Kiwi schools embracing edtech says Canvas

Kiwi schools embracing edtech despite outdated procurement models, says Canvas

Media release
22 June 2016

Outdated procurement models are holding back the uptake of new education technologies by schools the world over. But New Zealand schools are starting to buck the trend, according to global Learning Management System (LMS) provider Canvas.

Canvas Director of APAC Sales Troy Martin says New Zealand universities, technology institutes, polytechnics, and schools are embracing new technology and reaping the benefits.

“The New Zealand government has recognised that technology can have a hugely positive impact across the education sector, and has already made great strides with its programme to connect schools to fibre broadband, and encouraging the use of connected devices in classrooms.
“However progress is being slowed because procurement processes across the sector are struggling to accommodate developments such as subscription-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings.”

Mr. Martin says the New Zealand Productivity Commission’s ‘New models of tertiary education’ inquiry presents a great opportunity to both raise edtech procurement issues and suggest solutions. In a submission to the inquiry, he says Canvas has experience working with schools around the world and has shown that procurement processes are not keeping up with new technology.

“The global education software market was previously based on complex, expensive and restrictive software licenses and ring-fenced, vendor-provided services. Now a new model has evolved, based on developments like cloud-based software which can be provided and consumed from anywhere, and with open standards that enable API and LTI integrations, institutions can use complimentary tools which empower teachers and engages students.

Consuming true cloud-based SaaS is very different from owning and installing a static instance of software on premises within an institution. SaaS can be regularly updated without disrupting teaching and learning; it also delivers scalable services which grow with an institution”.
However, procurement practices have not evolved to take this new cloud based model into account, according to the submission by Canvas. This means that procurement criteria and processes often maintain the status quo without meaning to do so by setting out criteria which favours investment in capex over opex, or ownership over usage.

While this is a global issue, Mr Martin says a growing number of Kiwi schools - such as Selwyn House School - and universities - such as the University of Auckland - are bucking the trend and have updated their procurement processes to ensure the benefits of new technologies are realised.

In its submission, Canvas also suggests that users who stand to benefit the most from new technology - students and teachers - are placed at the heart of the procurement process, and are part of the testing experience.

“Cloud-architected services that provide an anywhere, anytime, on any platform-solution for both teachers and learners deliver on the promise of ease of use and high rates of adoption. What we see around the world is that unless procurement is based around driving up user adoption, the tender process quite often fails to find the right solutions for the right problems. It maintains the status quo, rather than adding value to the learning and teaching experience,” says Mr Martin.

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