ISTE and Project Unicorn Release EdTech Buying Guide for Educators

By TL Editors
published

“Every year, billions of dollars are spent in the U.S. on edtech solutions for schools. The question is, are those dollars being spent in the way that will best serve students?” said ISTE Chief Learning Officer Joseph South.

ISTE logo

To provide more insight and guidance into how edtech purchasing happens and consider how educators and leaders can work together to make more informed purchasing decisions, the International Society for Technology in Education and Project Unicorn have released Better Edtech Buying for Educators: A Practical Guide.

In an increasingly complex digital landscape, educators and staff responsible for purchasing decisions have a lot to consider, including questions like: Will a particular app meet our learning goals? Will it work with our school’s infrastructure? Does it comply with data privacy laws? Does it complement existing tools? And, how do I get my data out of the tool to inform teaching and learning? The Guide was developed specifically with educators and district leaders in mind to provide practical steps for more-informed edtech decision making.

The Guide is organized into five categories:

  1. Alignment With Student Learning Goals and Standards
  2. Importance of Research and Evidence
  3. Data Interoperability and Student Privacy
  4. Challenges of Implementation, Use and Ongoing Support
  5. Educators as Purchasing Partners

The Better Edtech Buying for Educators: A Practical Guide was made possible with the support of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The Guide will be released at SXSWedu at the Wonka, Unicorns, & the Interoperability Imperative Meet Up on March 6 at 3:30-4:30 p.m. CST at the Hilton Austin Downtown Room #602.

TL Editors