Author: Miguel Rivera

Avallain Expands Its Security Foundation with ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Certification in Addition to SOC 2 Compliance

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

Following a comprehensive audit by the Johanson Group, Avallain has added the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, in addition to its existing SOC 2 credentials and further reinforcing the security foundation underlying its digital education solutions for publishers, institutions and educators.

Avallain Expands Its Security Foundation with ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Certification in Addition to SOC 2 Compliance

Zurich, October 2025 – Avallain has successfully achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification following an audit conducted by the Johanson Group, complementing our long-standing SOC 2 Type II compliance. 

Together, these certifications demonstrate our adherence to internationally recognised standards of information security management. It’s also a reflection of our holistic, multi-layered approach to security and compliance, reinforcing the trust that publishers, educational institutions and educators place in its digital learning solutions.

Reinforcing Our Security Posture: From SOC 2 to ISO/IEC 27001

This newly achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification builds upon our already established SOC 2 Type II accreditation, forming part of an integrated, robust security framework. 

By combining ISO/IEC 27001 with SOC 2, we offer a layered assurance approach: 

  • ISO/IEC 27001:2022 emphasises process-driven, risk-based, organisation-wide information security.
  • SOC 2 Type II status underpins strong controls over data security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy.

Together, these certifications contribute to a stronger, more resilient security stance for all our clients and partners.

Ensuring Security and Trust in Digital Education

ISO/IEC 27001:2022 is the leading international standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It provides a structured framework for managing risks and protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information across all levels of an organisation, through the implementation of a comprehensive set of security controls.

In the context of digital education and edtech, this certification is particularly relevant. As learning experiences become increasingly data-driven and AI-enabled, safeguarding sensitive information ranging from intellectual property to learner data is essential to ensure compliance, maintain trust and support secure development.

How ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Strengthens Avallain Solutions and Avallain Intelligence

These certifications cover the processes, policies and controls that underpin Avallain’s core solutions: Avallain Author, the publisher-grade authoring tool; Avallain Magnet, the AI-integrated learning management system; and TeacherMatic, the AI toolkit for teachers.

By aligning these solutions with ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 Type II, we ensure that every element of its technology ecosystem is designed and operated in accordance with rigorous information security standards. This includes evaluating our statement of applicability, verifying control objectives from Annex A (a core component of the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard) and continuously monitoring and improving controls.

This certification also reinforces Avallain Intelligence, Avallain’s framework for the ethical, safe and responsible use of AI in education. As AI becomes more embedded in our solutions, we also adhere to emerging regulations and adopt industry-leading guidance such as the OWASP LLM Top 10 standard, which catalogues the most critical security issues for large language models.

A Continued Commitment to Security and Reliability

Avallain’s ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, in complement with its SOC 2 credentials, represents an ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of data protection and operational integrity. 

Through this combined certification approach, we provide publishers, institutions, edupreneurs and educators with even greater confidence in the security of their data and the systems they rely on.

We remain dedicated to ensuring that security is never an afterthought, but foundational, enabling the development of solutions in digital education without compromise and supporting a safer, more transparent and sustainable edtech ecosystem.

About Avallain

For more than two decades, Avallain has enabled publishers, institutions and educators to create and deliver world-class digital education products and programmes. Our award-winning solutions include Avallain Author, an AI-powered authoring tool, Avallain Magnet, a peerless LMS with integrated AI, and TeacherMatic, a ready-to-use AI toolkit created for and refined by educators.

Our technology meets the highest standards with accessibility and human-centred design at its core. Through Avallain Intelligence, our framework for the responsible use of AI in education, we empower our clients to unlock AI’s full potential, applied ethically and safely. Avallain is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified and a participant in the United Nations Global Compact.

Find out more at avallain.com 

_

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Turn YouTube Content into Engaging Lesson Materials and Build Custom Glossaries with TeacherMatic

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

Our latest Language Teaching Takeoff Webinar demonstrated how the YouTube-based content generator quickly and easily adapts videos into interactive, level-appropriate lesson materials. We also highlighted how the Glossary generator helps teachers create CEFR-aligned glossaries without compromising pedagogy.

Turn YouTube Content into Engaging Lesson Materials and Build Custom Glossaries with TeacherMatic

London, September 2025 – In the latest TeacherMatic Language Teaching Takeoff Webinar, ‘Create Engaging Materials from YouTube Content and Build Custom Glossaries’, award-winning educator and edtech consultant Nik Peachey demonstrated how teachers can adapt digital content into interactive classroom materials. 

Moderated by Giada Brisotto, Senior Marketing and Sales Operations Manager at Avallain, the session explored two practical generators within the TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition: the YouTube-based content generator, which transforms videos into relevant and practical lesson resources, and the Glossary generator, which produces CEFR-aligned glossaries to personalise learning and strengthen vocabulary practice.

Insights from TeacherMatic’s Co-founder: Challenges Facing Language Teachers Today

Esam Baboukhan, TeacherMatic Marketing Director and co-founder, joined the webinar as a special guest for the first time to provide insight into the pressures facing teachers today. He highlighted that many educators work extended hours and face high turnover, affecting both teaching quality and student outcomes. 

Esam emphasised the need for safe, accurate solutions that reduce preparation time without compromising pedagogical standards. He noted that the TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition offers over 50 generators, grounded in established methodologies such as communicative language teaching, the lexical approach and task-based learning. 

Fully aligned with CEFR levels, the AI toolkit is guided by a principled approach to CEFR alignment, developed in collaboration with NILE and CEFR expert Elaine Boyd. It is designed to help teachers maximise the impact of CEFR-aligned outputs and provide students with structured, meaningful language practice.

Generating CEFR-Aligned Materials from YouTube Videos

Building on the discussion of teacher challenges and the need for time-saving, pedagogically sound solutions, Nik Peachey demonstrated the YouTube-based content generator. 

Designed to help teachers create CEFR-aligned classroom materials quickly, the tool allows users to input a video URL and select the appropriate language level. The generator produces a range of structured and adaptable resources, including video summaries, quizzes, lesson plans, worksheets, cloze transcript activities and vocabulary list activities. 

Summaries and Transcripts Made Simple

Teachers can generate video summaries at any CEFR level and include the full transcript from the video. These transcripts can be refined and then exported in multiple formats, such as .docx, .doc and PDF or directly shared to Google Drive and Google Classroom. By adapting summaries from B1 to A1 level, Nik showed how easily the generator supports differentiated learning needs.

Quizzes for Lesson Warmers

The YouTube-based content generator can instantly create CEFR-aligned quizzes from a video, showing how quickly teachers can move from prospective content to classroom-ready material. Each quiz includes multiple-choice, True/False and gap-fill questions. Nik highlighted that these ready-made activities give teachers a time-saving resource that reinforces comprehension and critical thinking at the right level.

Structured Lesson Plans

Teachers can input details such as lesson length, CEFR skill and pedagogical model to generate complete lesson plans. In one example, Nik selected speaking with a task-based learning approach, producing a plan that flowed from pre-task to homework while staying closely tied to the video content. He later switched to a lexical approach, generating activities that placed vocabulary at the centre. 

These examples underlined how the generator enables teachers to create structured, editable plans that reflect different teaching methodologies while saving significant preparation time. 

Worksheets and Vocabulary Practice

Worksheets go beyond quizzes by supporting partner work, group activities and writing tasks across CEFR skills. Generate worksheets to extend classroom interaction and reinforce learning. Teachers can also create a vocabulary list with definitions, example sentences and targeted activities that keep lexical development central to the lesson. 

As Nik highlighted: ‘Remembering to keep revising the lexical input with students is really important too. Working on students’ lexical powers and their vocabulary is one of the fastest ways to impact their learning.’

Cloze Transcript Activities

Finally, this AI generator can transform a video into cloze (gap-fill) activities that strengthen listening and comprehension. Teachers can fine-tune these activities by selecting transcript sections, adjusting the number of gaps and tailoring difficulty to different learner levels.

Custom Glossary Tool for Vocabulary Learning

The Glossary generator allows teachers to quickly generate topic-based, CEFR-aligned vocabulary lists enriched with cultural and contextual information. Nik showcased how easy it is to create a glossary, demonstrating options such as selecting the number of words, display format, CEFR level and topic. Teachers can also describe learner profiles to ensure content remains engaging and relevant, and include supporting materials like scripts or websites.

The tool enables teachers to tailor and adapt resources to individual students and learning needs, including Dyslexia or ADHD. Nik suggested using the generated glossary as a starting point for creative classroom activities, such as encouraging students to build a story around the vocabulary. Once created, glossaries can be exported in multiple formats. 

Practical Tools Grounded in Classroom Needs

Nik demonstrated two practical tools in this session designed to address real classroom challenges without replacing the teacher. The YouTube-based content generator and Glossary generator are safe, ethical and pedagogically sound, supporting learners across various levels and needs. By putting learning outcomes first, these tools help teachers save time, deliver CEFR-aligned materials and create engaging, adaptable lessons while maintaining full control over content and methodology.

Explore the TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition

The TeacherMatic Language Teaching Edition provides a comprehensive suite of tools that empower educators to plan, create and deliver high-quality, differentiated language lessons and materials efficiently, while meeting the demands of diverse classroom contexts.

Discover more here

Next in the Webinar Series

Enhancing Speaking Lessons with CEFR-Aligned Effective Generators

 🗓 Thursday, 16th October
🕛 12:00 – 12:30 BST | 13:00 – 13:30 CEST

Enhance the way you teach speaking in the next session. See the Dialogue Creator and Differing Opinions generators in action to boost student engagement and confidence, and explore the Debate and Discussion Topics generators to spark discussion and critical thinking in the classroom.

Click here to register and save a seat

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

_ 

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Empowering Educators in Asia with AI: TeacherMatic Expands through Regional Partnerships

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

Teachers in Asia are set to benefit from the expansion of TeacherMatic, Avallain’s AI toolkit for educators, delivered through strong local partnerships that ensure technology remains ethical, safe and adapted to regional needs.

Empowering Educators in Asia with AI: TeacherMatic Expands through Regional Partnerships

Asia, September 2025 — Teachers across Asia are navigating diverse classrooms, rising student expectations and increasing administrative demands. AI offers them a chance to ease workloads, create more personalised learning materials and dedicate more time to student engagement. 

Avallain is building strong reseller and referral partnerships with organisations that deeply understand their markets to expand TeacherMatic’s reach across Asia. These partnerships ensure teachers and institutions benefit from technology adapted to their local realities. 

Reaching Educators Worldwide

The value of local expertise is indispensable for the responsible integration of AI in education systems. Regional partners ensure that the adoption of AI aligns with specific cultural and institutional needs and that teachers receive solutions tailored to their classrooms while keeping ethics, transparency and safety at the heart of every implementation. 

This also aligns with Avallain Intelligence, our strategy for ethical and safe AI in education. Within this framework, TeacherMatic, our AI toolkit for teachers, supports educators by reducing time spent on lesson preparation while maintaining pedagogical integrity. It enables the creation of structured, curriculum-aligned lesson plans, quizzes, worksheets, and feedback tools within minutes, ensuring that technology enhances teaching rather than replaces it.

The expansion of TeacherMatic into Asia reflects Avallain’s mission to make digital education accessible to everyone while unlocking human potential through technology. Every new partnership strengthens the bridge between innovation and classroom practice, empowering educators globally while remaining grounded in local realities.

Our Partners in Asia

In the Philippines and Singapore, C & E Publishing plays a leading role as an educational publisher and solutions distributor. With nearly 40 years of presence in the education sector and strong ties to both public and private schools, C & E provides TeacherMatic with a platform to reach teachers across the full spectrum of K-12, higher and further education, language schools and corporate training.

In Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, DTP Education Solutions supports K-12, higher and further education, language schools and corporate learning. Already collaborating with Avallain through Avallain Author, our AI-enhanced authoring tool, and with textbooks approved by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, DTP Education Solutions is ideally placed to introduce TeacherMatic as part of broader institutional strategies.

In Malaysia, Everbest Media serves K-12 and higher and further education, while supporting projects of the Ministry of Education. As a certified government educational supplier with strong links across the sector, Everbest Media helps connect TeacherMatic to classrooms where alignment with national priorities is key.

Likewise, across Malaysia and Indonesia, Digital Natives supports a wide range of institutions, including K-12, higher and further education, language schools and corporate learning. Their multi-sector presence puts them in a position to bring the benefits of AI to educators in different contexts, broadening the impact of TeacherMatic in the region.

In Japan, Correos focuses on higher and further education and corporate learning. Their partnership showcases not only the reach of TeacherMatic but also its linguistic flexibility, with translation into Japanese ensuring accessibility for local educators. We invite you to read more about this collaboration in the dedicated announcement here.

In Taiwan, Alice Learning Solutions brings TeacherMatic to K-12 schools and language institutions. With long-standing connections to private language schools and international schools, Alice Learning Solutions provides strong local expertise that helps ensure the toolkit meets the needs of teachers across varied classroom contexts.

In Hong Kong, ETC Educational Technology Connection is a trusted solutions provider for both K-12 and higher education. Their established role in supplying schools with sophisticated educational technology makes them a natural partner for ensuring that TeacherMatic reaches teachers looking for efficient, safe and effective digital tools.

Ethical AI as a Foundation for Education

Through Avallain’s edtech solutions, including TeacherMatic, Avallain Magnet, our AI-integrated out-of-the-box LMS, and Avallain Author, our publisher-grade authoring tool powered by AI, we are on a mission to provide the educational sector with tools that are not only powerful but also safe and pedagogically sound. 

Together with our partners across Asia and beyond, we are committed to building a digital education ecosystem where publishers, institutions, teachers and learners are empowered and supported, with AI as a responsible ally in unlocking human potential.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

_ 

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

TeacherMatic in Kenya: Insights from a One-Day Pilot with Educators

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

How can AI tools support teachers while respecting local contexts, infrastructure limits and professional expertise? This piece examines a TeacherMatic pilot in Kenya, where secondary school teachers explored AI-powered generators. By reflecting on practical challenges such as connectivity and curriculum alignment, the article considers how responsibly designed AI can enhance learning and promote inclusive classroom innovation.

TeacherMatic in Kenya: Insights from a One-Day Pilot with Educators

Author: Carles Vidal, MSc in Digital Education, Business Director of Avallain Lab

Kenya, August 2025 – In May 2025, the Avallain Lab, in collaboration with the Avallain Foundation, conducted a one-day pilot with Kenyan teachers to explore how generative AI tools could support them in their daily educational work. The initiative focused on TeacherMatic, Avallain’s AI toolkit for teachers, aiming to gain early insights on its suitability for the Kenyan context and identify potential improvement areas.

From Research to Pilot Design

In January 2025, Teaching with GenAI: Insights on Productivity, Creativity, Quality and Safety, an independent, research-driven report commissioned by the Avallain Group and produced by Oriel Square Ltd, was published. It explores how GenAI can enhance teaching and learning while addressing educational opportunities, challenges and ethical considerations. Building on this, the pilot translated the report’s themes into a series of sessions featuring hands-on activities for teachers. These sessions allowed participants to discuss and apply the report’s ideas in practical activities and add new perspectives to the conversation.

With this purpose in mind, twelve local secondary school teachers, representing both public and private institutions, were selected to provide a sample consistent with the previous study. 

In preparation for the pilot, the Kenyan curriculum was incorporated into TeacherMatic’s curriculum alignment generation options so that the participants could use it to inform their content requests. Since a phased implementation of a new curriculum is currently underway in Kenya, both the existing and the upcoming versions were included to provide teachers with all possible options in this transition context.

The pilot was organised in three parts. It began with a focus group designed to capture participants’ initial impressions and existing knowledge of GenAI tools, while also introducing them to TeacherMatic. This was followed by breakout sessions, where smaller groups of teachers engaged in hands-on exploration of the tool. The day concluded with a plenary session, bringing everyone together to share insights and provide feedback.

Infrastructure Challenges

During the initial focus group, teachers described existing infrastructure challenges relating to both the availability of devices and the reliability of internet connections, as part of the general context of their teaching practices. Connectivity was identified as a critical barrier, with ‘slow or unreliable internet and, in some cases, complete service interruptions lasting hours’ being common in many public institutions. According to the group, while private schools tend to experience fewer connectivity issues, many public schools continue to face significant barriers due to their reliance on intermittent mobile networks. 

Participants also reported limited access to devices, particularly in public schools, where ‘only a few computers are available and shared among all teachers’. Most public schools operate under centralised device policies, with limited computer labs and few, if any, classroom-based devices. In this context, mobile phones become the primary means of accessing tools such as educational technologies.

Interactive Breakout SessionsIn the breakout sessions, teachers explored a curated set of TeacherMatic generators, including ‘Lesson Plan’, ‘Multiple Choice Questions’, ‘Debate’, ‘True or False’, ‘Learning Activities’ and ‘Inspiration!’. Participants accessed TeacherMatic on computer devices, tablets and mobile phones and worked in Swahili and English during discussions and content generation.

A small group of participants at the Kenyan TeacherMatic pilot collaborate during a breakout session, reviewing notes and using the toolkit on digital devices.
During a breakout session, participants explore TeacherMatic generators together on a mobile device.

During the sessions, the teachers engaged freely with the generators, exchanging ideas, debating approaches and sharing expectations and concerns. Participants expressed strong enthusiasm for the potential of using GenAI tools in their classrooms, viewing them as a way to enhance teaching resources and remain ahead of their students in adopting this technology.

After the hands-on sessions, participants reconvened for a larger group discussion to share how they perceived TeacherMatic and, more broadly, GenAI tools, including what aspects attracted them, what concerns they had and what support or training they would need for effective adoption.

Findings and Reflections

The final group discussion revealed a general agreement on the following areas:

  • Time-saving benefits: Participants valued the speed and quality of the generated content and identified significant reductions in classroom preparation time, which they felt would allow them to improve the delivery of their lessons. As one teacher said, ‘If we can save time on planning, we can spend more time on students.’
  • Curriculum alignment: Although both current Kenyan curricula were included in TeacherMatic, participants saw opportunities for even more detailed curriculum integration, highlighting the need for further content localisation down to the most detailed level of curriculum implementation.
  • Creativity and pedagogical innovation: Teachers expressed a strong need for multimodal learner-facing content, such as clips or visuals, to help explain complex topics, ‘like 3D geometry’. With learners already using AI creatively, some felt that text-based outputs alone were insufficient. As one participant explained, ‘You can’t teach about the inside of a pyramid with text.’ 
  • AI literacy training programs for teachers: Teachers also voiced the importance of receiving training in GenAI so that students do not outpace them in its use. As one teacher expressed, ‘Let’s take this AI to the classroom… show them that their teachers are also up-to-date.’
  • Reassurance that GenAI tools are not a replacement for teachers:  Participants stressed the importance of teachers retaining full agency in creating and delivering learning resources, especially when validating content intended for their students.
A facilitator stands at the front of the room as participants in the TeacherMatic Kenyan pilot engage in a group discussion, with laptops and notes on the table.
Teachers and facilitators discuss key findings from the TeacherMatic Kenyan pilot, highlighting opportunities and challenges in classroom use.

Early Insights and Broader Lessons

While this was only a one-day pilot with a small group of teachers, it offered valuable, early insights into both the opportunities and barriers to adopting GenAI in Kenyan classrooms. Some challenges, like limited devices and connectivity, may be more specific to the region and require systemic solutions, but others, such as the need for curriculum-aligned content and teacher training, echo what we have seen elsewhere.

A group photo of all participants in the Kenyan TeacherMatic pilot, standing together outdoors under trees.
Thank you to Martina Amoth (CEO, Avallain Foundation East Africa), Robert Ochiel (Avallain Lab Intern) and all the participants of the Kenyan TeacherMatic pilot for sharing their time, reflections and experiences.

These shared lessons show that even small-scale pilots can guide product development and spark ideas for making GenAI a meaningful, inclusive tool for educators, regardless of where they teach.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

_ 

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Create and Quiz: CEFR-Aligned AI Tools for Language Teaching

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

How can AI help language teachers save time, tailor materials and support learners at every level? In our latest Language Teaching Takeoff Webinar, we explored how two CEFR-aligned generators in TeacherMatic, Create a Text and Multiple Choice Questions, make creating relevant input and fast-track assessment easy. 

Create and Quiz: CEFR-Aligned AI Tools for Language Teaching

London, July 2025 – In the latest chapter of the Language Teaching Takeoff Webinar Series, ‘Generate, Engage and Assess: Create Custom Texts and Multiple Choice Quizzes’, award-winning educator and edtech consultant Nik Peachey guided participants through a live demo of two key generators particularly beneficial for language education: Create a Text and Multiple Choice Questions. 

Moderated by Giada Brisotto, Senior Marketing and Sales Operations Manager at Avallain, the session showed how language teachers can use TeacherMatic to generate original CEFR-level texts and instantly assess learner understanding. The examples explored during the session demonstrated how these tools support practical teaching needs without requiring any prompt engineering or AI expertise, all within an approach that prioritises ethics and safety.

Exploring the Value of Teacher-Controlled Content Generation

Nik began by highlighting how TeacherMatic differs from generic content tools. Built around classroom needs, the platform offers dozens of AI generators that help teachers plan, adapt and create lesson content. For language educators, CEFR alignment across tools ensures that outputs are suitable for specific levels, skills and teaching goals. 

Customised Texts for Every Level

With the Create a Text generator, teachers can define the topic, CEFR level, grammar focus and text type before generating a classroom-ready passage. Nik demonstrated how this can be used to create a short story, a dialogue or an informational text, depending on the teaching context. Teachers can also select the vocabulary focus or set a maximum word count to keep the text suitable for the target group.

The generator was created to facilitate differentiation, simplifying the process of adapting the same theme across various levels. It is beneficial for preparing writing models, reading texts, speaking prompts or listening scripts. If the output is not quite right, the teacher can instantly regenerate until the tone, length, or complexity matches their needs, with a simple click of the ‘Refine’ button, within the generator’s interface.

Instant Formative Assessment

The Multiple Choice Questions generator allows teachers to create CEFR-aligned quizzes using any text as input. This can include text generated within TeacherMatic, the teacher’s own materials, or content sourced from an external link. Nik illustrated how this tool can be used to generate quick comprehension checks, grammar quizzes or vocabulary reviews in just a few clicks. Once created, quizzes can be exported in multiple formats, including Kahoot, Excel and Word, or saved directly to Google Drive, giving educators flexible options for classroom delivery or sharing with learners.

Built for the Language Classroom

Both generators are part of the Language Teaching Edition of TeacherMatic, which provides tools specifically developed for CEFR-aligned teaching. These include level checkers, adaptation tools and generators for targeted vocabulary, grammar, speaking and writing tasks. The session reinforced how each feature supports everyday classroom needs, from content creation to assessment.

Reflecting on Impact

Participants left the session with practical ideas for incorporating these two featured generators in their daily work. Key benefits discussed included:

  • Creating original texts without having to search or adapt existing ones.
  • Quickly generating CEFR-aligned multiple-choice quizzes to check understanding.
  • Adapting the same theme across different CEFR levels.
  • Saving time while maintaining control over content quality.

By combining flexibility with pedagogical structure, the Create a Text and Multiple Choice Questions generators offer a practical way to generate, engage and assess across the language learning journey.

Explore the Language Teaching Edition of TeacherMatic

Whether teaching A1 learners or guiding advanced students through C1 material, the Language Teaching Edition of TeacherMatic helps you do it faster, better and more flexibly. 

Explore it here

Next in the Webinar Series

After a short summer pause, the Language Teaching Takeoff Webinar Series returns in September. Join us for the next session:

Date: Thursday, 11th September

Time: 12:00 – 12:30 BST | 13:00 – 13:30 CEST

Click here to register and save a seat

The topic will be announced soon and, as always, will focus on practical ways that AI can support language educators with CEFR-aligned tools. Register early to secure your spot.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

_ 

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com 

Breaking Barriers Teams Up with Avallain and TeacherMatic to Support Volunteer Teachers and Refugees 

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

The specialist refugee employment charity, Breaking Barriers, is expanding access to English learning for refugees in the UK by equipping its volunteer teachers with free access to TeacherMatic, Avallain’s AI toolkit for educators.

Breaking Barriers Teams Up with Avallain and TeacherMatic to Support Volunteer Teachers and Refugees 

London, July 2025 – Breaking Barriers, a UK-based charity dedicated to helping refugees access meaningful employment and education, has partnered with Avallain and TeacherMatic to enhance its English language support. 

As part of this collaboration, 30 volunteer teachers working with refugee learners will receive free access to TeacherMatic, including all AI generators and features designed specifically for language teaching.

Supporting Flexible, Learner-Centred Education

Breaking Barriers works with hundreds of refugees each year, many of whom face significant obstacles to attending in-person classes. Their network of volunteer teachers provides flexible English tuition tailored to each individual’s learning needs and life circumstances.

‘Attending mainstream in-person classes just isn’t possible for many of the people we support, due to their unique circumstances,’ says Ilaria Tarulli, Head of Language Programme of Breaking Barriers. ‘That is why our amazing community of volunteer, qualified teachers, who so generously give their time to offer flexible online tuition, is absolutely essential to what we do. TeacherMatic has become an invaluable tool in helping our tutors build tailored and effective English learning journeys for our students, truly supporting them to thrive and providing access to language tuition for those who might not otherwise have the opportunity.’

‘We are so grateful to Avallain for donating access to their platform and for choosing to start this journey with us. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together – and what our clients go on to accomplish – through this exciting and meaningful collaboration!’

AI That Supports High-Quality, Ethical Language Teaching

TeacherMatic is an award-winning AI toolkit developed to unlock educators’ full potential while keeping ethics and learner safety at its core. While it supports teachers across subjects, its language teaching edition is valuable to language teachers of all kinds, including those working with refugee learners. It offers dozens of CEFR-aligned AI generators that help teachers quickly create accurate and engaging materials. 

From lesson planning to adapting content for specific levels and target audiences to generating constructive feedback and more, educators can accelerate their workflow while maintaining the highest quality. In a context where time, flexibility and individualisation are critical, these features make a meaningful difference for both learners and teachers.

‘It means a great deal to us that TeacherMatic is being used to support such an important mission,’ says Peter Kilcoyne, Managing Director of TeacherMatic. ‘Knowing that our AI toolkit is helping dedicated volunteers deliver high-quality, personalised language teaching reinforces our belief that AI should support, not replace, the work of great teachers and help unlock their full potential.’

Technology That Amplifies Impact

This partnership builds on Breaking Barriers’ commitment to learner-focused education and is supported by Avallain’s belief in ethical, human-centred technology. TeacherMatic helps reduce teachers’ preparation burden while enabling more personalised and targeted learning materials, a key factor when supporting individuals working toward integration, independence and long-term opportunity.

‘This collaboration with Breaking Barriers is a clear expression of what drives us,’ says Ursula Suter, Executive Chairwoman and Co-founder of Avallain. ‘We believe that technology and AI must always serve a purpose. This initiative reflects the power of responsibly developed edtech solutions to support education for all, especially those who face the greatest barriers.’

About Breaking Barriers

Breaking Barriers helps refugees in the UK access employment and education opportunities through personalised support, English language tuition and sector-specific training. 

Learn more at breaking-barriers.co.uk.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

_ 

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Accessible by Design: How the Avallain Author Training and Certification’s Accessibility Module Prepares Content Creators for the EAA Era

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

The Avallain Author Training and Certification Programme now contains a dedicated accessibility module, thereby extending its coverage to accessibility features within Avallain Author. It equips content creators with the knowledge to design truly inclusive learning materials for all students.

Accessible by Design: How the Avallain Author Training and Certification’s Accessibility Module Prepares Content Creators for the EAA Era

St. Gallen, July 2025 – The Avallain Author Training & Certification Programme is designed to equip publishing professionals, content service providers and individual authors with the skills to make the most of Avallain Author. A key component of this programme is the Accessibility module, a practical course that supports the creation of inclusive digital content aligned with international standards.

As the European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into effect across the EU, education providers are navigating new compliance requirements and a broader shift toward equitable learning. This module enables content creators to respond confidently, building accessible materials that meet legal standards and support meaningful participation for all learners. It forms part of Avallain’s ongoing commitment to accessibility in digital education, grounded in our Inclusive Design Approach, as detailed in our article on how we design for accessibility.

Applying Built-In Accessibility with Confidence

The module guides participants through Avallain Author’s accessibility features and how to implement them in day-to-day workflows. These include:

  • Keyboard and screen reader compatibility, allowing navigation without a mouse.
  • AI-generated alt text for all images and illustrations.
  • AI-powered subtitles and transcripts for multimedia content.
  • Customisable layouts, including high contrast options and scalable fonts.
  • Accessibility controls flag non-compliant assets during content development.

By the end of the module, certified users can effectively apply these features and ensure that every piece of content aligns with WCAG 2.2 AA and is ready for any compliance audit.

Mercury Design Pack: Ensuring Accessible Interactivity

Accessibility extends beyond layout and media to how learners interact with digital content. The Mercury Design Pack, which underpins Avallain Author Activity Types, plays a central role in ensuring that interactivity is inclusive by design.

The Accessibility module of the Avallain Author Training & Certification Programme teaches participants how to effectively use components within the Mercury Design Pack to deliver accessible, standards-aligned learning activities across a wide range of use cases.

Its accessibility-focused features include:

  • WCAG 2.2 AA compliance by default, covering everything from contrast ratios to focus indicators.
  • Keyboard-accessible components, enabling full navigation across interactive elements without a mouse.
  • Readable, scalable typography, optimised for users with dyslexia and other reading differences.
  • Consistent UX behaviours, reducing cognitive load and helping learners feel confident in navigating content.

Content creators can focus on the learning experience rather than retrofitting or troubleshooting because dozens of Activity Types built with Mercury have already been independently audited and validated for accessibility. 

By mastering how to implement accessibility features in Mercury through the training module, authors, publishers and content service providers can deliver engaging and compliant interactive digital learning without extra production overhead.

Supporting Scalable, Inclusive Content Creation

The Accessibility module is designed to support content professionals in real-world production contexts:

  • Publishers can streamline accessibility across their catalogues and meet audit requirements efficiently.
  • Content service providers and agencies can deliver high-standard learning materials for clients with diverse compliance needs.
  • Individual authors gain structured guidance and official certification that demonstrates expertise in inclusive content development.

This module allows teams and individuals alike to integrate accessibility from the start, reducing rework, improving quality and ensuring every learner is supported.

AI for Accessibility: Research-Led Design

The module also reflects ongoing developments led by the Avallain Lab, which explores how AI can actively support inclusion in content creation. It is further aligned with Avallain Intelligence, our strategy for the ethical and responsible integration of AI in education.

This work includes:

  • Evaluating and refining features in collaboration with accessibility experts such as the Digital Accessibility Centre.
  • Integrating accessibility standards into development from the outset.
  • Enhancing authoring workflows with AI tools that generate alt text, subtitles and transcripts for multimedia assets.

This approach makes it easier for content creators to deliver compliant, high-quality learning materials with Avallain Author without needing external tools or specialised knowledge.

Responding to the EAA with Practical Tools and Training

The EAA sets a new bar for digital inclusion, and with it, a need for clear, actionable support for those creating educational content. The Accessibility module complements the Avallain Author Training and Certification Programme with resources to prepare for compliance while improving learner access and equity.

The module helps content creators to understand how to simplify accessibility work through guided training, built-in tools and reusable, validated components.

Join a Growing Community of Certified Teams and Individuals

Explore the Avallain Author Training and Certification Programme and join publishers, content service agencies and individual professionals who have already gained certification in using Avallain Author to create powerful, professional and accessible digital learning content.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

_

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Delivering Accessible Learning Experiences: Avallain’s Inclusive Design Approach

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

As the European Accessibility Act (EAA) deadline approaches, organisations delivering digital education must take decisive steps to ensure inclusivity. At Avallain, we’ve built accessibility into the core of our technology, empowering publishers, institutions and teachers to reach every learner, regardless of ability or context.

Delivering Accessible Learning Experiences: Avallain’s Inclusive Design Approach

St. Gallen, June 2025—The European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force on 28th June 2025, and educational organisations across the EU are preparing to meet a new legal standard for digital inclusion. For those offering digital education, this moment brings both the challenge of ensuring compliance and the opportunity to enable broader, fairer participation by removing barriers to participation.

At Avallain, we believe the long-standing commitment to accessibility should be guided by more than regulations. It reflects the belief that digital education should empower all learners. Through expert partnerships, rigorous audits and accessibility-first product design, we aim to enable the educational sector to meet and exceed the expectations set by the EAA.

Accessibility by Design: Supporting Legal Compliance and Learner Success

The EAA harmonises European accessibility requirements for a wide range of digital services, including e-learning content and platforms. Digital education tools must meet recognised standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA.

Rather than viewing these requirements as a constraint, publishers and institutions can embrace them as a framework to deliver more inclusive, effective learning. Avallain’s accessibility strategy enables our partners to:

  • Reach broader audiences, including learners with disabilities and those using assistive technologies.
  • Increase platform usability and content clarity for all learners.
  • Build trust and credibility in competitive, regulated markets.

By integrating accessibility into every layer of our technology stack, we make compliance achievable and meaningful.

Avallain Author: Creating Accessible Content with Confidence

Avallain Author empowers education providers to develop digital content that meets the highest accessibility standards. Our built-in features allow content teams to create inclusive learning experiences at scale, without additional overhead.

Key capabilities include:

  • Keyboard and screen reader compatibility, enabling full navigation without a mouse.
  • AI-generated alt text for all visual elements, helping to support visually impaired learners.
  • AI-powered transcript and subtitle support for multimedia components.
  • Customisable layouts that adapt to various learning needs, such as high contrast and font scaling, are supported by Mercury Design Pack’s accessibility features.
  • Accessibility controls that inform content creators when media assets are compliant or have not met accessibility standards.
  • A dedicated Accessibility module within the Author Training & Certification course, guiding users through Avallain Author’s accessibility features and how to apply them effectively.

These comprehensive accessibility features ensure that content creators and academic staff can confidently publish content that aligns with WCAG 2.2 AA and is ready for any compliance audit.

Mercury Design Pack: Building Accessibility into Every Interaction

To guarantee accessibility at every touchpoint, Avallain’s Mercury Design Pack, the foundation of our user interface, has been purpose-built for inclusive learning journeys.

Its accessibility features include:

  • Strict adherence to WCAG 2.2 AA in every design element, from contrast ratios to focus states.
  • Component-level keyboard accessibility ensures seamless navigation across all interactive elements.
  • Scalable and readable typography, optimised for users with dyslexia and other reading differences.
  • Consistent UX behaviours help all learners feel confident and in control, especially those with cognitive challenges.

Critically for content creation, dozens of interactive activity types built with Mercury have already been audited and validated for accessibility. This allows publishers and authors to create rich, engaging learning experiences that are fully aligned with international accessibility standards without requiring any extra adaptation or technical overhead.

Avallain Magnet: Delivering Learning Without Barriers

Accessibility doesn’t stop at content. It must extend to the platforms where learning happens. Avallain Magnet, our out-of-the-box learning management system, ensures every user can engage confidently and independently.

With Avallain Magnet, schools and institutions benefit from:

  • Full screen reader support across teacher, learner and admin environments.
  • Colour and spacing customisation options, supporting neurodiverse learners and those with visual impairments.
  • Consistent keyboard navigation, allowing users to interact with the platform using only the keyboard.

These features are embedded by default, giving schools, institutions and teachers the peace of mind that their digital learning delivery is design-inclusive.

TeacherMatic: Helping Teachers Create Inclusive Materials Instantly

Accessibility must be effortless for individual educators. TeacherMatic, our AI toolkit designed for teachers, integrates accessibility best practices into every generator.

Whether users are creating quizzes, rubrics or complete lesson plans, TeacherMatic includes:

  • Inclusive activity design, incorporating Bloom’s taxonomy and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
  • Templates and content that consider learners with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences.
  • Time-saving tools so teachers don’t have to start from scratch and can instead focus on adapting materials for diverse needs.

By embedding inclusive defaults into content creation, TeacherMatic supports educators in safely delivering compliant, learner-centred instruction without the burden of technical know-how.

AI for Accessibility: The Mission of the Avallain Lab and Avallain Intelligence

Beyond compliance, Avallain invests in future-facing developments to expand what accessibility can mean in digital education. We explore how AI can actively support inclusion through our dedicated R&D arm, Avallain Lab, and our responsible AI framework, Avallain Intelligence.

This includes:

  • Collaborating with accessibility experts such as the Digital Accessibility Centre to evaluate and improve our products.
  • Embedding accessibility principles into our development cycles to ensure all innovations align with WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
  • Using AI responsibly to support content creation workflows, such as generating alt text, subtitles and transcripts to enhance media accessibility.

By integrating accessibility into every layer of our technology and development pipeline, we support industry stakeholders to meet evolving standards while staying focused on learner equity and inclusion.

Accessibility Is Everyone’s Future

As the EAA comes into force, accessibility has become a shared priority across the education landscape. For some, it’s a new legal requirement. For others, it’s a long-held value. For all, it’s an opportunity to create learning experiences that are fairer, broader and more impactful.

We believe in supporting publishers, schools, institutions, content creators and teachers in this journey to not just meet a legal standard but to set a new one. When learning is truly accessible, everyone benefits.

Visit our Accessibility page to learn more about Avallain’s approach to accessibility in education and download our latest Accessibility Conformance Report. 

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

_

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Avallain and Educate Ventures Research Collaborate to Deliver Robust, Real-World Guidance on Ethical AI in Education

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

‘From The Ground Up’ is a new report and research-based framework designed in line with Avallain Intelligence, our strategy for the responsible use of AI in education, and built with and for educators and institutions.

Avallain and Educate Ventures Research Collaborate to Deliver Robust, Real-World Guidance on Ethical AI in Education

St. Gallen, June 2025 – As generative AI transforms classrooms and educational workflows, clear, actionable ethical standards have never been more urgent. This is the challenge addressed in ‘From the Ground Up: Developing Standard Ethical Guidelines for AI Implementation in Education’, a new report developed by Educate Ventures Research in partnership with Avallain.

Drawing on extensive consultation with educators, multi-academy trusts, developers and policy specialists, the report introduces a practical framework of 12 ethical controls. These are designed to ensure that AI technologies align with educational values, enhance rather than replace human interaction and remain safe, fair and transparent in practice.

Unlike abstract policy statements, ‘From the Ground Up’ bases its guidance in classroom realities and product-level design. It offers publishers, institutions, content service providers and teachers a path forward that combines innovation with integrity.‘Since the beginning, we have believed that education technology must keep the human element at its core. This report reinforces that view by placing the experiences of teachers and learners at the centre of how we build, evaluate and implement AI. Our role is to ensure that innovation never comes at the cost of well-being, agency or trust, but instead strengthens the human connections that make learning meaningful.’ – Ursula Suter and Ignatz Heinz, Co-Founders of Avallain.

Download The Executive Version of The Report

A Framework Informed By The People It Serves

Developed over six months through research, case analysis, and structured stakeholder engagement, the report draws on input from multi-academy trust leaders, expert panels of educators, technologists and AI ethicists.

The result is a framework of 12 ethical controls:

  1. Learning Outcome Alignment
  2. User Agency Preservation
  3. Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion
  4. Critical Thinking Promotion
  5. Transparent AI Limitations
  6. Adaptive Human Interaction Balance
  7. Impact Measurement Framework
  8. Ethical Use Training and Awareness
  9. Bias Detection and Fairness Assurance
  10. Emotional Intelligence and Well-being Safeguards
  11. Organisational Accountability & Governance
  12. Age-Appropriate & Safe Implementation

Each control includes a definition, challenges, mitigation strategies, implementation guidance and relevance to all key education stakeholders. The result is a practical, structured set of tools, not just principles.

‘This report exemplifies our mission at Educate Ventures Research and Avallain: to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world educational technology. By working closely with teachers, school leaders and developers, we’ve created ethical controls that are both grounded in evidence and practical in use. Our goal is to ensure that AI in education is not only effective, but also transparent, fair and aligned with the human values that define great teaching.’ – Prof. Rose Luckin, CEO of Educate Ventures Research and Avallain Advisory Board Member.

Recommendations That Speak To Real-World Risks

Some of the report’s most relevant insights include:

User Agency Preservation
AI should support, not override, the decisions of teachers and the autonomy of learners. Design should prioritise flexibility and transparency, allowing human control and informed decision-making.

Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion
The report calls for continuous audits, bias detection and cultural representation in AI training data and outputs, with robust mechanisms for local adaptation.

Transparent AI Limitations
AI systems must explain what they can and cannot do. Visual cues, plain-language disclosures and in-context explanations all help users manage expectations.

Adaptive Human Interaction Balance
The rise of AI must not mean the erosion of dialogue. Thresholds for teacher-student and peer-to-peer interaction should be built into implementation plans, not left to chance.

Impact Measurement Framework
The report calls for combining short-term performance data and long-term qualitative indicators to assess whether AI tools genuinely support learning.

Relevance Across The Education Ecosystem

For Publishers

The report’s recommendations align closely with educational publishers’ strategic goals. Whether using AI to accelerate content production, localise materials, or personalise resources, ethical deployment requires more than efficiency. It requires governance structures that protect against bias, uphold academic rigour and enable human review. Solutions like Avallain Author already embed editorial control into AI-supported workflows, ensuring quality and trust remain paramount.

For Schools And Institutions

From primary schools to higher and vocational education providers, the pressure to adopt AI is growing. The report provides practical guidance on how to do so responsibly. It outlines how to set up oversight mechanisms, train staff, communicate transparently with parents and evaluate long-term impact. For institutions already exploring AI for tutoring or assessment, the controls offer a roadmap to stay aligned with safeguarding, inclusion and pedagogy.

For Content Service Providers

Agencies supporting publishers and ministries with learning design, editorial production and localisation will find clear implications throughout the report. From building inclusive datasets to ensuring transparent output verification, ethical AI becomes a shared responsibility across the value chain. Avallain’s technology, driven by Avallain Intelligence, enables these partners to apply ethical filters and maintain editorial standards at scale.

For Teachers

Educators are frontline decision makers. They shape how AI is used in the classroom. The report explicitly calls for User Agency Preservation to be maintained, Ethical Use Training and Awareness to be prioritised and teacher feedback to guide AI evolution. Solutions within Avallain’s portfolio, such as TeacherMatic, are already embedding these principles by offering editable outputs, contextual prompts and transparency in how each suggestion is generated.

The Role Of Avallain Intelligence: Putting Ethical Controls Into Action

Avallain Intelligence is Avallain’s strategy for the ethical and safe implementation of AI in education and the applied framework that aims to integrate these 12 ethical controls. It adheres to principles such as transparency, fairness, accessibility and agency within the core infrastructure of Avallain’s digital solutions.

This includes:

  • Explainable interfaces that clarify how AI decisions are made.
  • Editable content outputs that preserve user control.
  • Cultural customisation features for inclusive learning contexts.
  • Bias Detection and Fairness Assurance systems with review mechanisms.
  • Built-in feedback loops to refine AI based on classroom realities.

Avallain Intelligence was developed to meet and exceed the expectations outlined in ‘From the Ground Up’. This means publishers, teachers, service providers and institutions using Avallain tools are not starting from scratch but are already working within an ecosystem designed for ethical AI.

The work of the Avallain Lab, our in-house academic and pedagogical hub, continuously informs these principles and ensures that every advancement is grounded in research, ethics and real classroom needs.

‘The insights and methodology that underpin this report reflect the foundational work of the Avallain Lab and our commitment to research-led development. By aligning ethical guidance with practical use cases, we ensure that Avallain Intelligence evolves in direct response to real pedagogical needs. This collaboration shows how rigorous academic frameworks can inform responsible AI design and help create tools that are not only innovative but also educationally sound and trustworthy.’ – Carles Vidal, Business Director of the Avallain Lab. 

Download The Executive Version

This is a practical roadmap for anyone seeking to navigate the opportunities and risks of AI in education with clarity, confidence and care.

Whether you are a publisher exploring AI-powered content workflows, a school leader integrating new technologies into classrooms or a teacher looking for trusted guidance, ‘From the Ground Up’ offers research-based recommendations you can act on today.

Click here to download the executive version of the report to explore how the 12 ethical controls can help your organisation adopt AI responsibly, support educators, protect learners and remain committed to your educational mission.

About Educate Ventures Research

Educate Ventures Research (EVR) is an innovative boutique consultancy and training provider dedicated to helping education organisations leverage AI to unlock insights, enhance learning and drive positive outcomes and impact.​

Its mission is to empower people to use AI safely to learn and thrive. EVR envisions a society in which intelligent, evidence-informed learning tools enable everyone to fulfil their potential, regardless of background, ability or context. Through its research, frameworks and partnerships, EVR continues to shape how AI can serve as a trusted companion in teaching and learning.

Find out more at educateventures.com

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

_

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com

Thinking about the Edtech Echo Chamber

Posted on by Miguel Rivera

Educational technology is often seen as a straightforward solution to teaching challenges. Yet, beneath the surface lies a complex dynamic. Who ultimately shapes educational technology? This piece explores the proximity between those who buy and sell edtech and the gap between these decision-makers and those who actually use it. This imbalance influences both innovation and pedagogy. 

Thinking about the Edtech Echo Chamber

Author: Prof John Traxler, UNESCO Chair, Commonwealth of Learning Chair and Academic Director of the Avallain Lab

Since joining Avallain and whilst continuing to work as a university professor, I have been reflecting on the nature of the edtech environment. My perspective is not only very generalised, subjective and impressionistic. It also overlooks major disturbances, most obviously the global pandemic, the alleged ‘pivot’ to digital learning and the global explosion of artificial intelligence, with its haphazard adoption in education.

Specifically, I have been thinking about the small informal community of people within the organisations of the education sectors who design, develop and sell dedicated edtech systems and other people who buy, install and maintain such systems. On behalf of their respective organisations, they are engaged in transactions that are highly focused, highly technical, highly complex and highly responsible. The members of this informal community, both ‘buyers’ and ‘sellers’, must, by the nature of their enormous expertise, share very similar backgrounds, values, language, ideas and influential personalities in order to be effective. Their experience suggests that in their careers they can change from ‘sellers’ or ‘buyers’ and back again several times. 

I suspect that they share a kind of groupthink that seems, certainly in their terms, to be productive, objective and transparent. By this, I mean that the buyers and sellers agree on what they should be discussing (and what not to discuss). This groupthink determines the direction of procurement and consequently focuses on making existing products and systems faster, bigger, cheaper, more secure, more attractive and more compliant, and builds on current perceived successes. 

The User Community

There is, however, another informal community involved, on the periphery of the informal edtech buyers and sellers community, namely that of teachers, lecturers, learners and students.

My worry is that because of differences in values, language, ideas and influential personalities, any discourse with these communities of teachers, lecturers, learners or students is much less efficient and effective. It is often perceived as partly mutually incomprehensible, characterised by one community or the other using concepts, methods, tools, values and references not wholly or confidently understood by the other.

As an example, many organisations using educational technology are trying to address equity, inclusion and diversity in their provision and their ethos. They may also be trying to promote different models or strategies for teaching and learning. Whilst the communities of teachers and lecturers know whom to involve to advance these initiatives within their own work, moving upstream and being able to articulate their needs in technically meaningful ways seems generally much more difficult. There is a chasm between ‘academic’ departments, doing the teaching, and ‘service’ departments, running the digital technology.

Obviously, issues like staff retraining, interoperability and managerial nervousness further limit the scope for systemic, as opposed to incremental, change. So do the business models of educational organisations and, for example, of education and academic publishers.

Horizon Scanning

I did consultancy for the UK NHS, National Health Service, some years ago, helping to improve their edtech ‘horizon scanning’ capacity, and whilst it is possible to develop methods and tools for this, I now worry that the problem is the possible inability to break out of the groupthink, out of the accepted views, of the community in question. At the time, I expressed this slightly differently, saying it was easy to see innovations on the horizon coming straight at you, but the challenge was to spot the relevance of those on the horizon, appearing further off to the left or way off to the right. Again, there is a difference between ‘hard’ technical stuff on the horizon and ‘soft’ educational stuff.  

There might be a connection between these observations about horizon scanning and other work on tools and methods to support brainstorming, which attempt to generate new ideas within a community as opposed to recognising ideas outside the community and on the horizon.  

I might be equating the groupthink of various closed but informal groups with the ideas about paradigms, scientific or otherwise, but in a practical sense, I wondered how we promote the ‘paradigm shifts’ that bring about dramatic but benign or beneficial transformation. In short, where do new products come from?

Breaking the Edtech Echo Chamber

In conclusion, I am attempting to make a case that the people buying and selling educational technology often understand each other much better than they understand the people using it, and thus educational technology is driven by technology push (or technological determinism) rather than pedagogy pull. 

I think this builds in some pedagogic conservatism. There might be other reasons or perspectives, but this gap remains a critical challenge. 

The future of educational technology depends on breaking down silos and aligning the expertise of buyers and sellers with the lived needs of educators and learners. Together, fostering shared language and values will empower all stakeholders to participate in shaping tools that genuinely enhance education.

1 Perhaps this current piece could be reworked to address these two issues but I think both have served to reinforce existing attitudes and values, and that pronouncements of systemic transformation may be premature or overstated or misleading.

2 But clearly this can only be impressions and could never be based on anything purporting to be ‘scientific’ or ‘objective’. 

3 I think in fact I am saying this community articulates and represents a ‘paradigm’ as defined by Thomas S. Kuhn in his 1974 short paper Second Thoughts on Paradigms (available online at https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq/media/lectures/10/10_2019_02_17!07_45_06_PM.pdf), albeit a modest one compared to Darwinian evolution, heliocentric astronomy or even object-oriented programming.

4 There is also a factor understood in requirements engineering about the human incapacity to answer questions about the future; ask customers or users what they would like in the future and they will reply, what they already have but faster. This too builds in conservatism. Fortunately, there are various better techniques to elicit future requirements from customers or users. 

5 Characterised on one side by fairly generalised, abstract and social ideas and values and on the other by specific, concrete and technical ideas and values, though it is difficult for this characterisation to be objective and neutral.

6 It could be the grand ‘connectivist’ conceptions of the early ideologically driven MOOCs or merely flipped learning, self-directed learning, critical digital literacy, project-based learning, situated learning and so on.

7 Which might explain why most universities and colleges seem stuck in the digital technology of the 1990s, namely the VLE/LMS and the networked desktop computer, in spite of the ubiquity of social media and personal technologies.

8 Defined here as the ability of different hardware and software systems with different roles within a complex organisation to work together.

9 ‘Horizon scanning’ is the activity of intercepting and interpreting ideas that are emergent, unformed, unclear and then seeing their practical relevance ahead of colleagues and competitors. There are various methods and for the NHS we attempted to synthesise and validate a method from those already in government departments, universities and corporations.

10 Thinking of Teflon and Post-Its.

About Avallain

At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.

Find out more at avallain.com

About TeacherMatic

TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.

Find out more at teachermatic.com

_ 

Contact:

Daniel Seuling

VP Client Relations & Marketing

dseuling@avallain.com