UX of EdTech

This is the story of a print-first EdTech product and it's packed with nuggets about UX Research with teachers. — Ethan Pierce [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanpierce13/], founder of Adaptive Reader, shares his personal journey from struggling with literacy in his early school years to founding a company dedicated to enhancing reading accessibility for students of varying developmental and linguistic backgrounds.  He discusses the iterative process behind Adaptive Reader, focusing on extensive user research that led to a print-first approach due to educator preference and practical in-classroom usage.  Alicia Quan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia2joy/] and Sarah Mondestin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmondestin/] also explore Ethan’s thoughts on the role of technology in education, the importance of user research, and his vision for making literature accessible worldwide through adaptive texts. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Personal Story 01:20 - Founding Adaptive Reader 02:01 - Journey into Startups 03:30 - Creativity and Career Paths 06:00 - Challenges in Literacy and Education 07:10 - Designing Adaptive Reader 11:56 - User Research and Insights 18:42 - Balancing Print and Digital in Education 29:27 - Future of Adaptive Reader 35:45 - Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Follow us 👋 UX of EdTech [https://www.uxedtech.com/] is a design studio helping EdTech and education companies with their product design and UX research. We also facilitate a community of product designers, UX researchers, UX writers, learning designers, and educators. Find talent and opportunities in design and research through our job postings [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ux-of-edtech], Podcast [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ux-edtech/], Community Publication [http://publication], and Newsletter [https://uxedtech.substack.com/].

Designing for K12 EdTech? Take a moment to linger in the world of this teacher. Alicia Quan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia2joy/] and Sarah Mondestin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmondestin/] listen to second-grade teacher Danielle Rivera, as she shares her perspective on growing through EdTech’s various iterations. She also gives her personal perspective on this question: What do veteran teachers want from AI? Chapters 00:00 - The Joys and Challenges of Teaching 06:08 - Transitioning Back to Teaching 08:42 - Leveraging EdTech and AI 22:04 - Future Aspirations and Reflections Follow us * Dannielle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/quitedaintyclassroom/?hl=en] * Find or share job openings [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ux-of-edtech] * Publication [http://publication] * Newsletter [https://uxedtech.substack.com/] UX of EdTech [https://www.uxedtech.com/] is a design studio and talent finder—tailored for EdTech.

Alicia Quan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia2joy/] introduces our new podcast co-host, Sarah Mondestin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmondestin/]!  Ever wondered how to collaborate with UX of EdTech [https://www.uxedtech.com/]? This episode should point you in the right direction.  The hosts discuss Sarah's diverse career journey from educator to UX content designer and her involvement in various UX of EdTech initiatives. The conversation covers the structure and goals of the UX of EdTech Community and Studio, highlighting their focus on networking, showcasing work, and supporting EdTech companies with specialized UX teams. Don’t miss the end where they highlight what is inspiring them lately.  Chapters 01:26 - Sarah's career journey 06:50 - The Community 15:54 - The Studio 20:53 - This week’s curiosity and inspirations Worth Noting * Sarah Mondestin is a former educator and principal. She’s a UX Content Designer and Strategist who helps companies consider their overall UX content strategies. Sarah has served as the Editorial Lead and Content Design and Research Advisor to support UX practitioners in our industry. She’s now the Director of Design Operations and Partnerships for UX of EdTech. Follow Sarah on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmondestin/] or visit her website [https://www.sarahmondestin.com/] for more ways you can collaborate.  * Sarah’s previous podcast episode: EdTech UX Writing and Content Design: A Journey [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/edtech-ux-writing-and-content-design-a-journey/id1519644050?i=1000592369043] * Sarah’s article series: UX Writing in EdTech [https://medium.com/ux-of-edtech/ux-writing-in-edtech-part-1-132ea6e99c55] Follow us * Find or share job openings [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ux-of-edtech] * Publication [https://medium.com/ux-of-edtech] * Newsletter [https://uxedtech.substack.com/] (Respond to this episode here) The Community application is available on our website. UX of EdTech [https://www.uxedtech.com/] is a design studio that cultivates learning, creativity, and play.

How can UX practitioners upskill in game design for a learning context? And why is this important in EdTech? ⁠Alicia Quan⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia2joy/] chats The Sims, cheat codes, and moving past the “Big 5” of gamification (points, badges, leader boards, levels, progress bars) towards something more with: * ⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisarosenheck/]Chris Bennett [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbennett01/], Game designer, Stanford invited lecturer, and EdTech advisor Worth Noting:⁠ [https://kahoot.com/neurodiversity/#whitepaper] * Chris’ Stanford Game Design Thinking Blog [http://gdt.stanford.edu/]  * Nine Dimensions of Deep Flow [https://medium.com/ux-of-edtech/how-games-create-deep-flow-lessons-for-edtech-2def54d5a072]  * Browning’s MDAO framework [https://gdt.stanford.edu/great-product-design-can-make-healthy-behavior-easier/]  * Core Engagement Loop [http://gdt.stanford.edu/whats-the-obvious-choice/] Follow UX of EdTech * The Latest in UX of EdTech [https://uxedtech.substack.com/p/the-latest-in-ux-of-edtech-ef4] * ⁠UX Job Openings⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ux-of-edtech] in EdTech

What is the current state of inclusive EdTech products and what are some resources to grow in this area? Alicia Quan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia2joy/] chats with: * Louisa Rosenheck [https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisarosenheck/], Director Learning Design at Kahoot! * Sean Oakes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-oakes/], Creative Director at Backpack Interactive Worth Noting: * The Kahoot! For All project [https://kahoot.com/neurodiversity/#whitepaper], funded by the LEGO Foundation Follow for more goodies * The Latest at UX of EdTech [https://uxedtech.substack.com/] * UX Job Openings [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ux-of-edtech] in EdTech