Policy

ED Debuts Tech Developer's Guide

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 04/08/15

The United States Department of Education has released its first guide for developers, startups and entrepreneurs.

Dubbed The Ed Tech Developer's Guide: A Primer for Developers, Startups and Entrepreneurs, the resource stresses the importance of working with educators throughout the development process and is designed to answer "key questions about the education ecosystem and highlights critical needs and opportunities to develop digital tools and apps for learning," according to a news release. "Written with input from knowledgeable educators, developers and researchers who were willing to share what they have learned, the guide is designed to help entrepreneurs apply technology in smart ways to solve persistent problems in education."

"Technology makes it possible for us to create a different dynamic between a teacher and a classroom full of students. It can open up limitless new ways to engage kids, support teachers and bring parents into the learning process," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in an address at the ASU+GSV Summit 2015 in Phoenix. "We need tools designed to help students discover who they are and what they care about, and tools that create portals to a larger world that, in the past, would have remained out of reach for far too many students."

"The demand for high-quality educational apps is increasing as communities become more connected, devices become more affordable, and teachers and parents are looking for new ways to use technology to engage students," said Richard Culatta, director of educational technology, in a prepared statement. "Yet, many existing solutions don't address the most urgent needs in education. Opportunities abound for software designers and developers to create impactful tools for teachers, school leaders, students and their families."

For more information, or to download the guide, visit tech.ed.gov.