The Massachusetts School Support Network (MassNET) Edtech Testbed research aims to improve schools’ abilities to implement edtech tools. It is also meant to increase understanding of how different factors influence the success of incorporating instructional technology into schools. The research evaluates strengths and weaknesses of particular software products and attempts to examine equity issues.
During the 2015-2016 school year, MassNET worked with the Boston-based LearnLaunch Institute (under the umbrella of the Learning Assembly) to pilot instructional software for English Language Arts with six teams of six to eight teachers in Boston-area elementary and middle school classrooms. A total of 39 teachers and 1,126 student were involved. They used i-Ready and Lexia Core5 for about five months. (The work was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.) The report, Insights on Software Piloting in an Urban School District, released in December 2016, suggests key factors that influence successful adoption of edtech products. It also points to the importance of professional learning communities.
One observation from the report: “A key finding is that even among this group of volunteers, teachers’ actual usage of the software products carried greatly.”
A fresh report is slated to be released in December 2017. Details on receiving the report are available here.
