Digital assessment technology represents an evolution in how we teach and how our students learn. Investing in an application without a rollout plan, however, can prove disastrous. Adopting a digital solution for the assessment needs of your institution requires careful forethought and groundwork, resulting in a well thought-out project plan which defines a vision for the use of the software and takes into account factors such as learning goals, how it will be made available to users, and how it will be implemented and monitored.
Here are some points of consideration to make your EdTech rollout run as smoothly as possible.
Define Your Objectives
You’ll need to establish your objectives before making the shift toward digitizing assessment. Before deciding what type of assessment platform to use, you’ll first need to have a clear vision for its use, including your students’ and teachers’ needs, and the learning goals your institution wants to achieve. What are the benefits of using assessment technology? How should digital assessment fit into your institution’s current processes? What do you want the new assessment platform to be able to do?
Involve Stakeholders
Rolling out software should not be a one-person show. Involving stakeholders at an early stage in the decision-making process, ensuring that they understand the objectives and end goals of the rollout and convincing them of the benefits means it’s much more likely to work well. Also, considering the perspectives of all stakeholders will provide an opportunity to fine-tune the software for the best results.
Identify Existing Roadblocks
You’ll need to spend some time identifying software implementation roadblocks and finding solutions to them. Among the things to keep in mind include:
- how existing policies and processes affect the rollout
- if the system requirements can be met and what infrastructure needs there will be
- what systems the new technology will need to integrate with
- how the software rollout will impact the status quo
Asking these questions will help you identify potential problems that may arise during rollout. It’s a good idea to involve stakeholders in this stage to review all issues faced in the past, as insights from the past may shed light on possible challenges you may face for your new rollout.
To make the adoption of assessment technology a success, you need the right tools. At OAT we have extensive experience helping our clients to transition their assessment programs to a digital format.
Understand User Needs
Before implementing any new assessment platform, it’s important to understand both how it will fit into your institution’s existing processes and how it will change these processes. Who are the different user groups and how will they use the software? What are their access needs? What support will they need, and can your institution provide this support for the expected volume of users? Answering all the important questions upfront will ensure smooth user onboarding for education specialists and students.
Prioritize Software Training
Rolling out software is not the end of your involvement, as you also need to train teachers and students to embrace the new tools. Once your users’ needs have been defined, therefore, you will need to design a training program for the teachers and students who are going to be using the new assessment technology. Prioritizing user training will help to ensure that your institution gets the most out of the digital solution you have chosen to adopt for your assessment scenario.
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Digital assessment technology is an essential tool for modern-day educational institutions. Successfully rolling out new assessment technology in schools hinges on planning, research, and understanding teacher and student needs. When rolling out new technology, it’s important to define the expected impact, create a detailed project plan, and set learning goals. Choosing the technology that allows you to align learning with your institution’s curriculum, integrating it smoothly in your existing processes and introducing it in the right way to the people who will be using it is the key to success.
