Edtech founders/ execs and edtech employees are driven to work by different things.
Founders and execs wake up in the morning and go to bat for their company with a sense of ownership as creators and leaders of companies. This is a feeling that can't be simply transferred to someone else.
Edtech employees have to find their motivation in other places.
To figure out what moves us to power through our days, I'm challenging us to look inside ourselves.
Find belonging in the edtech industry
One of the most interesting things I’ve learned about the people who work in edtech is that not everyone chose to be here.
Here's what I mean. There are 3 main categories of people in the industry:
Worked in the industry for decades
Recently transitioned out of teaching.
Fell into the industry.
Let's talk more about this 3rd group. Some people fell in love right away. Others had trouble finding meaning in their work because when they were hunting:
wanted a 180 turn from their previous industry—edtech was one of many options for them.
were role-focused, not company or industry-specific.
thought working in edtech would be different.
No matter how you entered the industry you're coming in with an advantage! You're already connected to it whether you realize it or not.
Make your learning experience part of your professional story
When I was a little Gen Zer, I felt motivated to learn with startup platforms that were changing the face of education in the early 2000s.
I recognize that you may have unique memories using edtech like me. Or you honestly haven't thought about how platforms impacted you at all.
Channeling your edtech kid isn't about being able to call out years of product knowledge. I want you to get in touch with how your younger self experienced using tech and learning, period.
Edtech's history goes back a long way (to the 15th century if you can believe it)! Use this list to see what tools made a splash during your school years.
Connecting your early learning years to your present-day edtech role can help create purpose behind why you do what you do.
If it helps, every time you have a kid flashback, write it down.
Use your kid insights to boost job motivation
The Channel Your Edtech Kid blog is centered around 2 goals:
Connecting my 10+ years of learning with edtech and now working in this industry.
Guiding YOU to learn how to channel your edtech kid at work
By the end of each blog post you should feel updated on industry news, entertained by pop culture references in TV and beyond, and more connected and motivated in your role as an industry player.
Channeling your edtech kid can motivate you to power through your workdays.
Are you ready to channel your edtech kid?