Schools are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance educational technology for their students, and the buzz around artificial intelligence-powered tools is only growing stronger as the new academic year approaches. However, this excitement is accompanied by a sense of skepticism, particularly in light of debates surrounding the use of cell phones in classrooms. With schools facing budget constraints, tight schedules, achievement gaps, and mental health challenges among students, educators are left wondering how to best allocate instructional time to digital and AI learning.
One of the key challenges schools face is determining the effectiveness of children’s technology. It is crucial for educators to have reliable ways to evaluate the impact of these tools on student learning. Additionally, there is a pressing need for clear guidelines and policies to ensure that harmful technologies are kept out of classrooms.
Generative AI has brought about a significant shift in the landscape of educational solutions, prompting academic researchers and transparency experts to call for independent assessment systems for education technology tools. These systems would evaluate the safety, educational quality, and potential for driving equitable student outcomes. The lack of such assessment systems has led to the proliferation of low-quality and ineffective technology marketed to schools and children.
One recent example of the consequences of inadequate assessment systems is the AllHere debacle in Los Angeles. The AI chatbot developed by AllHere garnered attention in the second-largest school district in the U.S., but the parent company collapsed just three months later, failing to deliver on its promises. This resulted in wasted taxpayer dollars, lost instructional time, and compromised futures for students. It is imperative that school leaders avoid falling prey to powerful tech marketing firms that make false promises and hype up their products.
Penalize False Claims and Refine Uneven Evidence Standards
Ed tech product managers and procurement experts must exercise caution when evaluating educational technology products. Many products marketed to schools claim to be “evidence-based” without undergoing independent validation. These companies often rely on weak “studies” that do not meet the standards set by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and lack academic peer review. To address this issue, states, districts, and charter network operators need to crack down on misleading marketing practices.
The U.S. Department of Education should also revisit the ESSA evidence tiers to ensure that products are rigorously evaluated. The current system consists of four tiers, with the lowest tier merely requiring companies to demonstrate a rationale for their product. This tier is too permissive and does not guarantee the quality of the logic behind the solutions. It is essential to strike a balance between demanding rigorous research and considering real-time teacher input across diverse contexts.
Fix the Messy World of Ed Tech Certifications
The United States issues a significant number of certifications for educational technology products, but the lack of consolidation and transparency in this process poses a challenge for schools and districts. Certifications from different providers may vary in terms of evaluation criteria and standards, making it difficult for educators to make informed decisions.
To address this issue, there is a need for a new, transparent, and consolidated framework for ed tech certifications. An independent organization should convene to examine specific indicators, address overlaps, and assign rankings based on the strength of evaluation and certification procedures. This system should provide a quality score for each ed tech tool, considering criteria such as safety, data use, equity, efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and teaching value.
The assessment and certification of ed tech products should be conducted by an independent body connected to districts, states, and charter authorities, rather than by certification providers or ed tech companies themselves. By implementing a robust verification system, schools can ensure that ed tech products deliver evidence-based and equitable solutions for all students.
In conclusion, the emergence of AI and other advanced technologies in education presents exciting opportunities for enhancing learning experiences for students. However, it is essential for schools to critically evaluate the effectiveness of these tools and ensure that they meet rigorous standards for quality and safety. By implementing transparent assessment systems and refining certification processes, educators can make informed decisions about the ed tech products they choose to integrate into their classrooms.
