#United States #South Carolina #Instructure #LearnPlatform

South Carolina Department of Education Partners with Learning Innovator

In an exciting development for educational technology in South Carolina, the Department of Education has chosen Instructure’s LearnPlatform to assist local school districts in making informed decisions regarding digital tools. This partnership, which stems from the 2024 South Carolina Innovation Grant, marks a significant step towards optimizing educational outcomes across the state's K-12 schools.

Instructure, known for its widely used Canvas learning management system, has committed to providing accessible data that helps educators evaluate the effectiveness of the myriad of digital tools available. As per recent statistics, South Carolina districts accessed an average of 2,739 distinct edtech resources during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Addressing the Challenge of Tool Evaluation

The decision to implement LearnPlatform arises from the increasing complexity of evaluating educational technology tools. With thousands of digital platforms in use, school administrators often struggle to determine which tools truly benefit student learning and comply with both privacy and accessibility standards. By utilizing LearnPlatform, districts will gain access to actionable insights, freeing educators to concentrate on teaching rather than tool assessment.

Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer at Instructure, emphasized the significance of understanding how various tools impact students. She articulated that this data is crucial for educational leaders responsible for curriculum, technology, and finance decisions. Providing this kind of evidence can potentially promote equity, especially among underserved populations, ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Collaborative Efforts to Coalesce Insights

This partnership not only offers districts a chance to analyze their digital tool usage effectively but also aids the South Carolina Department of Education in gaining visibility into the most widely used tools throughout the state. Such insights are invaluable for making future investments in educational technology. Importantly, LearnPlatform guarantees that no personally identifiable information of students will be gathered or shared with state agencies, which addresses privacy concerns directly.

Instructure's commitment to empower school districts doesn't stop there. Each district adopting LearnPlatform will receive the assistance of a full-time consultant dedicated to ensuring successful implementation and integration of the platform. This bespoke support reinforces the goal of enabling districts to maximize their investments in educational tools while minimizing any administrative burdens on their teaching staff.

Chris Downs, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Instructure, expressed enthusiasm about enhancing districts' capabilities to make data-driven decisions regarding the security and efficacy of edtech products. By focusing on tools that are effective, well-utilized, and secure, districts can stretch their budgets further, ensuring resources are allocated to tools that yield substantive impacts on educational outcomes, particularly in critical areas like literacy and mathematics.

Conclusion: A Bright Future for EdTech in South Carolina

With the adoption of LearnPlatform, South Carolina is poised to streamline its approach to educational technology. As districts gain the ability to assess which tools provide the most value and support for learning, they can prioritize their investments accordingly. This strategic move fortifies the goal of fostering an educational environment where every student has the chance to thrive. Instructure continues to play a vital role in transforming education through innovative solutions that cater to diverse learning needs across the state.

For more information about Instructure and its offerings, visit Instructure.com.