How Early Exposure to Technology Led Me To Become A Chief Technology Officer

A common fear for a parent and educator is technology addictiveness or the lack of direction for children using technology. I’ve been asked by many parents what their seven-year-old, or even as young as four years old, can do to learn coding or digital skills.

I vividly recall getting off the bus and asking my Mom to rush home. So today, after weeks of watching my brother play computer games, I decided to start my own. I had memorized the steps from hitting the power button to putting in the correct floppy disk [yes, they still existed!]. A few minutes after sitting in front of the computer, I hit the enter button, and there it was. My game had loaded, and I transitioned into this imaginary world where I was a hero in my own story.

That started an almost 15-year tech career and a never-ending desire to learn and progress. Here are four different reasons I feel my experience has been more productive through early exposure to technology.

1: Micro goals

From my very first experience, I was providing small achievable goals. Want to play a game? Figure out how to turn on the computer yourself by observation first. Want to learn how to make a website? Start by observing websites and understanding what content goes on the website first.

This method of easy-to-achieve micro-goals allowed me to feel accomplished and focused along the way to a bigger goal.

Outside of goal setting, this also gave me an important lesson to split technology projects into small parts to avoid being overwhelmed.

2: The end product

The end outcome for any work I do with technology has always been a critical factor. I recall learning how to code in school for the first time. While the experience was always thrilling and exciting, I was left a bit demotivated when the end product wasn’t something that I could ever really show or use.

To drive my intrinsic motivation, I always worked on technology projects with a real-world application. This way, I always had an end product I’d be proud of.

This real-world application and the focus on the end product allowed me to consistently deliver high-quality results for my clients and customers.

When I started BSD Education, I made sure to keep the real-world aspect as a founding principle on our curriculum and platform.

3: Normalizing fails

Technology can be unforgiving; we have all experienced it fail one time or another. I can no longer count the number of times I’d be left puzzled or frustrated by my code not working. I was fortunate to experience this so many times early into my technology experience that it felt like a normal part of learning.

That resilience benefited me in other aspects of my life, from tests and exams to sports. Later in my career, I discovered how important it was for business leadership when It helped propel me into management.

Today, I always encourage parents and educators to allow failure to be part of the experience. We cannot change the world for the better if we cannot fail.

4: Don’t start with a blank canvas

I recall learning a new programming language, so I did what most aspiring developers did in their teens and picked up a book. The only problem was that almost every book I would read forced you to open a blank file and start typing or ‘copying’ more accurately. By the time I’d get anywhere to have a finished project, I’d be distracted and bored.

One of the benefits of technology is that you rarely have to start with an empty canvas. In school, I always found myself downloading a template or using a pre-existing project as a starting point to launch into my creations.

The key to doing this was to keep looking for starting points that suit your style, even if it meant going through a dozen pre-made projects and templates. What was surprising was how much I could learn from pre-built templates or open-source code.

This habit made me very resourceful when working on complex projects. One of the requirements to becoming a great CTO is understanding how to use existing resources to their potential. Although, as the saying goes, “Do not reinvent the wheel,” this helped me stand out in a pretty competitive environment early on as I was able to offer solutions quicker and more cost-effectively.

I love seeing how teachers are now experiencing the benefits of our scaffolded projects on BSD Education. Nothing is more exciting than a student showing off a project that they built in a week, which would take months and cost thousands in the market to produce today.

Hopefully, these tips help you or people you are helping learn technology more enjoyably. I look forward to seeing how you Build Something Different.

How Soon Should Students Be Introduced to Technology?

In my home, we have six screens between two adults (two phones, two laptops, one iPad, and one TV), and our toddler has already figured out how to access the Spotify and YouTube app on our phones.

I don’t encourage early exposure, but admittedly with a slight feeling of guilt, we are also facing the fact that technology is (indeed) all around us.

Our everyday lives are closely intertwined and supported by technology. Thus making it impossible to create a “tech-free environment” for our children.

However, that is not something we should strive for because appropriate and moderated tech use can positively benefit your child or student’s development. All in all, it is also beneficial to keep the following advice by the Office of Education Technology, the USA, in mind:

“For children under the age of two, technology use in early learning settings is discouraged. However, families can use technology in active ways that promote relationship development, such as using video chatting software to talk to relatives, friends, and families they cannot see regularly. Parents who are interested in using media with their children can start around 18 months with high-quality content, but should always co-view content and use technology with their children.”

We shouldn’t look at screens and devices as “threats” but as vehicles for further bonding and learning. So here are three tips for introducing and facilitating tech use:

Use tech with purpose

When introducing technology to children, we should try to take time to explain what the function is. This applies at home and in the classroom: “Let’s use Spotify on the phone to listen to music!” “We can watch this video on the TV to learn how to dance!”, “Let’s use the iPad to play a sorting game!”, “Want to make coffee for daddy by using the coffee machine?”

By explaining the purpose of each device, your child/student will gradually understand that the tech around us are not toys; instead, they are valuable tools to ease our everyday lives or help us learn! 

Use it together!

Research shows that when young children actively interact with an adult, the digital material can become a powerful learning tool. Especially when devices are used to promote social bonding. A great example is when they communicate with family and friends who live in a different country. This also applies to older children and students too! Use the tech together to bond and create opportunities for communication.

Source: https://tech.ed.gov/earlylearning/principles/ 

The Three Cs

Each child, each family, classroom, and school is unique and should address tech use differently. An effective option is to observe your child/student’s interest and what engages them. Then make the decision that feels the most comfortable for you as a parent, teacher, or guardian. Lisa Guernsey, author of Screen Time: How Electronic Media—From Baby Videos to Educational Software—Affects Your Young Child, suggests referring to the Three C’s when facilitating tech use:

  • Content—How does this help children learn, engage, express, imagine, or explore?
  • Context—What kinds of social interactions (such as conversations with parents or peers) are happening before, during, and after the use of the technology? Does it complement, and not interrupt, children’s learning experiences and natural play patterns?
  • The individual child—What does this child need right now to enhance his or her growth and development? Is this technology an appropriate match with this child’s needs, abilities, interests, and development stage?
    (Source: https://tech.ed.gov/earlylearning/principles/

There is more research comprehending the impact of tech on our students fully, but for now, we can lessen our guilt over technology use in early childhood. There can be some good in it.  

For more detail and research, I recommend checking out:

Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 (https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/ps_technology.pdf)

How Online EdTech Platforms Can Strengthen Formative Assessments

Incorporating formative assessments in your classroom to see how students learn in real-time can often feel like an impossible challenge. While understanding your student’s comprehension is necessary, a teacher has many questions and concerns when implementing formative assessments. 

  • How do you find the time to incorporate these assessments?
  • Do you truly know your students understand the key topics?
  • Which students are ready to move on and which ones are not?
  • Are these assessments framing the next lesson?

Integrating the right tech education platform can take the guessing game out of formative assessments and provide teachers with a quick, easy, and accurate gauge of vital student comprehension. The lack of complicated grading systems or point levels, but rather a focus on genuine understanding, allow teachers of any subject to feel confident their students are learning and developing coding skills. With this comprehension, they will hold onto throughout their education life and into their careers. 

Outside of the importance of knowing what your students are learning, here are three benefits of incorporating formative assessments through tech education:

Free Up Time

It sounds counterintuitive to think adding formative assessments would decrease workload, but that is the case with the right platform. Instead of developing mechanisms to gauge student comprehension, teachers can use a tech education platform like a classroom management system.

For Alicia Johal, Middle School Robotics Teacher & Assistant Director of Center for Innovation at the San Diego Jewish Academy, the real-time assessments offered by BSD Education in the classroom have opened the door for her to productively engage with students. In addition, these assessments let her do what she does best – teach.

“I can go in at any time of the day and check and see what project a student is on, what step they are on, how long they’ve spent on that step, and see how they are doing in the class,” said Johal.

Improve Dialogue and Collaboration

Students use an online, self-guided platform, while teachers like Alicia use the platform to accurately understand where to help them. This identifies possible issues students are having, but it also increases dialogue and collaboration between teachers and students.

“I’ve never talked to my students so much while they’re coding, and that is powerful,” said Johal. “Not only for their comprehension, but they are also talking about it. That sort of dialogue is so powerful, and I think that’s why they remember more than what I see them remember with other programs.”

Increase Student Engagement

Providing instant feedback for a student through formative assessments plays a significant role in maintaining student engagement. For Alicia’s students, the consistent feedback and progress displayed have helped them focus and overcome obstacles.

“They’re getting these little prompts after each step when they do it correctly, and I feel like it’s an intrinsic motivation,” said Johal. “They see their progress and movement within each class period. I’m always surprised that they don’t get bored or complain, and I think it’s the interface. Being able to see how they’re doing all the time makes a big difference.”

As classroom sizes grow, utilizing time efficiently has never been more critical for teachers. Tech education and BSD can empower educators of any subject or experience level to incorporate practical formative assessments that ensure students walk away with digital skills they can use for the rest of their lives. 

Learn how you can partner with BSD Education today and begin helping your students develop 21st-century skills.

Reconnecting Student & Teacher Relationships Through Tech Education

It’s safe to say levels of anxiety are at an all-time high worldwide, especially in classrooms. COVID-19 forced students into isolation, and now many students lack engagement and difficulty building confidence in their abilities due to this disconnect. The question has become how can we reconnect students and teachers through tech education?

Education Week outlines the importance of the teacher/student relationship and how making this connection is essential for academic success. Author Arianna Prothero speaks with Laura Phillips, a neuropsychologist with the Child Mind Institute, about this critical aspect.

“We know that kids learn best when they feel safe and secure; when they feel anxious and aroused and uncomfortable, learning stops,” said Phillips. “To maximize the school year, we need to help kids feel safe and connected to the people with whom they are interacting.”

Building these relationships doesn’t happen overnight and can be challenging. However, integrating tech education into any curriculum can help overcome obstacles that prevent teachers from connecting to their students. Here are three ways how tech education can help:

1. Increase Engagement Through Personalized Projects 

Maintaining student engagement can be difficult, but introducing digital skills that allow for customized projects and self-expression pique students’ interests. Using real-world coding provides students the chance to build a personalized adventure game or create their first website. These projects help students make a connection between their studies and what they value most in their lives. Additionally, this opens the door for teachers to connect their own experiences and likes/dislikes with the student, leading to opportunities for meaningful connections.

In addition, introducing tech education can allow students to make vital connections to the digital tools they use daily. Finally, creating a learning environment that applies to the world our students live in makes it easier for them to stay engaged in a meaningful way and helps teachers foster relationships that will help them succeed in the classroom.  

2. Digital Skills Can Help Build Social-Emotional Learning

Tech education can often feel cold and anything but a tool to build social-emotional learning. However, at BSD Education, we have designed a tool beyond website and app development rooted in coding. It makes hard, cognitive, and soft skills that teach students to C.A.R.E – Curious, Adaptable, Resilient, and Empathetic. 

By blending critical social-emotional learning with engaging tech education, building a meaningful relationship between teachers and students becomes more attainable. BSD’s VP of Education, Mark Barnett, examines how BSD helps students develop self-esteem, empathy, and skills needed for their futures through carefully crafted lessons.

“We at BSD believe in developing social-emotional capacity as well and feel that social-emotional learning should fit together with any skill development,” said Barnett. “This is why we have designed all of our curriculum around our philosophy of CARE.”

“We at BSD believe in developing social-emotional capacity as well and feel that social-emotional learning should fit together with any skill development,” said Barnett. “This is why we have designed all of our curriculum around our philosophy of CARE.”

Mark Barnett, BSD’s VP of Education

3. Make Connections by Learning Together

Integrating tech education into your curriculum might be a new experience for you and seem daunting, but BSD’s unrivaled support and intuitive platform make it as turnkey as possible. Using a platform that will be there with you every step of the way will help you learn and grow right alongside your students. Co-learning by digital teaching skills can be a bonding experience between teachers and students in the classroom.  

Are you ready to build relationships with your students by introducing digital skills to your classroom? BSD is more than a product. We are a partner in delivering 21st-century skills to students worldwide. We encourage you to reach out so we can help you make these vital connections that could change the future for your students.

The Positive Impact of Innovation in EdTech

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the world, but as we begin the process of recovery, one of the positives that can be taken from the pandemic is how Edtech continued to evolve and to see the effects on the environment. 

As educational institutes were forced to move to a technology-based system of teaching and learning,  there was an almost instant impact in saved resources. An obvious one being the reduction of  carbon emissions as students and educators immersed themselves in online learning from home,cutting out travel. Another impact, and something that will hopefully continue post-COVID-19, is the increased use of online resources which has resulted in less paper being used. 

Among others, these factors have positively impacted not only the environment but also the economy, saving time and money and time for both students and teachers. What has been even more interesting is to see the innovations in education technology to provide more equity and access to students around the world.

In 2013, when Canadian inventor and public speaker Ann Makosinski heard that her friend in the Philippines had failed a grade at school because she lacked electricity to study at night, Ann invented a flashlight that is powered by the heat of a human hand. She  then went on to invent eDrink, a mug that converts heat from your drink into an electrical current to charge your phone.  These are two examples of how EdTech is more than just “technical education,”  it highlights the importance of knowledge in technology and evidently how it can shape  a more sustainable future. 

During the pandemic, we’ve seen the rise of video-assisted technology which has dismantled many barriers to learning, the use of data analysis to personalize education, machine learning, an increased interest in STEAM subject areas and the encouragement of building digital skills – all of which have a direct and positive impact on how students learn and interact with the world around them. By relying on technology to learn and create, they are more likely to continue this reliance when it comes to tackling bigger problems such as climate change or sustainability reform.

Of course, challenges remain. As Iain Patton explains: “There are some common stumbling blocks – Quite often an institution might encourage a sustainable behavior change, but lacks the infrastructure to support it.” The key, he says, “is balancing the social side of sustainability with the economic and environmental side”. –The reality of abandoning the traditional and form of education is unrealistic; The key is to adopt a more hybrid way of learning and finding the balance between online and physical learning.

Various sectors and industries have already begun to create new forms of technologies that positively impact the environment, such as electric cars and smart homes being a couple of the more well-known examples. This change to a more ecologically friendly mindset has seen a surge in the initiative to push an environmentally friendly ethos has promoted green living and a better awareness of  the importance of saving energy. 

It’s important to note that an entire generation is being raised in this moment of change. They are experiencing how technology education makes a difference in their own abilities to learn and create. In the following decades, as these students become part of society and as the environmental issues will require more innovation , It will be interesting to see how they will use their educational experiences to improve the world and environment they live in..

The Role of EdTech During A Global Pandemic

It’s been a full year since COVID-19 affected us all globally and forced us to quickly adapt to a new way of life.  A significant change, in particular, was to the workplace and educational establishments. Teachers and students were suddenly expected to adopt a digital way of learning and had to rely on EdTech platforms like never before.

We spoke to 威而鋼 edin.com/in/nickeykhem/”>Nickey Khemchandani, CTO and Co-Founder of BSD Education as he reflected on the past year and the role EdTech played during Covid. 

How do you think the educational systems and individual learners coped with this exceptional change in education?

Nickey Khemchandani: We are seeing highly adaptable and creative educators changing the goals of their curriculum, increasing attentiveness to individual student needs with the help of technology, and are now starting to flourish under the change. Individual learners have found very different experiences, some really benefiting from the adjustment to the pacing of online learning, the relaxed environment of learning from home, and the increase of engagement with digital skills being put at the forefront.

On the flip side, students are unfortunately tackling challenges created by a wider digital divide, access to a ‘relaxed environment is a luxury globally, having stable and regular access to the internet and computers is not as accessible.

What role do you think EdTech has played during Covid?

NK: A critical role, it has enabled teachers to continue teaching for starters. One of the big things it was able to do was make it globally accessible for teachers and students to connect. It has enabled millions of kids to start moving into a world where online education, as well as a hybrid education, can exist.  So it’s played a role of being more like a bridge, at the moment during Covid, however, it has also started highlighting areas of growth in the future such as the benefits of an environment of online learning. As some schools enter a hybrid model (half physical, half online) we are starting to take advantage of both worlds, and the blend of the two looks like it’s here to stay.

Do you think education has been changed long term by the pandemic?

NK: Absolutely!

With the evolution of online learning, it’s made their experience of education more accessible, and less time-consuming.  Long-term positive effects for the education sector could be lower fees. That landscape could start becoming a lot more affordable.

A negative is that the digital divide is going to be a big problem to solve in the next couple of years. How do we provide access to cities, states, and households that do not have enough access to digital learning? People who have this level of access are benefiting from it, and now they are at such a distinct advantage that the divide has become even greater I would say.

What types of EdTech will see the longest-term benefit? Do you think that for example, Zoom’s growth for education will tail off?

NK: The video conference will remain, it’s a useful and global tool.  Zoom has grown but it takes a lot to become big, a household known name and tool.  I think EdTech will be more integrated into the education system rather than replacing it.

Zoom has changed the ‘playground’, the social aspect. We are looking through screens, not interacting with body language and eye contact. It’s accessible but not sociable, therefore I think it will be less used, but not completely abandoned.

How do you see the opportunities for EdTech from the pandemic? 

NK:  Funding of EdTech has grown, it highlights the importance of it when globally it’s seen as something worth investing in.  A new hybrid model of EdTech is going to emerge. We will start to see the difference in accessibility and a lot more engagement. The biggest one for me is a push for project-based learning. The future of education is results, project-based learning can only get bigger.

Was there a bigger demand for BSD Education’s product during the pandemic?

NK: Yes a larger demand came in, a big difference between us and other EdTech platforms is that we provide a curriculum and support outside of just the technology, we are way more than just a tech solution, we are an education solution.

COVID has unequivocally accelerated the EdTech and Education industries and presented new challenges to students and teachers alike. Now is the time to learn from the past year and digitizing curriculums for various types of learning will be key as we move forward. EdTech has ushered in a new era of education and undeniably played a major role during the pandemic.

Addressing the Digital Divide: Where Do We Go From Here?

There is a student I used to teach, who will remain unnamed to protect his privacy. He was a student a part of my STEM Honors class, and he always showed promising potential in coding assignments. Throughout my time getting to know him, I learned, like most of his classmates, he was highly motivated and believed in his academic prowess. Since the emergence of Virtual Learning, I’ve watched the challenges of adjusting to this time period change his motivation and diminish his belief in his ability to achieve academically. 

This year is his junior year in high school. When I was in high school, my junior year was the toughest, yet most rewarding year in high school; it was the year that determined my post-secondary success. Like most students who are attending an under-served school in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year is his first time having a personal laptop and he is living with the expectation to thrive in a completely new learning environment. 

This experience for him and his peers has been devastating, traumatizing, stressful, overwhelming, depressing, and draining. However, he is resilient. But should he have to experience this much courage, independence, and pressure at his age? My grandma once told me, “you should never have to display that much independence”. 

What we all need is support. 

This past year has emphasized the importance of understanding what it takes to holistically support the academic success and personal development of our youth. Virtual Learning has forcibly engaged every stakeholder at every stage of a child’s development to acknowledge two important determinants of our future: 

1) What our children are learning

2) How they are using technology to learn.

When addressing the Digital Divide, I think it is crucial that we prioritize adequately informing and including every stakeholder in all planning and implementation processes for integrating technology and Digital Literacy into learning environments. Parents raising children, Students learning information, Educators teaching courses, Administrators leading schools, and Tech Professionals creating learning products ALL are the creators of our tomorrow. 

We are our support; and in this support, we all need the grace to adjust – as we do so rapidly.

There are a few key focus areas I’ve noticed in my local school system, of Philadelphia, that are a part of the disparities of the Digital Divide: 

Transforming School Systems and Policies

Due to the emergence of Virtual Learning, many schools had to rapidly adjust and revamp their systems and practices. This transition has revealed how much more critical attention needs to be given to what students are learning about technology, and how they’re learning to use technology. 

This can be achieved by making a greater investment in setting and implementing grade-level standards for Digital Literacy, as well as, training talent to uphold these expectations.

Information Sharing and Literacy

During this Virtual Learning experience, many parents, staff, and students have felt either overwhelmed with information or under-informed on certain aspects that have affected the learning process. For example, there have been scenarios where internet providers have had outages, but the change in service was not effectively communicated to families; which has resulted in students missing information and feeling helpless. 

There have also been moments where school administrations have made huge changes to their school’s Virtual Learning practices without adequate notice or input from families and staff; which has resulted in immense fatigue and disorientation. Some school districts may have not had these experiences, but this is what’s disproportionately happening in under-served communities. 

This can be changed by re-evaluating the effectiveness of communication channels, and equitably including key stakeholders as consultants throughout the process of information dissemination.

Tech and Wi-Fi Accessibility

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools did not account for whether their students had access to technology or Wi-Fi. Why is that? Yes, students were primarily learning in schools, but learning also happens at home; and for the past 25 years, access to information has primarily been provided through the Internet. 

This past year has revealed a better understanding of what students have access to, and how their homelife really affects their education. There are students in homes where their Wi-Fi isn’t strong enough to host multiple devices streaming at the same time; and the Chromebooks that many students rely on aren’t always able to handle processing multiple apps operating at the same time – such as Zoom, Nearpod, or Google Suite products. 

These limiting factors are critical aspects of our youth’s future success that have been neglected for too long, and it is important to address these issues equitably. 

There are many issues for our youth at risk if we as leaders in education and technology do not respond to these disparities quickly and equitably. One important thing that is at risk is our youth’s ability to properly cultivate and enfranchise themselves from having experiences during their youth. While being forced to stay home, and without adequate resources for many, this time period is diminishing the very essence of having youth; which is time.  

Time to have exposure to different areas to spark their interests; time to take risks or make mistakes; time to refine one’s aptitude to bounce back, try again, and learn how to take calculated risks. Time to create viable niche solutions to make a life for themselves. 

However, this moment in time also brings about a unique opportunity for all the youth to cultivate 21st-century skills that are essential to the future. If more youth are empowered to explore, take risks, and be creative with technology; they can exponentially grow from this experience. 

But with the Digital Divide widening daily, will all youth be a part of the world’s digital future? That is the question I think is important for us to ask ourselves as leaders, and act upon in our daily efforts to be the change we want to see in the world.

Research References: 

6 Tech Practices to Improve Student Experience

We’ve had no end to the fantastic technology helping us along as the education landscape changes. However, as engagement and learning experiences have shifted, so have the ways we interact. Here are six tech practices in my classrooms that have improved the student experience this past year.

1. Be available outside of class (reasonably, of course)

If one of my students is showing interest outside of class, I want to meet them with the same level of zeal. So I check our online class chat as prep, which shows the students that go the extra mile that I’m there to work with them even when I don’t see them. And for the students that need a boost, I can review their work and get back to them before the next class, setting them up for better success for when we meet next.

2. Make specific tech practices meaningful through comments on work

Excellent job, and Keep it up are nice and all, but bookend the critical stuff when it comes to the student experience. When I call out specific aspects of a student’s project, I demonstrate that I can tell their work apart from their peers. When I make suggestions that inspire and guide, students are given a greater sense of direction. Commenting on a live document, referencing that individual line of code, or linking to additional resources, helps me integrate this practice with technology and goes beyond the traditional red marker on paper. 

3. Email reminders

The occasional email to students can go a long way in improving the student experience and helping them succeed in class. For example, I have an in-person class that will occasionally meet online during snow days. After some absences and class link confusion, I decided a quick email might do the trick, and like magic, they now all show up.

4. Encourage, but don’t enforce, varying types of virtual participation

I’ve had virtual classrooms with students ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade, and the variety in types and amount of interaction has been just as wide. Your school requirements notwithstanding, I aim to be approachable regarding things like “cameras on” and verbal participation. Virtual hand-raise or Zoom chat might not just be easier for you to manage, but the preferred way to speak up from the student. But if an AFK turns into an MIA, I’ll call them out on it. There’s a balance of comfort and accountability that’s important to maintain.

5. Share screen collaboration

This year, some of my most successful periods have been when students share their screen, which I suppose is the new “standing in front of the class.” The level of individual engagement and class collaboration exceeds expectations when my students share what they’ve been working on. It’s even better when we do a bit of “bug hunting” and solve the coding mistake in a student’s project. I’ve had the same results when projecting student work for all to see in an in-person or hybrid class.

6. Virtual backgrounds and other goofiness

Sometimes the right background, emoji, or filter sets the mood just right, especially on a Friday. Your mileage may vary, but you know your kids best, so consider bringing some fun to a virtual class when needed. Just ensure them that you’re here live and not a cat.

Since online space has become an educational platform, we must utilize its strengths to work for both teachers and students for continued success. So, if you have class tips and tech practices that improve the student experience, let’s keep the conversation going! Contact BSD here. We would love to hear from you.

What Does the Future of EdTech Look Like?

The end of the year is ideal for reflecting on the year passed and looking towards the future. Accordingly, during December, I have dedicated some time to focus on the key trends I expect to be the future of EdTech in 2021.

It is so easy to underestimate the depth and breadth of the EdTech industry and nigh on impossible to visualize the over $5 trillion ecosystems that it forms a part of.

I exist in the realm of K12 digital and 21st-century skills education with an increasing amount of time spent tackling challenges around career-focused learning for students aged 16-24. Sitting on the boards and advisory groups of schools, education foundations, and nonprofits, I am fortunate to experience a broad spectrum of education from several different perspectives throughout each year.

EdTech Investment

EdTech took a front-row seat in the global business landscape in 2020, with investors making significant bets on established and larger companies in growth investment rounds. However, I feel that venture capital investors can struggle to balance early-stage educational investment with the return demands of their investment models. Driven by a lack of specialization in specific domains of education, this investment, even with an overall sector-based generalization, is highly complex. They also lack confidence in the strength of their networks to influence growth within a huge institutional addressable market and a consumer segment that can suffer from poor unit economics. 

That said, several education investors with precise specializations are now establishing early-stage funds, presenting a solid opportunity for high-quality investment in early revenue stage companies. Well-tested and validated through the pandemic, these companies will be more robust than usual for their stage and likely undervalued. 

In 2021, while it will still be a journey back towards average, schools will begin to operate with more established processes and protocols, providing more stability for smaller but growing EdTech companies to gain a foothold and deliver initial results. With this in mind, I believe investors will deploy a continued investment growth to a broader range of companies across the future of the EdTech industry in the coming year. 

Online Learning

Educators already anticipated online learning to be an area of significant growth in 2020. Accelerated by COVID-19, online learning has permeated traditional schools to a greater extent than previously foreseen. As a result, a good standard of online delivery of formal education was achieved, and its status and perception in the eyes of both educators and parents have improved. In 2021, schools will determine which aspects of learning were enhanced by online learning and which remain best delivered in person. This will drive growth in the future of EdTech through the definition and practice of hybrid educational models and the technology and training that supports them.

Growth in Pedagogical Technology

Many approaches to online learning have focused on implementing video conferencing tools and achieving full adoption of learning management systems (LMS) by faculties. While an initial step in the right direction, this combination of administrative and communication technology does not provide a seamless transition between offline and online learning or the ability for the same understanding to be delivered in the same amount of time. 

Elementary school educators have struggled to deliver the full spectrum of learning online – a challenge that remains unresolved and not likely to be solved any time soon – however, middle and high school learning has continued online with less disruption. Overall, time-constrained learning has focused on tested topics and exam preparation, resulting in a significant rollback in enrichment and elective education, arguably more relevant to students’ futures in the real world than much of traditionally tested learning. 

I believe educators will begin to adopt and seek pedagogical technology tools in 2021 that focus on content creation and engagement, real-time student learning data, and feedback to empower best practices and bridge the gap for effective teaching between LMS and communication tools.

LMS Consolidation and Interoperability

With technology tools remaining at the heart of quality teaching and learning experiences, streamlining their usage and allowing educators to move quickly between systems will become critical. It will also mean a growing demand for and a definition of the requirements for interoperability. Currently, the fragmentation of the LMS market and unpredictability of application programming interfaces (APIs) is a barrier to broader and more consistent standards for interoperability. I believe this will begin to be resolved as the LMS market starts to consolidate towards the latter part of 2021.

Data and Privacy

Against a backdrop of increasing regulation and legal scrutiny, growth in pedagogical technologies and interoperability will lead to more real-time educational data being produced about student learning in 2021 than ever before. EdTech companies will need to be acutely aware of data privacy, protection, and storage requirements at both the consumer and institutional customer levels. In addition, global companies will need to consider effective data regions within their technology infrastructures and understand the security and architectural implications of scaling their technology, particularly where accurate time data is involved. 

Career-focused Learning and Assessment

As many developed nations continue with employment stimulus packages, the economic repercussions of COVID-19 have yet to be fully felt around the world. Going into 2021, however, these effects will become more significant, and unemployment levels will likely increase to levels similar to the post-war era of the mid-20th century. This will accelerate career-focused learning, re-skilling, and reduce university application and enrollment. As a result, people focus on faster and cheaper means of validating skills and experience that give them employment in developing, likely technology-driven industries. For the future of EdTech, this will lead to growth in opportunities for curriculum creators, new assessment providers, and credentialing organizations that have strong partnerships with the industry. 

At this point, you might be wondering why I have not mentioned artificial intelligence in the trends that I am predicting. I do believe that meaningful AI implementations in education will take place, just not in 2021. We are still witnessing the early phase of developing validated solutions for real-time data and analytics in machine learning. The longitudinal validation of AI in education and complexities of algorithmic bias will make progress slow, while other EdTech developments will have more impactful and verifiable immediate results.

Although it has been said that 2020 was when the impact of EdTech on education was felt, I would say that the door has only been cracked open. Instead, it has been a year of learning and discovery in preparation for a truly significant level of adoption at a later date. 

2021 will be a year when the disruption of 2020 becomes the new normal, and it is against this backdrop that the future of EdTech will indeed be defined.

Can Technologist and Educator Agree on Digital Terms?

For non-technical people, the digital terms coding, computing, and programming are synonymous. Therefore the issue is irrelevant. However, each sector has its own collection of terms with distinct meanings and contexts. This is especially true when discussing technology, which is always evolving. For instance, “spam” isn’t edible, “bugs” are not insects, and an “Easter Egg” is not just used at Easter.

The meanings of coding and programming differ depending on who you ask and the industry you work in, leading to a state of confusion.  

As the Hour of Code week approaches, we have invited our VP of Education, Mark Barnett, and our CTO, Nickey Khemchandani, to reflect on the significance of digital terms, what counts in coding education, and how educators and technologists may benefit from collaboration.


What’s the difference between coding and programming in digital terms?

Nickey Khem: Coding is the translation of Code from one language to another. Coding doesn’t deal with complicated issues. Programming, on the other hand, is the act of producing code using algorithms and thorough analysis.

For example, Coding languages such as HTML and CSS focus on structure and designing an interface. As a programming language, JavaScript is used to develop functionality.

Mark Barnett: The difficulty with using these digital terms interchangeably is that they generalize roles that need diverse skill sets.

Does the misuse of digital terminology create a problem?

Which digital terms have had the most impact in the education technology industry?

We commonly use a computational thinking cornerstone called “abstraction” at BSD Education. This means you focus only on the important details while ignoring irrelevant information. 

In our project, “The People Who Inspire Me,” we guide students through the process of creating a single webpage. Students highlight three people who inspire them, but we break each step down into objectives. We also assist with HTML and CSS syntax. It allows students to focus on each component until the project is complete.

What needs to change in the educational system today?

NK: The digital curriculum taught in schools must be updated to be relevant. Students today live in a completely different world than in the 1980s and 1990s. More than ever, curricula should contain practical, real-world examples. In communication, for example, the use of social media must be incorporated. However, in some educational systems, the focus is mainly on historical techniques. 

MB: As Nickey said, curriculum relevance is an important component of change that must be addressed. With tech education, it’s best to teach children through projects. Project-based learning allows them to create something useful or functional rather than learning through textbooks or tutorials. For example, your first webpage or a virtual reality environment with sophisticated systems are both projects at BSD.

Should coding be for everyone?

MB: One amazing thing that Hour of Code has done is expose children all across the world to programming, even if just for one hour. Coding, like reading and writing, opens you new ways to share your knowledge, ideas, and voice with the world.

NK: Coding can be a form of creative expression, but it can also lead towards understanding new ways to break down problems into smaller steps and solve unique challenges. While we certainly don’t expect every child to become professional technologists, we want children to have some conceptual understanding of how the technologies that they use every day, work. 

What can educators and technologists learn from each other by collaborating?

MB: As a teacher, I believe my role is to assist teachers and students comprehend technology in manageable portions. To do this effectively, I need to understand technology well enough to foresee difficulties. Consulting experts is a great way to learn more about learning technology. At BSD, I regularly talk with Nickey, our CTO, to better understand technological concepts. We discuss big ideas, technical details, and our passion for sharing knowledge.

NK: My role is often to bring the latest and complex technology into the hands of individuals and in BSD’s case, teachers and students. This is, however, easier said than done as a lot of technology requires complex predefined understanding, which is not accessible to someone that well versed in technology to start with. 

This is where I really think the value of having educators on the team, such as our VP of Education, Mark helps.

As a result of our collaboration, we are able to incorporate the most up-to-date educational pedagogies and cutting-edge technology into our curriculum and platform. As a technologist, I have greatly benefited from educators’ ability to better explain digital terms, allowing us to reach more customers.

Conversely, technologists are always on the pulse of the latest happenings in several businesses. Educators benefit from shared research and development, from curriculum evolution to digital tools that increase student engagement.

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Whether you are new to coding or are a seasoned professional, we invite you to try a few of our coding projects during the Hour of Code. Mark and the Education Team at BSD developed 6 unique projects that guide students through programming with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to complete projects in a series called “Code is: Your Voice,” where students are invited to use code as a way to share what’s most important to them. So check them out and let us know what you think.