#Edtechbridge – Connecting Teachers and Entrepreneurs Through Twitter – Wednesdays at 6PM ET

Posted by Andrew Gardner on

There is a lot of buzz about teachers and EdTech entrepreneurs working together to build great tools for students and schools, but it still can be a struggle to figure out how exactly to collaborate. After spending the past four years working in educational technology, I can say that it is a dream to be able to get teacher and student advice on every decision you make, but the dream isn’t always attainable. Logistical and cultural barriers exist; EdTech developers’ schedules and goals don’t necessarily jive with teachers’ schedules and goals. And, often, the most common barrier is simply finding the right people to connect with.

Luckily, we have Twitter.

POPstar teacher Steve Isaacs mr_isaacs and I (@katyamuses) have collaborated for years building and testing tech for students in a mutually beneficial partnership. We formed #edtechbridge as a way to connect other teachers and EdTech devs in the hopes that more educational technology will be built by both parties together. Last Wednesday, April 2, we had our inaugural #edtechbridge tweet chat where teachers and EdTech developers showed up to share their experiences and give each other advice. Here are some highlights:

Christine Garland @CAGarland from Remind101 shared:

This is amazing and something EdTech companies should strive for!   When asked “What advice would you give teachers or developers who want to be involved?,” James Kapptie @jpk38 said:

This was one of many statements that said “cold calls just don’t work.” Building a relationship between educators and developers is best.   One struggle mentioned by Justin Eames @Techucation was:

This is something we are tackling as a group. We want to connect people who will really be able to use the tools and information they learn to benefit the students and the design process. This is no easy task, but we believe these conversations are the beginning.

And speaking of beginnings, these words of wisdom were shared by Jerry Blumengarten @cybraryman1:

We are working hard to make sure we proceed from “coming together” to “working together.” The next #edtechbridge chat will be on Wednesday, April 9th at 6pm EST. We will discuss the breaking down the myths about teachers and EdTech developers. Join us!

Filed as:  Best Practices, Collaboration, Edtech, POPstar, Professional Development, Social Media and Education, Teacher Resources, Teaching Resources, edtechbridge, entrepreneurs