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Edtech and Elearning 2016: Top 200 Influencers and Brands

by | May 26, 2016 | Influencer Lists,

Education is the doorway to the future, and we have a shared goal to create a better future for our children by providing them with the best education now, so they will have the best opportunities to succeed when they are older. In order to do this we must provide our teachers with the most up to date resources they need to succeed and make our schools more competitive.

Funding for edtech companies is booming. From 2010 to 2014 we saw more than a 503% growth in investment, and the first half of 2015 saw $2.5 billion of private investment in edtech companies. In the last 12 months alone, we’ve seen edtech start-ups raise close to $20m. Edtech is one of the fastest growing sectors and with new companies flooding to the market all the time, edtech innovation is likely to accelerate in the coming years.

We have conducted some analysis on edtech and elearning on our blog before, and it’s interesting to see how new influencers and brands have joined the community. This time we scaled our list up to include the top 200 influencers and brands driving the edtech and elearning discussion.

For information on how to keep kids safe online, you can read Staysafe.org’s guide on Internet Safety for Teens here.

WHAT ARE THE EXPERTS SAYING?

We reached out to some of the top 20 influencers to ask them for their views on edtech and elearning. We spoke to Alex Corbitt (#1), Monica Burns (#2), Vicki A. Davis (#3), Jeffrey bradbury (#9), Tom Murray (#11), Jaime Casap (#14), Mike Tholfsen (#15), Mark Anderson (#16), Kerry Gallagher (#17) and Shelly Sanchez Terrell (#20). Be sure to follow them to stay up to date on the best content and resources on edtech and elearning!


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Alex CorbittAlex Corbitt – English Teacher at The Bronx School of Young Leaders

“Edtech has the potential to reshape the landscape of modern education. Flipped learning enables students to learn new information at home, virtual field trips invite students to explore historical landmarks with ease, and innovative file sharing technologies empower students to collaborate with peers around the world. Edtech can accommodate students with an array of academic needs and provide educators with orienting assessment data. As a classroom teacher I’m always reflecting on how to best integrate new technologies into my instruction. I look to the Twitter community as a reflective professional learning network that leads the way integrating these revolutionary tools to affect meaningful change in the classroom.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Monica BurnsMonica Burns – Founder of Class Tech Tips, author of  Deeper Learning with QR Codes and Augmented Reality
“I’m excited about the way #ScannableTech is being used for deeper learning! Teachers are integrating scannable technology like QR codes and augmented reality into their instruction to provide meaningful, engaging learning experiences. I predict teachers will begin taking their formative assessment to the next level with technology tools. #FormativeTech lets teachers easily embed learning experiences to better understand student needs.”


Vicki A. DavisOnalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Vicki A. Davis – Founder of Cool Cat Teacher

“Education, edtech, and elearning have far more in common that starting with the letter e. In fact, a great education while it starts with a good teacher, can be amplified and enhanced by an effective use of education technology. The modern educator is fluent in content but also in modern teaching tools. Great teachers have a wide variety of tools that engage learners both in the classroom and in their online / elearning classroom as well. Blending the classroom effectively for maximum effectiveness is the pursuit of effective teachers everywhere and Twitter is our tool that helps us educator ourselves on how to do that.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Matt Miller
Matt Miller – Teacher, Google-Certified Innovator, Author of Ditch that Textbook
“Using technology in education is opening more and more doors every day. New tools appear all the time, and established ones continue to gain ground with educators. They empower educators and learners to change their tasks and revolutionize learning. We’re better able today to do teaching and learning that was previously inconceivable, and tomorrow we’ll be able to do more. As more and more educators get on board with meaningful technology use, we’re gaining an invaluable resource to provide relevant education and prepare students for a future we can’t begin to predict.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Jeffrey Bradbury
Jeffrey Bradbury – Founder of TeacherCast, Coordinator of Technology Integration, Westwood Regional School District
“In todays digital classrooms, it is essential that students learn how to create a dynamic digital hub and brand out their digital footprint.  Platforms such as WordPress, Edublogs, and Google Sites are excellent places for students to build their brands while leveraging the power of personalized learning spaces such as Twitter, Facebook, Periscope, and Pinterest.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Tom MurrayTom Murray – Director of Innovation, Future Ready Schools
“Educational technology can either be leveraged to unleash personal learning experiences for kids or it can be a tremendous waste of money. The key to the effective use of edtech is in the instructional pedagogy. Such tools can enhance great teaching practices or amplify poor ones. We must work to close the “Digital Use Divide” as too often, we see incredible 21st century tools sitting in 20th century learning environments, having little to no impact. When used to explore, design, and create, technology can be a tool that extends the human potential and connects our students with the world. Regardless of the type of technology in hand, we must always focus on creating high quality learning experiences for all kids.”


Jaime CasapOnalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Jaime Casap – Google Education Evangelist

“Technology is not the silver bullet. Education is the silver bullet.  Technology is an enabling and supporting capability for teachers and students. Our job in technology is to make edtech easy to use and supportive of building great education.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Mike TholfsenMike Tholfsen – Principal Product Manager, OneNote Microsoft

“It’s exciting to see how edtech can empower educators to discover and explore new pedagogical possibilities with technology. In addition, any tool or solution that can help teachers save time during their busy day should be a top priority for our industry. From the student perspective, technology will allow for a more inclusive classroom, as well as deeper personalization to facilitate improved outcomes.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson – Consultant, blogger, speaker, and author. ITL associate – ICTEvangelist
“Never before in the history of education technology have such opportunities for supporting learning been so available. The key to the success however lies not in the technology but in the training and support of the teachers; this is what is paramount.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Kerry GallagherKerry Gallagher – Digital Learning Specialist at St. John’s Prep, Director of K-12 Education at ConnectSafely

“As a teacher who knows first-hand how technology tools have helped my students feel empowered to find the resources they need, collaborate with one another and with me, and create professional quality work I know we are in the midst of a transformational time for education. As a digital learning specialist and director of education, I know that teachers want to both inspire and protect their students. Digital citizenship and data privacy education are quickly becoming hot topics in edtech for that reason.”


Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Shelley SanchezShelly Sanchez Terrell, Author of The 30 Goals Challenge and Learning to Go

“The most innovative uses of technology integration and elearning are grounded in learner creation and collaboration with a choice of design tools, multimedia, research and content.”


TOPIC ANALYSIS

We were interested in seeing which topics were most popular among the top edtech and elearning influencers, so we analysed their tweets and blogs from 1st January – 24th May 2016 and counted mentions of various topics associated with edtech and elearning which we then used to create a topic share of voice chart:

Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Top 10 Topic Share of Voice

It’s interesting to note that the most popular topic among the virtual reality influencers was Video with a 17% share of voice, proving that the use of videos in teaching is leading the discussion and driving the most conversations among the top influencers. Online was the 2nd most popular debate driver, proving the importance of the internet in edtech and elearning. This was followed by mentions of Innovation and Apps whichboth received a significant 12% and 11% share of voice respectively. Other frequently mentioned topics among the top influencers included iPad, BYOD and Codingwhich all received a similar share of voice (ranging from 11-10%), followed by mentions of Mobile, Virtual Reality and Blended Learning.


MAPPING THE COMMUNITY

We were very interested in seeing which virtual reality professionals and brands were leading the online discussion, so we analysed  554K+  tweets from 24th February – 23rd May 2016 mentioning the keywords: “edtech OR elearning OR e-learning”. We then identified the top 100 most influential brands and individuals leading the discussion on Twitter. What we discovered was a very engaged community, with much discussion between individuals and brands. Below you can see a network map of the online conversation with the number 1 brand Edsurge at the centre. This map was created with our Influencer Relationship Management software (IRM). Be sure to click on the map to enjoy the full size network diagram in greater detail.

Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Network Map Edsurge

 

Below you can see another network map created with our Influencer Relationship Management software (IRM) showing the #4 brand Mindshift the centre, and the conversations to and from the different influencers in their field. If you are interested in learning more about identifying, managing and engaging with influencers click here to get in touch!

Onalytica - Edtech and Elearning - Network Map Mindshift

 

TOP 200 INDIVIDUALS

We looked at all the individuals engaging on Twitter to bring you a list of the top influencers in edtech and elearning. We found a rich mix of teachers, bloggers, enthusiasts, authors, keynote speakers and edtech professionals. Below is the top 50, if you want to see who ranks from 50-200 be sure to download the full report by clicking the download button below.

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RankTwitter HandleNameCompanyInfluencer Score
1@Alex_CorbittAlex CorbittBronx School of Young Leaders29.42
2@ClassTechTipsMonica BurnsClass Tech Tips, LLC19.47
3@ShakeUpLearningKasey BellShake Up Learning LLC17.15
4@coolcatteacherVicki DavisWestwood Schools, Cool Cat Teacher14.93
5@sylviaduckworthSylvia DuckworthCrescent School12.81
6@jmattmillerMatt MillerDitch That Textbook12.21
7@elearningDavid AndersonArticulate10.9
8@JasonSeaver1975Jason SeaverMSD Decatur Township Schools10.55
9@TeacherCastJeffrey BradburyWestwood Regional School District10.23
10@E_SheningerEric SheningerInternational Center for Leadership in Education10.2
11@thomascmurrayTom MurrayAlliance for Excellent Education9.72
12@NoApp4PedagogyEric PatnoudesCDW Corporation9.63
13@s_beardenSusan M. BeardenHoly Trinity Episcopal Academy9.39
14@jcasapJaime CasapGoogle9.24
15@mtholfsenMike TholfsenMicrosoft9.12
16@ICTEvangelistMark AndersonIndependent8.99
17@KerryHawk02Kerry GallagherSt John’s Prep8.97
18@KleinErinErin KleinCranbrook Educational Community8.58
19@EdWeekSCavanaghSean CavanaghEdWeek Market Brief, Education Week7.5
20@ShellTerrellShelly SanchezAmerican TESOL Institute7.14
21@cultofpedagogyJennifer GonzalezCult of Pedagogy7.02
22@alicekeelerAlice KeelerMicrosoft6.99
23@MJMaddaMary Jo MaddaEdSurge6.91
24@jonathanwylieJonathan WylieGrant Wood Area Education Agency6.91
25@eLearning_LauraLaura DickinsonNorth Tyneside Learning Trust6.8
26@markbarnes19Mark BarnesFreshGrade6.76
27@SNewcoScott NewcombSt Marys Intermediate School6.59
28@courosaAlec CourosUniversity of Regina, Open Thinking6.29
29@rmbyrneRichard ByrneMindRocket Media Group6.13
30@DavidGeurinDavid GeurinBolivar R-1 Schools5.96
31@EduWellsRichard WellsOrewa College5.87
32@TeacherToolkit@TeacherToolkitTeacherToolkit5.82
33@JenWilliamsEduJennifer WilliamsSaint Leo University5.67
34@brhollandBeth HollandEdTechTeacher5.59
35@EdtechnerdBryan L. MillerEdventure Quests5.56
36@tvanderarkTom Vander ArkGetting Smart5.5
37@DBaker007Duane BakerIndependent5.44
38@BryanAlexanderBryan AlexanderThe New Media Consortium5.4
39@Lynch39083Matthew LynchHuffington Post5.05
40@chatzopoulosnNikolas ChatzopoulosPlato Academy Schools5.01
41@aseoconnorSean O’ConnorMentored.com4.94
42@jeffherbJeff HerbDistrict 300 Schools4.91
43@RafranzDavisRafranz DavisLufkin 1SD4.88
44@AndoniSanzAndoni SanzSagrado Corazón Ikastetxea (aldaketa bilatzen)4.65
45@gcourosGeorge CourosParkland School Division4.65
46@EWmdavisMichelle DavisEducation Week4.64
47@cpappasChristopher Pappaselearningindustry4.53
48@willrich45Will RichardsonModern Learner Media4.36
49@teachintechgalKatrina KeeneDell4.32
50@TheTechRabbiRabbi Michael CohenHarkham Hillel Hebrew Academy4.16

 

TOP 200 BRANDS

In the top 200 brands we can find a great selection of edtech companies such as EdSurge and MindShift, as well as some tech publications and industry resources and industry heavyweights such as Microsoft and Amazon. Below is the top 50, be sure to download the report to get the full top 200 list, and see who are most influential edtech and elearning brands.

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RankTwitter HandleNameInfluencer Score
1@EdSurgeEdSurge100
2@EdTech_K12EdTech K–12 Magazine57.27
3@elearnindustryeLearning Industry33.02
4@MindShiftKQEDMindShift29.15
5@zoom_usZoom24.46
6@geiendorsedGlobal Educator Inst21.84
7@EdTech_HigherEdEdTech Higher Ed20.89
8@edutopiaedutopia19.54
9@Microsoft_EDUMicrosoft Education17.14
10@educationweekEducation Week15.8
11@eschoolnewseSchool News13.75
12@TeachThoughtTeachThought12.34
13@elearningfeedselearningfeeds11
14@OneNoteEDU@OneNoteEDU10.87
15@BookCreatorAppBook Creator Team9.91
16@isteconnectsISTE8.66
17@HigherEdSurgeEdSurge Higher Ed8.2
18@JiscJisc8.02
19@nearpodNearpod7.7
20@edtechteamEdTechTeam, Inc.7.66
21@MHEducationMcGrawHill Education7.24
22@Getting_SmartGetting Smart7.2
23@techlearningtechlearning6.86
24@ClassDojoClassDojo6.7
25@DigitalPromiseDigital Promise6.27
26@IntelEDUIntel Education6.27
27@asugsvsummitASU GSV Summit6.19
28@BlackboardBlackboard6.17
29@iLearn2AppsiLearn26.1
30@CoSNCoSN6.01
31@GoogleForEduGoogle For Education6.01
32@BAMRadioNetworkEducation Radio6.01
33@OfficeofEdTechOffice of Ed Tech5.77
34@GraphiteGraphite5.7
35@GetKahootKahoot!5.67
36@etr_inEdTechReview5.51
37@gatesfoundationGates Foundation5.31
38@goguardianGoGuardian5.16
39@SXSWeduSXSWedu5.07
40@AmazonEduAmazon Education4.94
41@EducationDiveEducation Dive4.87
42@BrightspaceBrightspace4.5
43@OpenEdXOpen edX4.48
44@CommonSenseEduCommon Sense Edu4.14
45@quizizzQuizizz4.12
46@ArticulateArticulate4.06
47@usedgovUS Dept of Education4.04
48@AdvocateforEdThe Edvocate4.01
49@edtech_rrEdTech3.98
50@ASCDASCD3.93

 

At Onalytica we love building these lists and want to give back to our loyal readers as much as we can. If you’re interested in other topics (such as Virtual Reality, Digital HealthDigital Marketing) be sure to have a gander on our blog or why not propose some topics to us on twitter? We also build some very cool software to manage all of these influencers. Get a free demo today by clicking the button below!

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Disclaimer: As ever with these lists, it must be stressed that the ranking is by no means a definitive measurement of influence, as there is no such thing. The brands and individuals listed are undoubtedly influential when it comes to driving discussion in the edtech and elearning debate.

The PageRank based methodology we use to extract influencers on a particular topic takes into account the number and quality of contextual references that a user receives. These calculations are independent of a user’s number of followers, but we do filter our lists based on how much a user is engaged in the conversation and the influence they drive through their networks.

Vector Graphics from: Vecteezy


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EdTech and Elearning

Top 100 Influencers and Brands

Download this free report which reveals the top 100 EdTech and Elearning influencers and brands