Embracing Digital Transformation

Mindful. My word for 2022. Mindful of how we navigate still uncharted waters, how we align our professional focus and personal mental health. I see this more than ever, where we’re experiencing a crossover of thoughts, feelings, challenges, and wins — all-inclusive of the EdTech field! How is this possible? The rest of the world has caught up; those in the EdTech industry already understood innovation and flexibility are keys to success.

For years our focus has been on ‘building a better mousetrap,’ maybe even building a different type of one! We’ve longed for users to take advantage of our tools and technology but also push the envelope. Not just the ‘I+use+spell+check’ but the ‘I+create+formulas+and+design+program+languages’ kind of use! And recently, we’ve had small glimpses into the transition to the digital world; we watched product adoptions take place, small wins in productivity and new services, and we began to observe people’s learning styles.

Yes, people. Not just kids in school but every one of you who has downloaded an app on your phone, set up your home security system right out of the box, or managed to stream so many shows during the pandemic you qualified for access to ‘your eyes only’ premieres! You know who you are — you’re adopters who decided to learn, who took on the challenge, and who helped your children/parents/grandparents when things got tough, and video conferencing became our way of keeping connected.

We owe thanks to those who are entrepreneurs, innovators, and startups. You took our individual interests and created tools to fit our needs and the support to learn about everything from anywhere, anytime. And companies have also benefited from this transition, allowing them to see trend impact and how their business could still be productive during challenging times.

Perhaps I pay more attention to these changes. My career began in the late 1990s (telling my age!) when dial-up was King and floppy disks held all of your thoughts, assignments, and workload. My experience with each new update saw an increase in adopters and an interest in having technology do more. Companies saw this, and the tech boom began to thrive. In my 35+ years of academic and corporate employment and teaching, I’ve learned that the system doesn’t always change but evolves. The individual skillset must be more significant to keep up with the growth and adoption of technology.

Fast forward to now, and we’re using technology in our homes, vehicles, and even wear intuitive pieces. As an EdTech Consultant, I still see the vast array of individuals, schools, and businesses continuing to embrace the digital world, both from the introduced changes in the past two years and to create new pathways.

About Us

Since 2018, Downing EdTech Consulting has strived to help businesses and professionals move forward by guiding companies and professionals in the business of digital transformation.

We helped many maintain and even grow their business during the disruption of 2020 and 2021, continuing to have services to assist companies and individuals with projects and strategic initiatives. And for those of you who have followed my work, you also know I’ve spent the last several years promoting relationships between education, technology, and people. In 2022, I want to continue that focus with my podcast and newsletter.

• The EdTech Speaks podcast will have quarterly themes looking at Digital Disruption, Evolution of Learning, Corporate Climates, and Digital Ecosystems, with various guests from major companies, startups, and education. I invite you to listen to us on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google, and Apple podcasts. If you’re interested in becoming a guest, email us at: edtechclients@downingedtechconsulting.com

• And since you’re reading this newsletter, The Downing EdTech Influence, I know you share my interests and I encourage you to let me know if you have topics of interest. I also invite you to share the newsletter link with your network: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-downing-edtech-influence-6862134773721235456/

Our Focus

Downing EdTech Consulting will continue to offer new initiatives in 2022 with the introduction of on-demand learning and workshops to help prepare for trends in the industry. Our first offering will share expertise and bring together a group of career experts to offer the Life After Academia Bootcamp to help more people transition to the EdTech industry. We’ll also continue to help companies with strategic initiatives and program development, managing migrations, and recommending the right technology to create a more substantial digital footprint.

I hope you’ll continue with me and Downing EdTech Consulting on this digital transformation journey for 2022 as I continue to be mindful of the industry and its needs. Follow us on social media, or if you’d like, connect and message me directly on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/sherdowning.

Excited to share my first piece for 2022. Be mindful out there!

#edtechchat #edtechpodcast #edtechspeaks #digitaltransformations