Every Major Ed Tech Investment Should Start With a Pilot
Whether a district is purchasing new devices or rolling out a new software program, it pays to start small and iron out the wrinkles in a pilot program before deploying widely.
“Purchasing a new ed tech product is a major investment, and piloting allows districts to use the tool in a classroom setting before making a long-term commitment,” says Robin Munsell, vice president of professional learning at IXL. “This provides an opportunity to see how the product works; whether it lives up to its claims; and how well it supports specific priorities at the district, school or classroom level.”
Pilot programs allow teachers to use the technology and offer their feedback. In addition to determining whether the tech product will work as expected and be a good fit for the district, pilot programs also offer opportunities to create early advocates for the technology. “When educators are involved from the beginning, they are much more likely to buy in, support the implementation and use the product in a way that best supports students,” Munsell says.
When a small group of teachers support the technology, they can help drive adoption across their schools or districts by sharing their own experiences and helping their peers, Astle adds.
Defining Your Pilot
A successful pilot program starts with a plan. It’s crucial to define a specific goal for the program and the guidelines you will follow to get there.
Goals and measurement framework
“Start with the problem you are trying to solve, not the technology itself,” Astle recommends. “Clearly define the instructional, operational or student outcome you want to improve and establish success measures before the pilot begins.”
In addition to determining the question you want to answer, decide how you will measure progress. Astle recommends a preliminary survey to gather baseline data, a midpoint survey to assess progress and a post-survey report to determine whether the solution delivered the desired outcomes.
Timeline
Make sure your pilot group has enough time to adequately test the product, but don’t drag the program out too long. Three to six months is typically long enough to use and assess an ed tech platform, Munsell says.
If the pilot goes too long, such as for an entire school year, “teams often lose momentum,” Astle says. “Focus on gathering enough evidence to make informed decisions while maintaining urgency and engagement.”
Selecting the Right Test Group
Variety is the key to building a strong test group, Munsell says. “You want a mix of educators who will bring different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds to the pilot,” she says.
Start with teachers who are engaged and willing to give the new program a fair test, but also include potential skeptics as well as school leaders, Munsell adds. Giving an early voice to potential doubters may help surface concerns and build broader buy-in, and leaders can help assess how the program supports larger priorities.
Gathering Feedback From Users
The best approach is to gather feedback throughout the pilot process rather than waiting until the end. Munsell recommends regular check-ins with teachers to help identify challenges in real time and to offer support when needed.
“It’s also important to distinguish between feedback about the product and feedback about the implementation,” Munsell says. “For example, don’t just ask teachers whether they found the product valuable. Also ask if there were any barriers that impacted their ability to implement it successfully.”
To make an informed decision, Astle recommends gathering feedback in a two-pronged approach that combines both quantitative and qualitative feedback:
Quantitative data will gather:
- Usage metrics
- Adoption rates
- Participation levels
- Student engagement indicators
- Progress toward defined success measures
Qualitative data will gather:
- Teacher interviews
- Focus groups
- Classroom observations
- Open-ended survey responses
- Student and educator testimonials
UP NEXT: Districts are prioritizing measurable impact in purchasing decisions.
From Pilot to Districtwide Rollout
If the pilot program successfully solves the problem you set out to solve, you can use the information learned in the pilot to inform a successful technology transformation.
After a pilot demonstrates measurable success, and you have gathered data about what worked, what didn’t, and what support structures are needed, you may be ready to roll out the technology to a wider community, Astle says. She recommends seven steps to a successful progression:
- Review pilot findings against the original success criteria
- Document lessons learned and implementation requirements
- Create district-specific case studies and proof points
- Identify educator champions from the pilot group
- Develop a phased expansion plan
- Scale professional learning alongside technology deployment
- Continue measuring adoption and outcomes as implementation grows
