With the extreme popularity of technology, it would seem like education technology would be all the rage. It certainly appears to be in America, where schools can’t get enough of it.

In 2018 alone, the U.S. Department of Education spent almost $140 billion on education reforms. A large portion of that went into edtech, but we’ve seen little in the way of achievement. Schools in the United States tend to waste their money on edtech, purchasing redundant programs or letting subscriptions lapse without ever using them.

U.S. schools love the idea of integrating technology in instruction, but they are not alone. Many other countries are also incorporating edtech into their classrooms and businesses.

United Kingdom

Educational technology has taken Europe by storm. The most significant edtech investments are in Nordic countries and the United Kingdom. More than half of Europe’s edtech investment growth stems from cities like London and Helsinki. Edtech tends to focus on three critical areas: consumers, businesses, and continuing education.

Israel

Silicon Valley may be the first thing you think of when it comes to innovations in technology. That’s about to change. Israeli edtech startups not only incubate and accelerate, but they also coordinate, collaborate, and teach. 

These companies in Negev aren’t interested in revisiting or rehashing edtech concepts. They want to create new paradigms that will transform education. The Israeli edtech startups want to redefine how students learn. Every program and service they develop focuses on student-centric design.

Latin America

As the fourth largest consumer of edtech worldwide, Latin America will be investing nearly $3 billion in education by 2023. Systems like SaaS (Software as a Service) and cloud-based programs have gained popularity because they improve connectivity and encourage collaboration.

Latin Americans are taking advantage of massive open online classes (MOOCs). They rely on edtech for training, and learning English to obtain better-paying jobs and stay current for global market needs.

China and India

China currently leads the edtech market in Asia. As of 2016, China invested $1.2 billion in edtech. This “Middle Kingdom” has created an ambitious plan to revolutionize its education program through technology. China devotes considerable effort to make edtech a success.  However, experts predict that within a handful of years, India will spend nearly twice what the Chinese spend on educational technology.

In summary

Edtech companies wanting to make their mark outside the United States must take into account international market demands. Germany and the Persian Gulf, for example, have made a strong commitment to closing education gaps.

As a result, they have encouraged homegrown efforts to develop. edtech incubators. Edtech products and services that meet these countries’ goals could do well for themselves. However, their success hinges on addressing the unique needs and customs of students outside the U.S.

Whether or not other countries will surpass the United States in their efforts to elevate academic achievement with edtech remains to be seen. For now, though, their concentrated efforts have edtech companies taking notice.