19/03/2025

New EmpowerED guidelines: Pedagogical Mentors and Research-informed EdTech design

Involving educators and researchers in the co-design and testing of EdTech products is crucial to ensure their effectiveness and build trust. But everyone needs a bit of guidance along the way!

Are you an educator who is passionate about EdTech and wants to contribute to the co-design of EdTech products?

The Empowering Educators: Leading Digital Transformation as Pedagogical Mentors in EdTech guidelines will equip you with the tools to serve as pedagogical mentors in this field, advising and guiding EdTech developers even from the early stages of the product development process. Whether you are a teacher, school leader, or an education professional outside the classroom, you can:

• Learn actionable strategies to navigate the complexities of pedagogical mentoring.
• Learn about methodologies such as co-design, design-thinking, and user-centred design, which will enable you to engage meaningfully in product development.
• Acquire practical tools and step-by-step guidance for each phase of the mentoring process.

Or are you an EdTech developer who wants to adopt a research-informed approach in your product design process?

The guidelines on ‘Research-informed development of EdTech products and solutions’ provide insights and strategies for small- and medium-sized companies that want to create more impactful solutions addressing real-world educational challenges. Advocating for the integration of expertise from academia, industry, and the public sector, these guidelines:

• Introduce you to the basics of pedagogical frameworks to ensure your products are pedagogically sound and aligned with research-based principles.
• Present strategies for maintaining trust and transparency in EdTech collaborations.
• Offer practical advice for start-ups with limited resources, focusing on systematic documentation, forming strategic partnerships, and conducting iterative development.

And don't forget to read our first set of guidelines specifically for EdTech developer start-ups, on:

• Navigating the EdTech Landscape: From Product Quality Development to Business Success in the EU Market
• Validating EdTech Prototypes and Products with Educators and Learners: A Practical Guide

Do you want more? Sign up to the EmpowerED community to have access to exclusive resources and follow us on LinkedIn to get the latest news!