When you are choosing EdTech tools for your school, you must ensure that you are not rushing into the decision.
This market is extremely active right now and so there are many new businesses who are creating products that are aimed at teachers and education leaders.
Some solutions might prove to have proven long term impact for educators, while others might, for example, make remote learning easier to successfully facilitate.
To help you make the right decision, we are going to cover some of the things that you should look out for when choosing EdTech tools below.
Understanding What You Need
When you are choosing EdTech tools for your students, you must first consider what you are trying to achieve and the impact it will have.
Typically, educators who are investing in tools will be doing so either because they have come across a problem or they recognise there might be better ways to deliver something.
Common issues include a lack of engagement from students or insufficient face to face time between students and teachers during remote learning. It could even be something like poor connectivity or a lack of virtual contact time between you and certain students.
Who Created It?
The last thing you want is to choose an EdTech tool that has not been developed with or by educators for education.
If you choose software that has been created by companies who have a track record and evidence of success in the sector, you can be more reassured that it will be suitable for the task at hand.
A good example of this would be classroom.cloud which is led by AI Kingsley. This leader has over 30 years of experience in tech, working as the MD of classroom.cloud’s parent company NetSupport for 25 years.
He is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council and a Fellow of the RSA. With 20 years working as Chairs of various MATs and serving local authorities and committees to tackle key issues in education, he is one of the voices to listen to when it comes to EdTech.
Affordable Tools
Not all EdTech tools will be affordable, and so you need to make sure that you are aware of what is the full cost of the solution will be.
There are some great affordable tools out there but choosing the cheapest option isn’t always the right choice.
You could find that a tool with a slightly higher price point could have greater impact and so check with peers and ask for case studies.
By choosing the right tool, you can make the most of your budget and ensure that your students get what they need.
Does It Come With Training?
Another thing to look out for when you are choosing any EdTech tools is any training that comes with it, or internal CPD you need to schedule so the solution is properly embedded.
You need your teachers and your students to be able to use it effectively to gain impact.
When considering training, you should also look for good quality tech support. What happens if something goes wrong and your teachers cannot effectively communicate with their students?
There needs to be good internal and external support in place that allows teachers to get the tool back up and running again in no time at all. Getting your central IT involved in the purchasing and implementation will ensure they can help any downtime to be minimised as much as possible.
Interesting Features
While extra features that you don’t really need shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, you should spend some time looking into any that are on offer.
Usually, EdTech companies will show you a list of features before you make that final purchase, or better still agree to a free trial.
Some features might be listed vaguely so you’ll need to do your research to make sure that you are getting what you hoped for.
Look Out For These
If you are planning on investing in EdTech tools this year for your school, you should make sure to consider everything that we have discussed in this article.
Research is going to be key here to determine that you have found the best possible tool for teachers and pupils alike to engage with.
If you can, look for a free trial that will help you to make the right decision. Options with support can be extremely beneficial, so don’t forget to look for this.
Once you find the right solution, you’ll be on track to adding to your teaching toolbox and one step further along your digital journey.
