Most companies refer to their customers’ feedback when assessing an EdTech product’s effectiveness. However, this doesn’t mean they can objectively measure the learning outcome. Education works in long cycles, which makes it hard to measure its long-term and immediate effects.
In this article, we will discuss some of the various ways that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of EdTech tools. One of the most challenging factors in assessing the effectiveness of an EdTech product is showing that it is working. Usually, a randomized control trial (RCT) is used to prove the effectiveness of treatment.
How Randomized Trials Work
This method involves randomly assigning participants to one of two groups. The first group gets treatment, while the second group doesn’t. This ensures that the difference in learning outcomes between the two groups results from the treatment. According to an article on Edsurge, learning environments differ from medical clinics because they have various variables that can be hard to control. For instance, in an RCT, doctors can monitor patients’ health conditions and ensure that they follow the prescribed medication. In contrast, in schools, teachers use interventions in varying class sizes, with varying levels of training and leadership support. Also, students are not “prequalified” to take courses. They typically start with significantly different levels of knowledge.
Parents also object to the lack of opportunities for their children to succeed. They may protest if their kids get an education “placebo” or an “untested” intervention. On the other hand, RCTs can take years to complete and are generally very expensive.
Other Methods
Even if EdTech tools are not as reliable as RCTs, other methods can still be used to evaluate their effectiveness. For instance, the California Department of Education has created a set of guidelines that recommend schools consider before investing in specific services and products. EdTech products are supported by solid evidence. This is because many of these studies are well-designed and have well-implemented procedures.
The quality of the outcomes is supported by one or more quasi-experimental studies that are well-designed and have well-implemented procedures. This method is not focused on the characteristics of the participants or the study’s class context but on the overall evaluation of the edtech tool. The results will still be relevant to the evaluation as they are still subject to change.
The results of this type of study are generally regarded as promising. However, they are not as accurate as the 2nd study. Still, these studies can still show a link between the use of EdTech and the student’s behavior.