76 Students Weigh In on EdTech: Pain Points, Opportunities, & Favorite Tools

In a survey of 76 students from various universities in the US, Canada, and Europe, several pain points in education were highlighted. Engagement was the top struggle, followed by distanced learning, career readiness, and outdated materials. Female students faced additional challenges in online environments, with their participation being affected. To improve engagement, feedback loops, coaching for educators, new modes of instruction, and community-building were suggested. The survey also revealed popular learning tools like Quizlet and Canvas, and highlighted emerging tools such as TikTok and Clubhouse, which are becoming platforms for social learning. EdTech startups addressing career readiness and engagement have significant potential for impact. Riipen, a startup enabling experiential learning opportunities, could play a role in addressing these pain points for students.

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“As a Finance major, I believe that most of my classes are highly theory-based. Theory is definitely important, but I was hoping that some of my classes would teach me skills that are applicable in financial careers such as financial modeling, valuation, building pitches, analyzing companies, etc. These were all skills that I developed outside of the classroom through internships and self-learning.” — Student at Northeastern University