Product Certification Provides Transparency to Edtech Marketplace
SEPTEMBER 2023 | Washington, D.C. – The K-5 Classroom EBLI Teacher Training & Student Lessons (ETSL) has earned the Research-Based Design for Instructional Learning Products: Product Certification from Digital Promise. This Product Certification serves as a rigorous, reliable signal for district and school leaders, educators, and families looking for edtech products with a confirmed basis in research about learning.
EBLI submitted evidence to Digital Promise confirming a link between research on how students learn and the product’s design. EBLI also demonstrated their commitment to making their research basis clear and accessible to the public.
“More than 8,000 products are used in K-12 schools and fewer than 1 percent have earned this recognition,” said Rachel Schechter, Ph.D., Learning Experience Design (LXD) Research, who worked with EBLI in preparing the application.
“It’s a great honor for ETSL to receive Digital Promise’s Product Certification,” said EBLI Founder Nora Chahbazi. “ETSL is decades long in the making and is a labor of love by the devoted EBLI team, who are extremely dedicated to providing world class instruction for teachers and students.”
“Educators and researchers continue to uncover important insights about how people learn,” said Christina Luke Luna, Chief Learning Officer, Pathways and Credentials at Digital Promise. “Digital Promise’s Research-Based Design Product Certification recognizes the edtech products that incorporate research about learning into their design and development. Congratulations to K-5 Classroom ETSL for demonstrating that research informs product design!”
Through Product Certifications, consumers can narrow their options as they select products based on research about learning before trying it out in their classrooms. Digital Promise launched the Research-Based Design Product Certification in February 2020 and has certified over 70 products to date.
The Research-Based Design Product Certification uses a competency-based learning framework, developed in consultation with Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project advisory board, expert researchers in the Learning Sciences field, and nearly 50 educators across the United States. Further detail about its development can be found in Digital Promise’s reports, Designing Edtech that Matters for Learning: Research-Based Design Product Certifications (2020) and An Overlooked Indicator of Edtech Quality: The Use of Learning Sciences Research (2022).
All developers, educators, edtech investors, and families are also encouraged to sign the Research-Based Product Promise and demand high-quality, research-driven products that support each unique learner. More information on Digital Promise’s Product Certifications can be found at productcertifications.digitalpromise.org.
About EBLI
EBLI: Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction was created by Nora Chahbazi in 2003. EBLI’s streamlined methodology, utilizing a Structured Linguistic Literacy approach, aligns with reading and learning science and is delivered via EBLI Teacher Training & Student Lessons (ETSL). The world class training, unmatched teacher support, revolutionary student instruction in reading, spelling, and writing, and built-in structure included with ETSL provides teachers with the opportunity to advance their knowledge, refine their instruction, and bridge research with teaching students in their classroom. EBLI’s mission is to teach the world to read. To learn more, visit www.ebli.com.
About LXD Research
Learning Experience Design Research is an independent evaluation and research firm within Charles River Media Group focusing on educational programs. We specialize in research communication, efficacy study validation, and the design and execution of ESSA-aligned research studies. Visit www.LXDResearch.com.
About Digital Promise
Digital Promise is a nonprofit organization that builds powerful networks and takes on grand challenges by working at the intersection of researchers, entrepreneurs, and educators. Our vision is that all people, at every stage of their lives, have access to learning experiences that help them acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive and continuously learn in an ever-changing world. For more information, visit the Digital Promise website and follow @digitalpromise for updates.
