SHORT AND SWEET: Six months since receiving $100K from the Gates Foundation for the creation of short-term efficacy trials, the NYC iZone recently launched its search for companies to participate in the program. The trials will include ten products, each paired with teams of eight to 10 teachers over the course of 12 weeks. Efficacy will then be measured based on whether or not products meet expectations pre-determined by teachers using them.
The iZone has partnered with Edtechnos Evaluator, an advisory firm made of members from Good Harbor Partners and evaluators from John Hopkins University, to facilitate the selection of companies and measure product efficacy once trails begin.“We want teachers at the heart of this process. They define the problem, with advice of an experienced evaluator and agreement from the company. But the teachers are defining what efficacy means,” says Dean Millot, Managing Partner of K12 Good Harbor Partners.
Products will be selected through an application process, which concludes June 9th. Applications will focus on three key criteria: teacher needs, product readiness, and company capacity. Selected companies will meet with teachers in late-August and launch their tests in classroom at the start of the school year.
Early surveys by iZone indicate that teachers want data or visualization of student progress, Common Core-aligned content, real-world learning lessons, and inquiry or project-based lessons.
