EdTech in Transition

In this interdisciplinary project, an overview and classification of Educational Technology providers will be developed.

Introduction

The digital transformation creates new dynamics and potentials for innovation across sectors. For years, technological innovations have been key drivers in many sectors, such as healthcare, mobility and finance. However, in the education sector, market developments have only gained momentum from recent digital transformation processes. Moreover, market growth rates and forecasts for corresponding educational technologies (EdTech for short) have been boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the development of digital, data-driven technology applications, the education market is responding to a changing understanding of learning. Learning is becoming more diverse, informal and self-directed, as well as agile and individualized. Flexibility and modularity are considered important factors in dynamic environments and markets. More and more companies are entering the market, trying to redesign learning experiences and establish a digitized educational culture with innovative EdTech applications.

While EdTech had primarily been reduced to the presence and use of computers in the classroom about 10 years ago and was thus rather evolution-driven, the understanding of the term today can be described as revolutionary. EdTech today describes, among other things, the digitization of educational services and business models. The goal is to sustainably improve the learning experience and outcome through the creation, use and management of appropriate technological processes and resources. However, due to rapid technological developments and associated innovations, it remains difficult to provide a holistic definition of EdTech. In addition to these limitations, the dynamics also give rise to new complexities for providers and users of appropriate EdTech applications.

Approach and goal

As part of the project "EdTech in Transition", we are conducting interviews and a nationwide survey among EdTech providers to systematically capture EdTech applications. Based on the results, we develop a classification for EdTech applications and a differentiated definition of EdTech. In order to visualize the results and make them available to interested parties, we also want to initiate an open platform. This will allow providers to conduct a quick market and competition analysis and help users to find the appropriate solutions in the context of digitally supported teaching and learning.

Research questions

On which levels in the education sector can we locate EdTech applications?
Which new classifications of EdTech definitions can be derived in addition to pedagogical and organizational EdTech in the course of dynamic market developments?