Edthena Invited Contributor for EdTech Efficacy Research Academic Symposium

We are excited to announce that on May 3-4 in Washington DC, Edthena’s Adam Geller will join more than 150 entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, researchers and educators to explore the impact of education technology as part of an EdTech efficacy research symposium.

The symposium is a product of a partnership between Digital Promise, Jefferson Education Accelerator, and the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education. The two-day event will focus on the role of efficacy research in the development, adoption, and implementation of educational technology.

“The realities of the day-to-day in school districts is that the buying process is complicated,” said Adam. “Our hope is to highlight some of the tradeoffs decision makers face with many technology options, imperfect data about efficacy, and an urgency to make decisions in order to positively impact children.”

Participants in the symposium have been organized in separate working groups. Adam is collaborating with members of Working Group A, which includes Dreambox Learning CEO Jessie Woolley-Wilson, former director of the U.S. Office of Educational Technology and current President and Chief Executive Officer at Digital Promise Karen Cator, and former Clark County School Superintendent Dwight Jones.

The group seeks to illustrate the overall logic model that determines school and district-level technology purchasing- and implementation-related decisions. They will conduct and publish a set of case studies that trace a past-procurement decision making process in one school or district – from discovery to post-implementation evaluation.

Another desired outcome is the development of a tool that any school, district, or organization can use to guide their education technology procurement-related decisions.

“The working groups are tackling some of the most complex questions in education, conducting original research, and – we hope – laying the foundation for solutions,” said Bart Epstein, Founding CEO of Jefferson Education Accelerator and Research Associate Professor at the University of Virginia. “Stakeholders aren’t always going to see eye to eye – but we can’t possibly address these issues without the divergent perspectives of teachers, investors, and other players in the debate.”

“Schools and universities are increasingly relying on data to inform administrative and instructional decision-making,” said Karen Cator. “The working groups are sparking a discussion that will inform our work for years to come.”

We’re incredibly thankful for this opportunity. You can learn more about the symposium and the partners who are putting it on here.