#eleot

by Shekinah-Glory Beepat | Marketing Communications, ‘16

“Technology changes at a pace that makes it very difficult for standardized education settings to stay up to date.” - former Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education Jim Shelton

Pew Research Center examined Digital Life in 2025, a collection of experts predicting trends in our society, revved by the digital age. One of the most striking and plausible reads: “An Internet-enabled revolution will spread more opportunities, with less money spent on real estate and teachers.” Resources like Khan Academy and Duolingo have ushered a new age in education. With more access to more information, we have reverted to the days of self-imposed discipline and study. The academic achievements of self-taught peers eerily parallel those of historical figures who spent their time poring over dense volumes. 

There has been a shift in education. People are gravitating towards taking things in their own hands. Our society is no longer as reliant on a traditional education for our knowledge. Growing acceptance of digital certification programs dilute arguments for traditional schooling. There is no doubt that our approach to education is innovating. However, our approach to traditional education has remained, for the most part, untouched. To Justin Reich, Harvard University Berkman Center for Internet & Society fellow, things will remain untouched. He notes, “[in] the K-12 system, schools in 2025 will look an awful lot like schools in 2013.” 

While our educational system is stagnant, our individual approach is changing. Standardized testing and frequent evaluation forms have been substandard analytic tools in the public education system. Common complaints of our educational institutions (particularly K-12) have surrounded the issues of student engagement within classes. In an attempt to revive learner-centric education (rather than for-the-test-centric), Advanc-Ed has introduced the eleot tool. eleot, the effective learning environments observation tool “measures and quantifies student engagement by taking a look at classroom expectations, feedback and learning support.” 

According to eSchool News, classrooms are using eleot to: 

Evaluate classroom environments by focusing on students

Reveal strengths and weaknesses using measurable data

Identify trends by comparing observations across subjects, grade levels, and other filters

Ensure quality and reliability in an intuitive and easy-to-use tool

Implement a powerful tool for professional development, peer learning, and ongoing improvement

Similar to the urban farming and indoor greenhouse industry, education has remained fairly unscathed by software and tools for data measurement and analysis. For many schools, eleot has provided direction on how to support learning-centered classrooms. We have devoted endless budgets, resources, and studies to the ways people learn and how to make the classroom environment better. Finally, there is a tool measuring what is arguably more important than testing well (student engagement).