Lighthouse EdTech: Evidence-oriented initiative
The Lighthouse initiative aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the field of educational technology. By bringing together Swiss EdTech startups, schools, and academic institutions, it allows for the testing, validation, and improvement of EdTech tools through research-based pilot studies. This collaborative approach enables schools to access innovative educational solutions, while startups receive valuable feedback to refine their tools, all within a rigorous, evidence-oriented framework.
Today, schools have many potential educational technology (EdTech) choices. Yet, they lack the time and resources to assess which EdTech tools genuinely improve learning outcomes among their students. EdTech startups are looking for opportunities to independently test their learning technologies and public bodies are increasingly asking EdTech startups to demonstrate the learning impact of their proposed services.
Through a process of co-design, deployment, and validation, the Lighthouse EdTech Evidence-oriented Initiative links EdTech tools from Swiss startups with academic institutions and schools to conduct evidence-oriented pilot studies.
Through the initiative, researchers will bridge gaps between theory and practice by examining EdTech tools in real-world settings. EdTech startups will receive research-backed recommendations to improve their services while Swiss schools gain free access to continuously refined educational technologies.
Supported by the Jacobs Foundation, the Lighthouse EdTech Initiative connects and funds each of these tripartite pilot studies through the following general partner structure:
To this end, startup members of the Swiss EdTech Collider, whose tools have already been tested inside schools as part of the Swiss National EdTech Testbed Program, will initially be chosen to conduct these pilot studies. Each pilot study spans over a one-year timeline and its results will be published in an open-access scientific conference proceeding.
The Lighthouse Initiative will illustrate how to implement cutting-edge commercial or nonprofit EdTech solutions as research-based digital interventions in a variety of educational contexts. Application contexts will range from: pedagogical scenarios for virtual anatomy lessons to empathetic AI-augmented voice assistants for language learning to name a few. We will also develop a blueprint model for effective evidence-oriented collaborations between Swiss schools, EdTech startups, and academic institutions for technology-enhanced learning.
With the initiative well under way – there are still a few open/undefined slots for these pilot collaborations. If you are interested, and affiliated with a Swiss academic institution , EdTech startup, or school, please reach out to us through one of the links below.
