Edtech has transformed from a sporadically used, sometimes glitchy tool to a major force in education. How are we using it now? Where is it headed? SmartBrief reached out to Digital Promise’s Shayla Cornick, Ed.D., for insights, as well as details on the ENCORE program that promises to drive improvements in edtech.
SmartBrief: Tell those who aren’t familiar with Digital Promise what the nonprofit does.
Cornick: Digital Promise, a steward of edtech since 2011, works across research, practice and technology to help devise edtech solutions. Digital Promise is also the measurement, learning and evaluation partner for the Engagement Collaborative for Research & Equity (ENCORE), which is working on collaborative processes to improve the ways edtech influences teaching and learning. Those two things give us a remarkable vantage point into all facets of the ongoing edtech journey.
My role is deputy director for EdTech R&D on Digital Promise’s Powerful Learning team, and I’m also our organization’s leader for ENCORE.
SmartBrief: Can you tell us about ENCORE and how it’s disrupting the traditional edtech landscape?
Cornick: Too often, research, product design and classroom realities exist in silos. This disconnected ecosystem leads to incoherent instructional systems, misaligned tools and widespread implementation challenges that ultimately limit student learning and exacerbate inequities. Without a unified approach that integrates research, practice, edtech and policy, districts lack the infrastructure to transform learning for the AI era.
The Engagement Collaborative for Research and Equity has been demonstrating the transformative power of community to bridge these divides and accelerate equity in math. We bring together edtech developers, researchers and school districts to collaboratively design, test and refine edtech product features. We’re laser-focused on improving teacher effectiveness and efficiency and strengthening students’ motivation, engagement and persistence in math, particularly for Black or Latinx students or students experiencing poverty.
In our first two years, we’ve built a robust measurement database, established rapid-cycle testing protocols and cultivated a learning community where grantees share challenges and solutions in real time. Instead of perfecting tools in isolation, we’re co-creating and exploring agnostic solutions that actually work in the messy reality of classrooms.
SmartBrief: “Messy reality” describes classrooms so well! What are some strong examples of learner-centered edtech features you’re seeing through ENCORE to improve students’ academic experience amid that messy reality?
Cornick: ENCORE looks beyond the tool itself and focuses on evidence-based, student-centered approaches that improve motivation, engagement and persistence. One exciting example is AI tutoring that goes beyond the typical chatbot. We’re seeing responsive tutors that can communicate in students’ native languages, creating space for students to ask questions they might not feel comfortable asking their teachers.
Other successful features incorporate authentic examples and build student agency. With one of our partners, students can explore math concepts through careers they actually care about, making the learning immediately relevant and meaningful. What’s critical here is that these aren’t features designed in a vacuum. These organizations are working directly with students, teachers and researchers to ensure the tools reflect real needs and support powerful learning outcomes. That collaborative design process is what makes these edtech tools truly learner-centered.
SmartBrief: What promising advances are you seeing in math edtech specifically?
Cornick: On the teacher’s side, we’re seeing tools that use AI to analyze student work — including recordings of students solving problems — to highlight misconceptions and provide concrete recommendations for intervention strategies. This capability saves teachers enormous amounts of time and helps them target their support more effectively. Combined with student-facing features that adapt to individual learning needs, these developments are creating a more responsive math learning environment overall.
What makes these advances promising isn’t just the technology itself, but that they’re being developed collaboratively with the educators and students who will use them. That means they’re designed to fit into actual workflows and learning experiences, not to force classrooms to adapt to the tool.
SmartBrief: The road to perfect edtech programs is rather bumpy and prompts a lot of “Are we there yet?” How can we help educators and students settle in and enjoy the ride with minimal frustration?
Cornick: Let’s be honest: We’re never going to arrive at “perfect.” But we can make the journey much more productive by stopping our work in silos.
For educators, I would suggest getting involved in collaborative research and design to make sure that available tools reflect your real needs. Second, take advantage of professional learning opportunities for tools you’d like to use. Your involvement during development and implementation can dramatically influence a tool’s usefulness and impact.
For edtech developers and researchers, I recommend bringing educators and students into the design process early and often. ENCORE shows that when we work together from the start, we build better tools faster and avoid the costly detours of features that don’t actually work in practice.
Shayla Cornick, Ed.D., is the deputy director of EdTech R&D on the Powerful Learning team at Digital Promise. She has over 20 years of experience in education and leads the ENCORE work at Digital Promise. Learn how ENCORE works and visit its resource library.
link