Navigating the Ed-Tech Marketplace
June 11, 2014
This Education Week special report, “Navigating the Ed-Tech Marketplace,” aims to help school leaders make smart choices by mapping what the educational technology marketplace looks like, how it works, and the changes that are likely to shape it now and in the future. It examines the largest and fastest-growing categories in the ed-tech sector, outlines how school leaders are becoming more sophisticated buyers of ed-tech products and services, and includes Q&As with CEOs from three very different ed-tech companies.
- Classroom Technology Virtual Education Seeing Rising Enrollments, RevenuesSchools are turning to online courses to protect district revenues, build blended learning curricula, and prepare students to succeed in a digital world.
IT Infrastructure & Management K-12 District Leaders Evolving Into Smarter Ed-Tech ConsumersA series of nascent efforts in schools and districts is underway to help administrators take a more discerning approach when purchasing products and servicesSchool & District Management Jane Swift: Understanding Educators' 'Pain Points'The CEO of Middlebury Interactive Languages says business leaders should develop a deep appreciation for the challenges teachers faceClassroom Technology Bill Goodwyn: Leadership Fuels Digital Learning InnovationThe CEO of Discovery Education says the best digital learning efforts are driven by school leaders who have the courage and conviction to try new educational approaches.Privacy & Security Ed-Tech Market Dealmaking Fueled by Data UseThe "return on education" investment concept moves toward center stage as measuring the impact of ed-tech products and services becomes more sophisticated.Assessment Assessment Investments Fuel Instructional-Support MarketThe $810 million in revenues that ed-tech companies generated from various aspects of digital assessment more than offset declines in the LMS and productivity-tools sectors.
Classroom Technology Ed-Tech Vendors See Hurdles in the K-12 MarketplaceCompanies trying to sell ed-tech products to school districts often face significant barriers, including arcane purchasing systems and difficulty reaching decision makersClassroom Technology Major Policy Shifts, Economic Forces Shape the Ed-Tech MarketCommon-core standards and assessments and healthier local and state budgets are fueling spending by K-12 schools in the multibillion-dollar market for educational technology.Classroom Technology Digital Content Providers Ride Wave of Rising RevenuesOnline instructional content remains the largest slice of the growing educational technology market, even in a challenging economic climate for K-12 school districts.IT Infrastructure & Management Tech. Tools for Managing Schools Face Stagnant MarketPurchases of technologies that help power districts' administrative and operational functions have lagged, although some observers predict a rebound in the near future.IT Infrastructure & Management Jack Lynch: Data Drives Effective TeachingThe Renaissance Learning CEO says that educators are becoming "data-fluent," helping them understand how to tailor learning more effectively for studentsEd-Tech Policy Investors Debate Possible Bubble in the Ed-Tech MarketplaceEducational technology has become a hot area for investors, but some worry that could signal a bubble about to burst, leaving students and teachers in the lurch.Standards & Accountability Common Core Raises Questions on Future of Ed-Tech SpendingMarket analysts generally predict ed-tech purchases linked to the standards will be directed toward digital tools that show the greatest performance in the classroom.School & District Management Infographic: Ventures Into EducationA large amount of venture capital has flowed into education and training companies over the past few years.School & District Management Ed-Tech CEOs Speak OutThe leaders of three ed-tech companies talk about the challenges of working with K-12 schools and how they expect to see the marketplace evolve in the future.
Coverage of entrepreneurship and innovation in education and school design is supported in part by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.