Lionwood.software’s Post

There’s an interesting interplay in EdTech between the business-oriented and the formal education sides. There’s been a post from Lionwood about the tech-y side of the question (it’s in the comment) – but what’s interesting is, companies who secure collaboration with state educational institutions gain a lot in terms of insight and user bases. Cases are multiple, from Coursera to Khan Academy and beyond. Lionwood’s own NIT platform is endorsed by several governmental institutions, helping the product team identify the growth areas faster than otherwise. In short, it’s worth the effort. What is that effort, though? Here’s how to ensure your EdTech product can be on the official roster: ▶ Make sure your software addresses the goals of formal education. This is not just about the possibility to add curriculum-oriented courses or exam preparation modules. The social aspect, like administrative and anti-bullying features are also important. ▶ Privacy and security matter a lot! While with commercial, independent course maker-driven platforms, people get what they signed up for, anything that deals with institutions will demand compliance, and that’s something to invest into early on, and not when your product is up to scrutiny. ▶ Start small, pilot mode. There have been many monumental programs that ended in disappointments when faced with the classroom/routine realities. Pilot projects with a couple of schools can allow you to test the waters first and refine the product. Some governments are actually eager to favor such pilots. ▶ Building advocacy. Joining educational technology associations, attending policy forums, and engaging with key stakeholders can help a company advocate for its tool. Building relationships with educational policymakers, school administrators, and government representatives can lead to support and partnerships. ▶ Pinpoint problems and demonstrate measurable outcomes based on the pilot. Is it something like the SAT score? STEM competencies? Other metrics that the target educational system is interested in? Focus on that. So grants are not everything, and not everyone gets the grants. What you’ve just seen above are just the 5 must-haves, but they are pretty much half of the success.

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