User Research in EdTech: Listening to Learn

The Multi-Stakeholder Challenge

A student wants engagement. A parent wants results. A teacher wants efficiency. An institution wants scalability.

The same product feature can be evaluated completely differently by each stakeholder:

Observing vs. Asking

Some of my most valuable insights came not from interviews, but from observation.

At Avanti Learning Centres, I watched students interact with learning materials in real-time. Their body language told stories their words wouldn't:

The Articulation Gap

Learners, especially younger ones, often can't articulate what they need. They'll tell you they want "more fun" when what they actually need is more scaffolding. They'll say content is "boring" when it's actually pitched at the wrong level.

Bridging this gap requires:

1. Triangulating data sources — Combine behavioral data, qualitative feedback, and learning outcomes

2. Testing hypotheses, not opinions — Let data resolve stakeholder conflicts

3. Building feedback loops — Make research continuous, not episodic

Research as Product Intuition

After nearly a decade in EdTech, user research has become less about formal studies and more about cultivated intuition.

You develop a sense for what will resonate. You recognize patterns across different user segments. You know which feedback to prioritize and which to set aside.

But that intuition only works if it's constantly refreshed by staying close to users. The moment you stop listening, you stop learning. And in EdTech, that's the one thing you can't afford.