Why Evidence Matters

Educast 3000

Dr. Mary Styers, joins Ryan and Melissa tot discusses the importance of evidence in ed tech decision making. She shares her journey into research and her passion for working directly with educators. Dr. Styers also highlights the annual evidence report released by Learn Platform, which examines the usage and efficacy of ed tech tools. The report reveals that only 36% of the most used ed tech tools have evidence to support their effectiveness. The conversation explores the challenges of evaluating the vast number of tools available and the need for more research and evidence-based practices in education. They discuss the concerns and benefits of using educational technology tools in schools. Concerns include the difficulty for administrators to understand and vet the tools, the overload of multiple tools in a district, and the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of some tools. On the positive side, online tutoring solutions have shown strong positive impacts on student performance. The conversation also highlights the importance of partnerships and collaboration in promoting evidence-based decision-making in the EdTech industry. The need for accessible and rigorous research, transparency in tool adoption, and equity in access to tools are emphasized. The conversation concludes with a discussion on promoting positive change and rethinking the approach to research to ensure that no student is left behind.