To date, the vast majority of EdTech tools have provided some level of utility, but the next generation of tools will need to be open-ended. The current generation of tools solves problems that are only a small component of a teachers’ overall workflow (e.g., online quizzes, exit/entry tickets, SEL feedback, etc.) or digitize an analog practice (e.g., collaborative documents, digital portfolios, audio/video content, etc.). This narrow focus has lead to inflexible UI/UX experiences with little opportunity for engagement.
The next generation of EdTech tools will create more flexible environments for learning. Environments can support gamification so that students to learn without a teacher. This includes gamification concepts like choice, learning the rules incrementally, automated challenge adjustments, user customization, collaboration, retries, and feedback. For a glimpse of this new world, think about products like block-based coding tools, STEM tools like Algodoo, Desmos, and Geogebra, design tools like Miro and Mural, and virtual worlds like Mozilla Hubs and Gathertown.
So what? These new environment EdTech tools have two major potential benefits. They will have a greater chance to punch through from periodic use to everyday usage. In addition, vendors will be able to provide multiple products more easily. This last point is significant because you probably can’t name an EdTech company with multiple successful products?
