I had the opportunity to attend EdTech Week this year, held at the Civic Hall in New York City. The event gave edtech vendors a forum to know how best to appeal to decision-makers at school districts, and was packed with people dedicated to helping create solutions in the educational space.
Throughout my time there I was able to attend some of the discussions that took place, as well as speak to some of the attendees. Two events of note:
Fireside Chat with NYC Public School Chancellor David C. Banks: During this conversation between Chancellor Banks and interviewer Jonathan Harber (Chairman of Started INC), the talking points covered multiple subjects, including making teachers more aware of the working world outside of education so they can better prepare students to work in that world, reinstalling a sense of joy in students in relation to education, and becoming more worldly as educators in general. Chancellor Banks said, “You can’t be a citizen of the world with a neighborhood mentality.”
Enabling Educator-Led K12 Go-to-Market Strategies: This discussion focused on understanding what teachers need to operate the classroom effectively and knowing how the finances of a school/district works in order to work alongside their needs. District funding cycles and the need to respect clients were also discussed.
The overall event was informative and engaging. EdTech Week put the spotlight on helping vendors become more serviceable for the schools and districts to which they cater. Hearing the passion vendors have for providing educational tools and services to schools and districts was reassuring, especially when it might seem that vendors and educators are sometimes on opposite sides of the spectrum.
The event also featured refreshments, live music, and plenty of networking and one-on-one conversations. From tackling topics such as AI learning and availability to creating equity so that all students have the same learning opportunities, EdTech Week has shown that educators, administrators, vendors, and other stakeholders are invested in creating the best way forward.
