Resetting Education: The rebounding edtech ecosystem

Faith Merino · July 2, 2012 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/2809

Edtech is finally seeing a revival after the burst of the Internet bubble

The term “edtech” seems like an easy blanket term that covers all things “educational” and “technological.”  But a peek beneath the surface reveals a rich, blooming ecosystem of tech startups covering every possible angle of education, from individual learning styles and special needs to student response systems and professional development for teachers.

The edtech world is seeing something of a venture capital revival.  Education technology companies raised a total of $276 million across 60 deals in 2011, according to Dow Jones VentureSource.  That’s up from $177 million in 2010.  That doesn’t seem like much when you consider the fact that Twitter raised nearly three times that amount in 2011.

It certainly pales in comparison to the bygone days of the Internet bubble, when education technology companies raked in $534 million in 2000—the most money edtech companies had ever raised in a single year.  Naturally, a lot of those bubble-era startups went belly-up, primarily due to lack of adoption.  GSV Advisors estimates that of the 106 fundings of education companies that took place in 1999, over 75% failed to achieve adequate returns on their investments—or failed entirely. 

When you have a dial-up connection and a room full of emotionally volatile little people to manage, the last thing you want to do is try to figure out a new platform or device.  But we’ve come a long way in the post-bubble era.  With wider broadband access, cheaper technology, and new platforms made more intuitive by utilizing existing technology (like Facebook and cell phones), it’s much easier for students and teachers alike to adopt new technologies quickly and effectively.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll take a closer look at some of the new trends emerging in edtech that are causing the biggest stir and having the greatest impact on public K-12 education.  Among them are:

The flipped classroom

Essentially “flips” the traditional classroom experience by having students watch video lectures at home and then engage with the subject matter in the classroom.  The concept was popularized by Khan Academy (which was hailed by Bill Gates), and has since drawn other startups to the space, such as social learning platform Sophia LearningUdemy is another rising star in the video lecture space, and other education platforms have dabbled in offering video lectures, such as Grockit, which offers test prep video tutorials for SAT and MBA students.  YouTube also offers an expansive array of educational videos via YouTube EDU.

Adaptive learning

Learning technology that adapts to the student’s pace.  Also known as “personalized learning” or “individualized learning,” adaptive learning technology assesses students’ comprehension and identifies their weaknesses to tailor their workload to their individual learning goals.  Some of the startups in this space include Knewton, which raised $33 million in a Series D round last October, DreamBox Learning, and i-Ready, among others.

Social networks

Social networks for classrooms allow teachers, students, and parents to connect in secure systems.  Social networks for higher education, like Piazza, are a big hit, but K-12 social networks are a little trickier to implement.  Startups offering social networks for K-12 education include Edmodo, which just raised $11 million, OpenStudy, which was a finalist at Vator Splash LA last month, Grockit, and ePals.

Special needs

Tools and technology for special needs students and classrooms, which come with their own set of challenges, including IEPs (Individual Education Program), working with developmental delays, and classroom management issues.  Companies making headway in this space include Goalbook, DoTheData, MyAutismTeam, and more.

Student response systems

Handheld devices that allow students to provide instant feedback so that educators can gauge comprehension immediately.  The systems allow teachers to identify struggling students who might be too shy to answer a question in front of the class.  Startups like Renaissance Learning, iRespond, eInstruction, and Promethean World have developed “clickers” (some of which have been designed to be used just like you would text on a cell phone) that are being used in hundreds of thousands of classrooms across the country.

Edutainment

Web and mobile platforms that use gaming mechanics, puzzles, and fun cartoon characters to make the learning process entertaining.  Some of the most visible “edutainment” startups are those that have developed smartphone and tablet apps, which utilize touchscreen technology to allow kids to play interactive, educational games.  A few such startups include Stickery, ClassDojo, Kabongo, and Carrot Sticks, among many (many) more.

Teacher tools

A wide range of platforms and services designed to help teachers teach.  This space runs the gamut and includes everything from social networks for teachers to classroom management tools, professional development, lesson plan help, and more.  Companies include Engrade, ClassDojo, Gooru, LearnBoost, 19Pencils, BetterLesson, and more.

If you have a startup that falls into one of these categories, we’d love to hear from you.  You can get in touch at faith.merino@vator.tv.

 

Image source: addletters.com

Support VatorNews by Donating

Read more from our "Faith Merino's Resetting Education" series

More episodes

Related Companies, Investors, and Entrepreneurs

OpenStudy

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on

OpenStudy is a platform for peer-to-peer study help that's delivered right away from students around the world, to help high school and college students find answers immediately while learning and empower them with a unique brand of celebrity and credentials through helping others.

Since coming out of beta in March of 2011, OpenStudy has grown into a platform that 200,000 students use to study together each month.  Learners come from 180 countries and over 2,000 schools.  Users ask over 2,000 questions per day, and 70% of questions are answered by a global set of peers within five minutes.

OpenStudy is used on openstudy.com, mobile, and embedded on digital content sites such as MIT OpenCourseWare, Yale Open Courses, and dozens more.

Grockit

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on

Grockit is a web-based social network for studying that uses collaborative learning to improve academic achievement and extend learning outside of the classroom.

Piazza

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on

Founded in 2009 and publicly launched in 2011, Piazza is a free online gathering place where students can ask and answer questions 24/7, under the guidance of their instructor. Anyone can create a class at Piazza.com to initiate class discussion. Students spend on average four hours a night on Piazza working together in real time with classmates and instructors to find the answers they need at the time they need them. Piazza is FERPA-compliant and used in hundreds of colleges and universities.

DreamBox Learning, Inc

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on

DreamBox Learning was founded in 2006 in Bellevue, Washington and acquired in April 2010 by the Charter Fund in partnership with Reed Hastings, a widely recognized educational philanthropist and CEO of Netflix, Inc. The Intelligent Adaptive Learning company launched a Web-based platform and its first online learning product in January 2009, and the program has won more than 20 top education and technology industry awards. Currently in use in all 50 states, DreamBox Learning Math targets elementary students and delivers more than 500 core lessons with unlimited variations based on the Common Core State Standards. DreamBox Learning Math software is designed to teach and reinforce key mathematical concepts through effective, individualized instruction in an engaging and fun manner.