Efficacy in Digital Learning

As a principal, the buck stopped with me.  I was reminded of this by numerous
superintendents during my tenure as a school leader.  However, when we began moving
forward with our digital transformation one particular superintendent asked me point blank
what evidence I had that actually supported our claims that new equated to better. This not
only stopped me in my tracks, but that moment in time provided the grounding that my
school and I really needed. 
Accountability matters and is a reality in our work.  We are accountable first and foremost to
our learners. As a supporter of the purposeful use of technology and innovative practices, I
had to illustrate how effective these strategies were at improving learning.  Statements and
claims didn’t cut it and this was more than fair.  It was at this time where the term efficacy
kept finding its way into the conversation and my head. In the real world of education
efficacy matters and it is important that this is part of the larger conversation when it comes
to digital. It is a word that, in my opinion, has to be a part of our daily vocabulary and
practice. Simply put, efficacy is the degree to which desired outcomes and goals are
achieved. Applying this concept to digital learning can go a long way to solidifying the use of
technology as an established practice, not just a frill or add-on.