PRESS RELEASE: KIPP MA Joins National Effort to Figure Out What EdTech Works Where, and Why

Educators will document their experiences with technology through a public-private initiative launched by InnovateEDU’s project, the EdTech Evidence Exchange

February 8, 2023 – Boston, MA – The EdTech Evidence Exchange (the Exchange), a project recently merged with InnovateEDU, a nonprofit associated with the University of Virginia, is partnering with the KIPP MA Office of Innovation and Instructional Technology to help educators across KIPP MA share data about what technology works where, and why. This partnership will enable KIPP MA educators to share insights through the EdTech Evidence Exchange Platform, a data collection and display tool that documents educators’ contexts and experiences using mathematics education technology (edtech).

“We have been using more and more technology since the pandemic. We want to step back and develop a strategy to make sure these tools are used effectively and equitably to support  student learning and develop digital literacy. Before we create solutions, we need to first understand the needs of our schools,” said Jay Galbraith, Director of Academics, Innovation and Instructional Technology for KIPP MA. The data collected by the Exchange Platform provides evidence directly from educators selecting and using edtech that can help inform and guide states and districts interested in making systems-level improvements, like remote learning, by leveraging their successes and addressing their challenges. 

As reported in EdWeek, high and low-performing students’ NAEP scores fell to levels not seen in 20 years with steeper falls for students at the lowest academic levels. States are focused on mitigating this decline and the Exchange is responding by collecting data on educators’ experiences with mathematics edtech tools. The Exchange data will help KIPP MA begin to better understand how their mathematics educators are integrating technology into their instruction and get a glimpse of its impact on student learning.

With support from philanthropic organizations including the Massachusetts State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the EdTech Evidence Exchange and KIPP MA are helping to center educator voice, insights, and evidence to learn from one another at scale about the role technology plays in our quest to improve student learning.

“When educators are supported with tailored resources and allowed the time to collaborate with other educators, they are able to solve problems in meaningful ways. These data in the Exchange Platform help educators understand deeply the role that context plays in teaching and learning when integrating technology,” said Dr. Kate Tindle, Manager of the EdTech Evidence Exchange. “We are delighted to welcome KIPP MA to the 2023 cohort and add their data to the data collected from last year’s inaugural cohort of AL, NV, and UT.”