Key Voices #106 - Building evidence around the impact of EdTech products with Michael Forshaw
“79% of schools want clear proof the solution works, but only 8% trust the claims made by the suppliers*, so there is this big trust issue.” *Teacher Tapp Survey December 2019 This week we talk to Michael Foreshaw, Founder and CEO, EdTech Impact about how he is helping schools make more granular comparisons of EdTech products before they buy, and helping EdTech suppliers focus more deeply on the impact of what they do. We discuss the changes resulting from the pandemic and think about the future ways in which the EdTech sector might develop. We talk about: How Michael started his career as an IT technician in school and has gone on to develop two education businesses Why a platform like EdTech Impact is needed and how it serves suppliers and schools The importance of context and relevance when buying EdTech products and how EdTech Impact developed its “schools like mine” function Challenges around understanding the evidence of what works in EdTech What kind of new products are being launched Questions school leaders should ask suppliers before they buy The realities of working in an EdTech startup and the importance of soft skills and resilience when working in tech Possible future trends in EdTech and the innovative ways EdTech Impact is working with a multi academy trust to help them find the right products You can learn more about EdTech Impact here. The EdTech Impact Buyers Guide on formative assessment Michael mentions can be found here You can learn more about the EdTech Evidence Group here. You can also get in touch with Michael direct here. “I think we’ll see more aspirational usage of EdTech over time, I know teachers are incredibly pushed around workload, it would be amazing if we could move away from selling based on ‘pain points”.