GEORGIA STATE COLLABORATES IN NATIONAL EFFORT TO IMPROVE RESEARCH ABOUT EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

ATLANTA–Georgia State University has collaborated with national education researchers and leaders to improve the availability of research into the effectiveness of educational technologies so decision-makers can make responsible, informed choices before investing in new technology.

Georgia State participated in the EdTech Efficacy Research Symposium, led by the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, the Jefferson Education Accelerator and Digital Promise in May.

More than $13.2 billion is spent annually in the United States on new educational technology – including taxpayer dollars that fund education, as well as tuition and fees paid to colleges and universities.

Policy makers need to have better data to ensure the money is spent wisely on effective technology to support teaching and learning, but symposium participants found that there is a lack of such research.

Georgia State’s Vice Provost for Enrollment Services and Student Success, Timothy M. Renick, delivered a keynote address to the symposium’s 275 participants, highlighting the importance of technology and data-informed research in Georgia State’s elimination of achievement gaps based on the race, ethnicity and income level of students. His working group looked at the role students, teachers, parents and others play in technology decision-making with educational institutions.