Tomorrow, the international results from the latest PISA testing will be revealed. At the EEA, we have been watching emerging debates and listening to discussions that have preemptively begun about the role of EdTech in these results.
I call on everyone to lead balanced discussions, remembering the background against which these tests were conducted, and that we tread carefully before assuming any connection between the results and the specific usage of certain technologies. Will we really be looking at how students perform in mathematics, reading and science as OECD claims? Or how they performed during a pandemic?
We must remind ourselves: This test was conducted following hard lockdowns, closed borders, and fear of the unknown. The upcoming PISA results, shaped by COVID-19, will unveil the impact this situation had on global education. But let's also not forget how educators globally went above and beyond to ensure learning continuity for over 1.5 billion affected children despite the challenges our education systems faced.
We need a nuanced discussion: The comparison between countries will expose the outcomes of various lockdown strategies. and how they affected students' well-being and performance. What these results cannot show are a direct relation between specific technologies and competencies and I caution painting all technology with the same brush: the effects of using conference technology to deliver education cannot be equated with the structured use of education technology. Digital tools played a vital role during the pandemic, but understanding their nuanced impact is crucial.
Read my full statement here www.edtecheurope.org/news/was-the-problem-really-screen-time and advocate with me for a balanced, nuanced discussion on the PISA results. Together, let's ensure our conclusions reflect the reality of those tough times, the resilience of the educators and families, and support the future of education.
Beth Havinga
🇪🇺 EEA Meets... DG EAC! 🇪🇺
Join us on 11.12.2023 at 15:00 (CET) for an exclusive opportunity to dive into the dynamic world of education and technology! The Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture (DG EAC) is excited to open its doors to the EdTech Community, offering insights into their initiatives and paving the way for meaningful engagement.
🔍 What to Expect: Discover the workings of DG EAC, from fostering digital literacy to shaping the future of learning environments.
💬 Interactive Q&A Session: This event is your chance to directly connect with DG EAC representatives.
🌐 Bridging Gaps and Building Bridges: DG EAC is committed to fostering collaboration and co-creation within the EdTech ecosystem.
We are excited to welcome you to an event that goes beyond dialogue — it's a call to action for everyone passionate about the transformative power of EdTech 🌟
📩 Register here!
Online Educa Berlin 2023
We were excited to join a panel discussion at Online Educa Berlin this year by invitation of UNESCO thanks to our participation in the Broadband Commission’s Data for Learning group. Together with representatives from SURF (NL), London School of Economics (UK) and UNESCO, we discussed the findings of the report, The transformative potential of data for learning, and the ways in which regulation and testing play integral roles in building the trust and enabling evidence-based decision making within the ecosystem.
Bett UK 24
We are happy to be part of Bett UK for another year hosting a session on Wednesday 24th January at 13:30 and organising the Female Networking session “Women in EdTech” at Global Futures on Thursday 25th January at 5pm. We are looking forward to seeing you in London and chatting with you about the latest activities and news about EdTech in Europe.
Get all the information and your ticket for the event here!
IPON 24
The 12th edition of IPON, Benelux's biggest Education innovation and IT event will be held on the 28th and 29th of February in the Jaarbeurs Utrecht. With over 170 exhibitors and 180+ timeslots for presentations and workshops, IPON attracts around 8.000 visitors spread over 2 days.
Besides cooperating with the EEA IPON24 works together with our Member Dutch Edtech during the 2-day event zooming in on the current EdTech market and future development.
Further, the event facilitates several opportunities to share knowledge between teachers, school leaders and Edtech organisations:
Education within Europe theatre: Share your knowledge, workshop, or research.
EU & NL startup area
Members of the EEA receive a 25% introduction discount on the square meter price, if you want to know more about what’s in store, please contact Marc Post.
Ukraine Tech Day | techUK
TechUK, Deloitte, and IT Ukraine Association partnered on an event titled 'Ukraine Tech Day' showcasing Ukrainian technology and talent. The objective of the day was to raise awareness of Ukraine as a viable destination for commercial and pro-bono opportunities, as well as to highlight the areas for further collaboration and cooperation. EdTech and skills were one of the key verticals. More information and session recordings are here!
Worth Reading:
Founders Forum Group’s Future of EdTech Report | 2023
SURF’s Responsible tech: how we ensure new technologies meet public values
Brighteye Ventures’ EdTech Job Board
FUNDRAISING:
London-based Bloom received 9.2m€ for its professional coaching platform, offering a practical and effective approach to behaviour modification.
Munich-based Retorio secured 9m€ to expand their personalised AI coaching platform
London-based Spotted Zebra has secured 8.8m€ in a Series A round of funding to tackle global skills-gap crisis.
Madrid-based Shakers raised 6m€ to connect Spanish companies with teams of digital specialists.
Paris-based Augment has recently raised a 6m€ seed round to scale its online MBA.
xUnlocked a London-based professional education platform raised 5.5m€ for sustainability and ESG training.
Krakow-based LiveKid has raised a 3.1m€ funding round to expand its kindergarten platform to Latin America.
French company Nolej.ai, developing a Generative AI tool for teachers that helps them create dynamic learning content has raised 3m€.
UK-based company MySalesCoach has landed a 800k€ seed investment to develop its platform that matches and facilitates high quality coaching for sales teams and individuals.
Spain-based Toddl.co raised a 500k€ pre-seed round to continue building its a suite of technology solutions to help parents navigate the complex world of extracurricular activities.
Berlin-based Fuxam announced a 500k€ seed round with Business Angels to develop software solutions for educational institutions.
Cardiff-based startup Academii has raised 430k€ to transform workplace training
Upcoming Events, click on links for more information and tickets:
23rd January: EIT EdTech Conference in Brussels, Belgium - Agenda
24th-26th January: Bett UK in London, UK - Agenda & Tickets!
28th-29th February: IPON 24 in Utrecht, Netherlands - Agenda & Tickets!
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This newsletter is written and produced by the European Edtech Alliance. The European Edtech Alliance is a consortium of national trade associations and clusters working with founders and providers of education technology (Edtech), to support the domestic and international growth of these businesses and the innovations they represent.