Ed Tech Certification: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Many companies develop educator certification programs to support marketing, advocacy & sales. These programs can help educators build product knowledge, PLNs, & personal brand. But these relationships can also be ethically nebulous, influencing purchasing decisions, advocacy efforts & more. This panel, comprised of teachers who have been certified by Google, Apple, BrainPOP, & others, is moderated by an educator who has both participated in & created these programs. We will explore how certification programs balance the needs of educators & companies, unpack the broader question “why certify?”, & probe into 3rd party certification efforts such as micro-credentials from Digital Promise.