There's always a lot of excitement in terms of new EdTech solutions for kids and, oftentimes, educators or technology directors may be tempted to implement new classroom robots or even VR systems as fast as possible. On the flip side, because there's so many brilliant STEAM and makerspace tools, some school technology specialists might feel overwhelmed. That doesn’t need to be the case, however. Your EdTech purchasing process should be enjoyable, informative, stress-free, and as affordable as possible. For many reasons, we specialize in helping make all of these things happen. With our one-stop online store, our free consultation, and hassle-free quoting process, we try to make purchasing as smooth as possible. So, here are some tips we typically offer when it comes to adding new EdTech tools to your existing resources.
Making the Best EdTech Purchasing Decisions
Purchasing educational technology tools is just like buying anything else. A lot of it looks really cool either because of a sleek and colorful design or because of how students can use them. Like with anything else, it can be tempting to buy based on those looks but there's more to it. Rushing into EdTech purchases can leave educators in a tough position if they don't know how to implement it. Therefore, purchasing any new technology just because it looks cool is obviously not an ideal approach. Rather, school officials should try researching the EdTech tools that really impact student learning and, if they cost less than expected, that’s great, and, if they cost more than expected, then it’s something they can live with. With EdTech purchasing decisions, it's also sometimes better to focus on proven prowess rather than potential and promise.
Budget and device compatibility.
Of course, the school budget is also a big factor when making tech decisions, and it can be tough to find a middle ground for students and staff. School leaders have spent billions of dollars on technology in the last couple of years—a number that will likely continue to rise, especially following the pandemic. This is a big reason technology leaders look past the flash of technologies and really research its fit for children. To help reduce purchasing regret and eliminate future problems, one of the best things school leaders should do is evaluate the devices they already have. For example, if students are using tablets or laptops, what kinds of devices are they? As we know, different STEM tools are compatible with various devices. The Dash Robot and the Root Coding Robot, for example, are compatible with iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices.
Thinking about add-ons for EdTech purchases.
Another factor to consider is reviews educators have shared. How have they used these tools with children and what evidence is there to show a positive impact on achievement? Also, many EdTech companies can offer support to educators, including troubleshooting tips and replacement parts. Researching some of the companies that give this support is often worthwhile. Finally, many leading providers also offer professional development—some with purchases and other options educators could opt to pay for. This content is very valuable, helping teachers learn all about specific tech tools—from basic features to advanced capabilities. Companies like Ozobot, Wonder Workshop, BirdBrain Tech, MakerBot, and others provide professional learning content, which can help in deciding on STEM tools to invest in.
Getting Smarter About EdTech Buying
Not all EdTech tools are equal and these educational resources fall into different but specific categories. In our eyes, there are two main categories for educational technology—computing devices and the hands-on tools. Computing devices include everything from desktops, laptops, and tablets to the apps students use with them and the necessary networks. Hands-on tools include both high- and low-tech devices, like your robotics for the classroom, 3D printers, or even VR solutions. Of course, many other learning tools fall into these categories too but, generally, that's what we’re referring to. Since these devices all have unique characteristics, learning benefits, and ways to use them, it’s important to determine which STEM tools will best support your learning goals.
Checking device compatibility before an EdTech purchase.
Among some key features that school technology purchasers should consider are privacy, interoperability, and device compatibility. We often focus on the third item on this list and constantly remind educators that they should make sure the tech tools they buy are compatible with the tablets or laptops throughout these classrooms. There’s nothing worse than getting new technology in the classroom and hyping it up only for kids to be unable to use it because of device compatibility issues. For most manufacturers, you can often find a list of compatible devices online, including on most of our product pages. We reiterate this point so much because technology can't really serve students if they can’t connect it to their device.
Other key areas to consider.
To ensure that issues with an EdTech purchase don’t arise (or are at least limited), educators should follow some key guidelines when selecting their tech tools. The first is ensuring that they can teach all necessary concepts and that it is compatible with standards and learning goals. Next, educators should research the tool they are looking at, specifically evidence and examples for how it drives deeper learning. Then, there’s making sure it’s compatible with existing devices and addressing implementation concerns, including what companies (if any) offer technical support. Finally, you could look into what fellow teachers are buying, and see if you notice any insightful patterns. All of these will help you feel more comfortable along the way.
Smart EdTech Purchases for Maker Education
If you are a MakerEd teacher or spend any time in a makerspace, then your supplies might differ from the traditional EdTech tools. Makerspace teachers, however, still need an informed decision process to ensure they’re getting the most out of materials they buy. Much of the time, makerspace leaders can be okay with procuring free, discarded materials and, while this is a great practice of upcycling, there are various other avenues that could also be worthwhile to them. Many maker materials are cheap but the fact that they are not always reusable also comes into play. Educators in makerspaces still must be somewhat creative and well-informed about maximizing their budgets and the tools they buy. While 3D printers, for example, can be great makerspace tools, other low-tech and less costly items might work too.
Making an EdTech purchase for...free?
The first purchasing tip for new makerspace materials is perhaps an oxymoron, but try to avoid paying for things! There are so many everyday materials lying around schools, yards, basements, or even dumpsters that may be useful in school makerspaces. Recyclables and scraps, like plastic bottles, paper towel rolls, cardboard, and tape are just what students need. These kinds of materials are good for quick projects and, as long as they’re careful, kids can possibly reuse them. If you can get useful materials without spending a dime, then definitely go for it. Other useful tools for MakerEd are paper circuits, which educators could use to teach students electronics concepts. These can help students make light-up cards and other interactive artwork displays. Plus, circuits are affordable, so it’s smart to allocate space for them when planning your makerspace budget and purchasing strategy.
Maximizing the school makerspace budget.
It might also be a good idea to divide the remaining budget between high- and low-tech items. One of the most affordable makerspace items is the micro:bit, which is still plenty technical and also allows students to build all sorts of projects to program. Finally, any STEM kits that combine electronics and programming are perfect for your makerspace curriculum and plenty are affordable. Most MonkMakes kits, for example, include compact and fairly straightforward technology, like basic breadboards, alligator clips, and LEDs for programming. In makerspaces, children can construct these circuits and then install them within any other creative projects they’re working on. While maker tools tend to come on that cheaper side and don’t carry as much of a risk as purchasing something expensive, teachers should still be smart, and make sure they are investing their makerspace dollars wisely.
Avoiding Wasteful EdTech Purchases
With so many different types of EdTech tools, it may be tempting to lunge at one or two of these and make purchases without too much thought. Tools like robots, 3D printers, and virtual reality systems are all super valuable in your classrooms when used optimally but, unfortunately, that's not always the case. While there are EdTech tools that are ideal for every student, it might not be the same one for everyone. So, if a teacher were to buy a top-end VR system, for example, some kids may experience greater engagement, but others might find it boring or unnecessary. Also, engagement is nice but it’s ultimately the learning that is the most important. If a new piece of technology isn’t noticeably contributing to student achievement, it can wind up being wasted. So, how do you ensure you never get to this stage?
EdTech procurement factors to consider.
To ensure their EdTech purchases aren't wasteful, teachers first have to know their students. They must be knowledgeable of their skill sets and if those skills align with the EdTech tools they’re integrating. If children try to use a robot that requires text coding, for example, but they’ve only had a bit of experience with block coding, then this would qualify as a wasted purchase. Also, if any educator were to rush into making a new purchase without realizing that the robotics tools they'd bought were only compatible with iOS devices and their classroom devices are all Windows-based, then it would almost certainly become wasteful. Ultimately, it takes time to accurately determine if EdTech purchases are wasteful or not. There are some key features, however that buyers should be aware of to hopefully avoid this altogether.
Boosting accessibility and impact with your EdTech purchase.
The first feature is accessibility. Tech tools that are easy to learn, flexible within different environments, and help educators teach different concepts are ideal. As such, options for differentiation account for one other key characteristic. The best EdTech is not one-size-fits-all but, rather, it is adaptable and can help teachers reach students in different ways. Also, the quality of any supplemental educational content is something to consider. Many top EdTech lines, like Wonder Workshop, Terrapin Robotics, and iRobot Education, often include curricula or project guides with products. This helps ensure that instructors can use them optimally while covering core concepts. Finally, look for evidence that these particular tools actually advance student learning. If you can’t find concrete examples that one tech tool is exceptional, chances are, you'll find proof that others are. Ultimately, avoiding wasteful purchases—like always—boils down to doing your homework.
Revising the EdTech Purchase Process
If you go through the same routine every time you make an EdTech purchase, that may be good or bad. It’s good to establish routines and consistency to help make things more efficient but what if your process isn’t optimal? What if you simply saw something online and jumped at this chance of being the first teacher that you know to get it into your classroom? When making an EdTech purchase, quick procurement isn't nearly as important as getting things right. Even if you hear from other teachers that a certain STEM tool is great, that doesn’t mean the same success will translate in all classrooms. One of the best things to do is trying the new technology tool with students before committing to large purchases.
Trying the trial route.
In some situations, you might find a program for trying something with students for a certain length of time. Unfortunately, these aren’t all that common, however, so the next best thing may be buying one or two trial units of a STEM tool to test how they work. In an ideal world, systems like this can remove some pressures of buying new EdTech tools. Knowing how they work in your classroom and complement your educational goals and students' abilities is quite a luxury. If you don't have a defined EdTech purchasing process at the school or district level, this might be worth discussing. Though you may need to make trial purchases each time, the benefits of knowing how they work before fully committing are worth it to some people.
Making the right EdTech purchase.
Most likely, someone within the school or district is vetting all STEAM tools before buying them. And, most likely, it is not the teachers who'll be using them. Whoever conducts this research may look for correlations between technology and standards or ensure it'll fit in the budget. They aren't always assessing whether or not it's compatible with the instructional styles of the teachers who will be using them or if the kids in those classes are skilled enough (or too skilled) for any particular solutions. Teachers usually know these answers best since they're the ones who spend the most time with students. Perhaps, in an ideal world, the teacher would always have a month or two to get to evaluate how the students would use something and then still have the rest of the year to use it.
If you have any insights into the tech purchasing process or would like to share what’s done in your school or district, please feel free to get in touch! For EdTech, STEM, and 21st century education news, follow us on X and Instagram. Like us on Facebook too or subscribe to our newsletter for all of our latest product announcements and offerings. If you have an idea for the Eduporium Weekly topic, send us a message on social media or comment below.