The Importance of Connecting Your Product to Frameworks about Teaching Practices
A teaching practice framework is a research-based, comprehensive model of effective instructional strategies proven to enhance student learning outcomes. For education technology products, using such a framework as a scaffold for functionality and support helps educators understand how and why a product can improve their instruction and students’ learning experiences. By aligning with these frameworks, edtech companies can ensure their tools are not only research-backed but also intuitive for educators to integrate into their teaching processes.
The Danielson Framework: A Structured Approach to Effective Teaching
One of the most widely recognized teaching practice frameworks is the Danielson Framework for Teaching. Drawing on academic research about pedagogy and instruction, the framework organizes 22 components of effective teaching practices into four core domains:
- Planning and Preparation – Designing effective instruction based on student needs.
- The Classroom Environment – Establishing a culture of learning.
- Instruction – Implementing research-based teaching strategies.
- Professional Responsibilities – Engaging in continuous professional growth.
Each of these domains is backed by extensive research and provides educators with clear, actionable strategies to enhance their teaching effectiveness. Adopted by numerous states and school districts nationally, the Danielson Framework provides a common language for discussing effective teaching and promotes reflection and instructional coaching.
When the strategies and practices are meaningfully integrated into a product, it can lead to higher educator engagement, more frequent use, and become part of an educator’s essential daily practice. One example of this is TeachingChannel.com, a client of ours for our expertise in product and technology strategy. TeachingChannel.com leverages the Danielson Framework to support professional development through its video coaching platform. The platform facilitates communities of practice by tagging over 1,500 videos that model various components of the framework, providing educators with tangible examples of effective teaching practices in action. These videos serve as an invaluable resource for teachers looking to refine their instruction through real-world demonstrations, reinforcing professional growth and collaboration among educators.
Facilitating Educator-Centered Professional Practices
To drive adoption and engagement in educational technology, it is crucial to focus on educator-centered professional practices. Teaching practice frameworks provide an excellent means to achieve this by ensuring that your product aligns with and incorporates where possible research-based instructional strategies, making it more valuable for educators. By addressing how your solution supports these frameworks in onboarding new adoptions and in ongoing professional development, you enable educators to see how your solution helps them improve their professional practice and, ultimately, improve student achievement.
Other Models to Consider
The Marzano Art and Science of Teaching framework is another influential model rooted in seminal research on effective instructional strategies. While originally designed to improve instructional practices, it has evolved into more of an educator evaluation framework rather than a practitioner-centered tool for professional growth. This shift has led to some criticism, as educators often don’t seek out tools that assess and report on their performance. Instead, educators want tools that give them agency over their professional growth without the stress of evaluation so that they can focus on the individual needs of their students.
In contrast, the CEL 5D+ model prioritizes instructional improvement through collaboration between administrators and educators. This approach fosters professional growth as a shared responsibility, reinforcing a community of practice where continuous improvement is the norm. Unlike evaluation-heavy models, CEL 5D+ encourages active discussions, feedback loops, and adaptive instructional strategies that promote long-term teacher effectiveness.
No matter which model you consider, focusing on and incorporating educator-centered professional practices into your product is an excellent means to facilitate user adoption and engagement of any educational technology.