Making a genuine impact in EdTech Part 1:
Pieces of the puzzle
Despite years of advancements in research on education and learning, evidence-based practices have not had the impact on education that was anticipated. Promising insights from the learning sciences struggle to find widespread application in the classroom and in EdTech solutions. Educational technologists and education practitioners perceive many research efforts as detached from the practical realities of their environments. Further, education practitioners often have the experience that research and EdTech development are happening at them, not with them.
The divide between educational research, technological development, and frontline educational work is widely recognized, and various initiatives aim to bridge this gap. For instance, during my tenure at SRI, I spearheaded a US Department of Education funded project to investigate the “research to practice gap.” We developed a framework designed to enhance the real-world impact of research-based educational technologies.
Other organizations are also making strides in bridging the gap. The Gates Foundation supports the AIMS Collaboratory, which brings together “math curriculum developers, researchers, and practitioners to collaborate and address critical learning challenges.” The Advanced Education Research and Development Foundation (AERDF) advocates for an Inclusive Research and Development approach that centers student and educator voices in projects that engage research teams and content developers. Digital Promise’s Center for Inclusive Innovation conducts “co-research and development of equitable powerful learning with those who are most impacted.”
These projects are crucial steps towards a more integrated educational landscape where research, development, and practice are aligned to serve our students effectively.
However, achieving true integration across research, development, and practice requires more than new frameworks or processes—it demands a significant cultural shift. Stakeholders from research, development, and practice need to learn to work with each other. This typically requires learning new ways of thinking and communicating. More importantly, it requires that we develop empathy for people with other backgrounds and perspectives. We all must move beyond the undercurrent of mistrust that we sometimes have when dealing with participants from different areas.
To do this, all participants (including, but not limited to, researchers, developers, and practitioners) must begin from the assumption that all those in the field of education are there to make a positive difference in students’ lives (and those who got into the field to get rich quick or to take summers off don’t last long!). We must strive to understand the constraints, incentives, and compromises that each group faces and foster a culture of empathy rather than conflict. Importantly, this is not a call for each of us to point fingers, but is a call for each of us to look inwards and consider how we may have been complicit in creating divisions in the past, and think about ways to bridge divides moving forward.
What does this look like? In upcoming posts I will share specific examples from my experience working across research, practice, and development. However, the following broad guidelines are a good starting point:
Presume positive intent: Begin with trust, even when outcomes or methods don't align with our expectations.
Seek understanding through inquiry: Engage in root cause analysis (like the "5 Whys" technique) to identify the underlying reasons behind outcomes and methods. This might reveal unexpected pressures such as sudden policy changes or miscommunications about resource allocation or timing.
Recognize and respect limitations and constraints: Constraints can be very real. Instead of judgment, offer support or work together to advocate for needed changes, while supporting those who must work within them.
Take the long(ish) view: Redesign and systemic change take time. Strive for continuous improvement rather than immediate overhaul.
Center impact on the learner: Let our shared mission – improving student outcomes – guide collaboration and resolve differences.
Changing a deeply ingrained culture of separation won't happen overnight, but it begins with each of us. It's about fostering genuine collaboration, guided by empathy and a shared vision to improve education for our students.
Stay tuned for Part 2: Putting The Pieces Together, where I’ll share more about how we can practically apply these principles to foster collaboration in the development of effective EdTech.
