What is EdTech?
Why We Need to Decide – Together.
Across Europe, there is no single definition of “EdTech”. And that is a problem.
Depending on who you ask, EdTech might mean digital tools used in classrooms, administrative school management tools, software designed for corporate training, or even hardware like televisions. Some definitions are so broad they include social media or general-purpose devices like laptops. Others are so narrow they exclude non-profit initiatives, early-stage startups, or informal learning platforms. This lack of clarity is more than a semantic issue, it is holding back the sector’s development.
As highlighted in the EmpowerED State of Play of EdTech and the EdTech Ecosystem report (2024), these inconsistencies affect every part of the EdTech process:
Those developing solutions (EdTech organisations)
Those selecting solutions (schools, universities, municipalities, HR departments, etc.)
Those using them (educators, learners, HR trainers)
Without a shared language, it is difficult to identify key players, understand market dynamics, or develop policies that genuinely support innovation and impact. And when terms mean different things to different people, we end up comparing apples with pears.
Why this matters:
Research suffers from a lack of reliable, comparable data.
Policy decisions risk being misguided or inefficient.
Funding is harder to allocate effectively.
Market development stalls, as trust and understanding erode.
In some cases, global organisations release reports condemning “EdTech” based on wildly loose definitions. For example, including TVs or social media in the category dramatically skews perceptions and policy responses (see UNESCO’s “An EdTech Tragedy” for instance).
In other instances, it is impossible to follow up on funding that has been allocated or impact of funding because the definition did not allow for a nuanced view of technologies used. Additionally, despite a need for evidence with education technology, outcomes from research and projects are rarely comparable because they are not referring to the same scope of technologies.
We need to move toward clarity. Is EdTech any technology used in education? Or only technology specifically designed for educational purposes? Agreeing on basic terminology is the first step toward building better evidence, better support systems, and better results.
What we are recommending:
To support more effective policymaking and help the sector grow, we have made two key policy recommendations:
Fund research and data on EdTech and digital education.
This includes mapping the sector, enabling reliable self-reporting from EdTech organisations, and gathering accessible, up-to-date market insights.
2. Use existing EU processes to define “EdTech” and related terms.
This means including EdTech in official glossaries and building a collaboratively developed terminology guide that reflects the needs of educators, innovators, investors, and researchers alike.
But we don’t want to do this alone.
📣 We want your input.
If you work in EdTech — whether as a founder, policymaker, educator, researcher, or investor — your insight is essential. Help us shape these policy recommendations by sharing:
Factors that could enable the success of these proposals
Examples of good practices from your context
Cultural or linguistic considerations we should keep in mind
Experiences with defining or implementing EdTech in your work
👉 Click here to add your suggestions.
Your feedback will directly inform the next Digital Europe Programme of the European Commission and guide policymakers across the continent.
Let’s build a shared understanding of EdTech — together. Because decisions about the future of digital education should be based on real experiences and collective knowledge.
You know the sector best. Let your voice shape what comes next!
For more information about this topic or activity, please contact Antonia Clary.
