What A Strategy Lead At Edpuzzle Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Ed Tech Industry
Kelsey, a Strategy Lead at Edpuzzle, advises aspiring EdTech professionals to understand the "rapid" evolution of technology must be reconciled with the slower pace of educational systems; keeping "empathy in mind" is crucial for developing technology that meaningfully integrates into the education space.
EdTech Industry, Education Technology, Product Development, Empathy in Tech, K-12 Education
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kelsey Smith
Strategy Lead
Edpuzzle
UCLA
UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
Entertainment, Music & Arts, Psychology
Education, Technology
Business Strategy
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The ed tech industry evolves rapidly on the technology side, but education (especially K-12) moves at a different, slower pace.
2. To succeed in ed tech, you must reconcile the rapid pace of technological advancements with the slower pace of educational systems.
3. Empathy is crucial when developing and implementing technology in education, considering the challenges and realities of the educational setting.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
This is a tough one, but I think one of the biggest takeaways for me, less about the role and more about the ed tech industry, is the rapid speed of technological evolution. This is phenomenal and extremely exciting.
However, if you've worked in education, you know there can be a bit more of a lag on the education side. One thing I wish I had considered more, and advise others to think about if they're interested in starting a company, product development, or entering the ed tech space, is reconciling these two things.
Education, especially K-12 public education, moves at a different pace. It's a very large system with many challenges to address. The way we see technology evolving, both inside and outside the space, requires a thoughtful solution or relationship to truly work in education.
Therefore, keeping empathy in mind is really important when considering this.
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