Episode description

As our education systems begin returning to a ‘new normal’ after the pandemic, the lessons of the last year are informing changes and innovations in the industry. Joining host JW Marshall, Laura Neville, Chief Product Officer, EVERFI, a leading ed-tech company, delves into the impact of the pandemic and what EVERFI is doing to fine-tune their products and prepare for the future. “We don’t just build once and release to the market, we’re constantly upgrading and updating and as we’re able to innovate we’ll do that,” Neville said.

EVERFI is dedicated to creating interesting and engaging digital curriculums for today’s learners whether they’re K-12 or adults in need of continuing education. “You’ve got to meet the learner where they are but more importantly you’ve got to be quick about what you’re trying to teach and you need to design super interesting experiences that learners can identify with,” Neville said. Leveraging user feedback from students and teachers, combined with back-end data collection is essential to creating these meaningful educational experiences. “We don’t just build once and release to the market, we’re constantly upgrading and updating and as we’re able to innovate we’ll do that,” Neville said.

Neville and EVERFI have a substantial and robust curriculum in the social and emotional space and are expanding into mental wellness. Among the top three concerns of their network of teachers, the mental health space is particularly important for recovering from the disruptions of the last year.

When it comes to learning materials and professional development for adults, Neville goes into depth on how these “snackable” curriculum modules need to be bite-sized and engaging through text, interactivity, video, and motion graphics. According to Neville, “Our goal is that our users aren’t just learning something but they feel equipped so they can go take action.”