NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

The Citizen Recommends: Katrina Stevens

As part of a Drexel series on rethinking learning, the tech ed entrepreneur and former Obama advisor will explore the best uses of technology in the classroom

The Citizen Recommends: Katrina Stevens

As part of a Drexel series on rethinking learning, the tech ed entrepreneur and former Obama advisor will explore the best uses of technology in the classroom

In 1999, Katrina Stevens, now an innovator and expert in education technology, was the last of her friends to get a cell phone. Her fear of losing sincere, personal interactions and real-time conversations deterred her from picking up a sleek new device at the local Verizon.

Be Part of the Solution
Become a Citizen member.
Katrina Stevens

She finally caved when she began working at a rural school where she traveled with students in a vehicle. “I figured I would use it for emergencies and work only,” she says. “Now, it’s basically tethered to me, can’t live without it.”

From that late 90s flip phone to today, Stevens has spent two decades working in the education tech world, dedicating her career to figuring out how our education system can benefit from the rapid pace of technological change. She will talk about her work as part of the ExCITe Center’s Learning Innovation Conversations when it returns Tuesday, September 19.

Stevens is an entrepreneur, journalist, teacher and consultant, who created Ed Tech Rapid Cycle Evaluation or RCE, which allows educators to evaluate the technology in their school or district, to better understand the digital resources they currently use and how they can optimize them. “For me, the question always comes back to one thing,” she says. “How does this help support an educator make a better decision?”

As the former Senior Advisor and Deputy Director of the Office of Educational Technology for the Obama administration, Stevens researches what kind of technology works for which people and in what context. “A lot of what I’ve been doing is about getting stakeholders who play some part in education or technology and figuring out ways for them to work together effectively,” she says.

In her current role at EdTech Maryland she’s bringing together stakeholders ranging from policy makers, developers, and educators, and helping them connect on issues so everyone can get closer to the goals they’re looking to achieve.

But it all comes down to one thing when talking about the accessibility of technology in the classroom. “The part that is really important for me is it only works if it really does create more opportunities for all students,” she says. One concern for Stevens is that although she’s striving for open environments in which kids from anywhere can access technology, it can just as easily create a divide. “The question comes into play, who can afford this technology?” She says. “It’s important to keep an eye on that.”

On Tuesday, Stevens will talk about the best uses of technology in the classroom, how educators need to be at the table during these discussions, and the ways we use tech today. “Tech is a tool. It’s a learning tool,” she says. “It’s not the tech in and of itself that is innately good or bad, it’s how we use it.”

Header Photo: Brad Flickinger for Flickr

The Philadelphia Citizen will only publish thoughtful, civil comments. If your post is offensive, not only will we not publish it, we'll laugh at you while hitting delete.

Be a Citizen Editor

Suggest a Story

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.