emerging technologies in American classrooms. The release of these tenets and principles marks a significant milestone in the national efforts to enhance the quality and effectiveness of education technology R&D. 

Director of the Institute of Education Sciences Mark Schneider shared, "We hope these guidelines will support collaboration among researchers, school practitioners, and education entrepreneurs throughout R&D cycles; we want to better understand what works, for whom, and under what conditions."

The new resource highlights four key tenets: Inclusivity, Innovation, Infrastructure, and Impact, that set the stage for a cohesive equity-centered approach to education R&D within trialing environments. Trialing environments are authentic learning environments where the trialing of education technology takes place; they are essential for incorporating the voice and expertise of learners and educators in education innovation. The guidelines go on to highlight 10 context and implementation principles to support R&D in trialing environments. 

“Catalyzing impactful change in education needs the harmonious symphony of cross-sector collaboration—uniting researchers, educators, investors, and innovative entrepreneurs,” said Malvika Bhagwat, Partner and Head of Outcomes at Owl Ventures. “The pivotal insights that come from these partnerships will continue to foster education innovation focused on learner outcomes, which is at the heart of everything we do at Owl Ventures.” 

The resource will be used as a foundational guide for interdisciplinary conversations about EdTech development in school environments. Additionally, it will be shared internationally to support EdTech development around the world—one guide in a growing suite of GETN resources, including the white paper “Towards Systemic EdTech Testbeds: A Global Perspective.”

“These guidelines act as both a practical and symbolic first step in building an R&D infrastructure that honors school community expertise; the fact that these guidelines were created by a cross-sector, cross-cultural coalition demonstrates the far-reaching potential of this work,” said Katie Boody-Adorno, founder and CEO of Leanlab Education.

The resource was a collaborative effort, created by contributors from Leanlab Education, the Institute of Education Sciences, Digital Promise, InnovateEDU, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Owl Ventures, HolonIQ, Reach Capital, Center for Education Market Dynamics, and others.

Access the resource at docs.opendeved.net/lib/UF5E7H5N, and find additional GETN resources at globaledtech.org.

Source: Leanlab Education