The EdTech Stack 🥞

Apr 02, 2020 6:41 am

I just had a conversation where someone mentioned "The EdTech Stack."


This is a cool concept, and one that will gain more prominence over the coming weeks, months, and years, in my opinion.


Basically, it's referring to a set of platforms, services, and tools that educators or schools deliberately choose to not only serve individual functions, but to operate, integrate, and synergize effectively together.


As a quick example, here's the EdTech Stack that I use typically, and will continue to use for the rest of the school year. The interesting thing for me -- and this is a testament to the solutions these companies offer -- is that these tools work well in and out of the classroom.


Here it is:


Our school uses Google Classroom as an LMS, so that's the top-layer over everything.


I use GoGuardian to quickly access students' docs, as well as chat with introverted students about their writing or other work.


I use Newsela, Edpuzzle, CommonLit, ListenWise for libraries of high-quality content that is either relevant to or part of the curriculum.


I use Socrative for formatively assessing students' writing or responses to reading.


I use Kami for annotating PDFs, and Scrible for annotating websites.


I occasionally use Flipgrid for having students practice speaking tasks or hosting discussions.


And as of now, that's mostly it.


Questions? Suggestions? Fire away.


Thanks for reading,


Gerard Dawson

Comments
avatar Colin
Thanks for the details, Gerard. In addition to this, many edtech companies are trying to map how schools and districts spend money on supplemental programs. Could you specific (perhaps here or in a future post): which programs are provided by the district? which programs are purchased by your school or department? which programs are free? which you drum up money for? (grants, personal $$, etc). If you had to give advice to an up and coming Newsela, for example, about getting your school to pay for a supplemental English / language arts program that costs a few hundred dollars per year, what would that be?
avatar Alicia
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