LearnPlatform by Instructure
Comparing EdTech Products for
Cost-effectiveness and Efficacy
How a Small Indiana School District Saved Thousands Using Rapid-cycle Evaluation
School City of Mishawaka is a K-12 school district located in north central Indiana. When Mishawaka’s technology plan was updated with a referendum to begin measuring return on investment (ROI) of district edtech purchases, the central office knew it had work to do.
The Challenge
Until that point, measuring edtech effectiveness had been limited to anecdotal feedback from teachers and uniformly positive reports provided to them by their edtech vendors.
The district needed a third-party solution to analyze its edtech spending, usage and achievement data to ensure purchasing and implementation decisions were validated and proven to be best for teachers and students. LearnPlatform’s rapid-cycle evaluation engine, IMPACT™, fit the team’s needs.
As you bring more tech in, it's essential to have metrics and processes in place to avoid teachers jumping from one tool to the next based on limited information.
Caity Stockstell
Director of Teaching and Learning
Running Outcomes and Cost Analyses
The district identified it needed metrics and processes in place to evaluate decisions around the edtech products used by teachers and students. This data, they realized, would help them avoid jumping into new tools or ignoring the ones they were already using. LearnPlatform provided the infrastructure for the district to run two pilots on two different edtech products.
The district ran Outcomes and Cost Analyses on the two pilot programs and found that, while Product B was twice as expensive as Product A, it had a much lower (and sometimes negative) effect on student outcomes, particularly for students in minority populations and those on free-or-reduced lunch. The data gave the district full confidence in not choosing Product B after the pilot – a decision the district’s CFO estimated saved them as much as $25,000.
We’re able to, now, based on data, make decisions on our licenses. We can see what’s being used or not used… it saves us thousands.
Caity Stockstell
Next Steps
Mishawaka's instructional leaders now have the data they need to confidently communicate how and why purchasing and implementation decisions are made across the district. Teachers also benefit from having a centralized library where they can see what products are available for use, along with access to professional development directly from the platform. These features help support informed decision making at every level, from requesting, vetting and purchasing to the ongoing analysis of tools for effectiveness.
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