Silicon Valley Plays a Vital Role in Education Technology
The market for computers and software in American schools is projected to reach $21 billion in sales by 2020 and there’s no sign of a slowdown.[1] On the contrary, school districts and Silicon Valley alike are embracing this newfound partnership, with millions of dollars flowing into technology makeovers nationwide. An entirely new industry is growing around this new trend, with school administrators at the center.
Superintendents have become key decision makers for integrating tech, and Silicon Valley has noticed. The tech hub regularly flies administrators to conferences to meet vendors, give speeches in support of these new products, and learn more about tech in the classroom. Similar to the relationship between drug companies and physicians, this marketing approach has raised eyebrows from some. What everyone involved agrees upon is the value of tech as a platform for learning.
Software is an integral part of enabling instructors to personalize their instruction. Though the results are still untested, the theory goes that tech allows students to be more efficient, independent, and engaged with a curriculum that’s more tailor-made to their needs.[2] Silicon Valley has heard the call and tech leader Mark Zuckerberg recently announced plans to “upgrade” more than 25,000 public schools in the next ten years. That means an expanding market and hundreds in millions in donations.
Though only time will tell if this tech can have a serious impact on learning, the money and will is there. Expect administrators, entrepreneurs, and educators alike to push this Plugged-In Classroom movement forward.
