3 reasons edtech ignores social capital

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Aug 2, 2016

Edtech entrepreneurs around the world have keyed into the enormous potential for edtech to disrupt the traditional content and assessment market. But with a laser-like focus on academic tools, entrepreneurs and school systems alike risk losing sight of how technology can also enhance students’ relationships with adults and one another. In addition to dramatically shifting how we deliver instruction, technology stands to reshape how we guide and mentor students and how we might expand their social and professional networks.

But unlike the boon in online learning, technologies built to reimagine how we connect students and expand their networks are few and far between. In this video, I explore the top three reasons that the edtech market seems to be ignoring the opportunity to use technology tools to build students’ access to social capital—and how practitioners and policymakers can address this gap.

Julia is the director of education research at the Clayton Christensen Institute. Her work aims to educate policymakers and community leaders on the power of disruptive innovation in the K-12 and higher education spheres. Be sure to check out her book, "Who You Know: Unlocking Innovations That Expand Students' Networks" https://amzn.to/2RIqwOk.