Stop Guessing, Start Mapping: Tech Mapping & Measurement Matrix

Start Mapping: Tech Matrix to Simplify EdTech Decisions

When finding the right tech to align with your learning goals, not all tools may effectively teach to your goals. By building a technology matrix, learning designers can better match tools to learning objectives for smarter teaching with technology. I created this technology matrix  to align each tech tool to your specific learning objectives, ensuring technology serves pedagogy, not the other way around.

Maybe you’ve spent hours searching for the “perfect” tool to engage your learners, only to find out halfway through the semester that it’s inaccessible to some students, doesn’t integrate with your LMS, or creates more confusion than learning. Sound familiar?

In today’s rapidly expanding landscape of educational technology, new apps and platforms appear almost daily, promising to revolutionize learning. But without a clear process for evaluating their impact, it’s easy to mistake innovation for improvement. That’s where a technology matrix comes in, with a structured way to ensure that every tool you adopt supports your learning objectives and truly enhances the student experience.

The process begins by clearly defining what learners should know or do by the end of a lesson or program. Once objectives are established, the matrix helps evaluate potential tools across several dimensions: pedagogical alignment, technical usability, accessibility, reliability, cost, privacy, and security.

By entering these considerations into the matrix, educators can systematically compare tools rather than relying on anecdotal preferences or vendor promises. The result is a data-informed, learner-centered approach to technology selection that promotes equity, engagement, and measurable learning outcomes.

1. Start with Purpose: Define Your Learning Objectives

Before choosing any technology, articulate why you’re using it. What should learners know, do, or create by the end of the lesson or course? The best tools don’t just add interactivity- they directly support measurable learning outcomes.

2. Establish Evaluation Criteria

Next, evaluate each tool through multiple lenses:

• Pedagogical alignment: Does it support your instructional strategy?

• Technical usability:  Can both instructors and learners use it easily?

• Accessibility: Does it meet WCAG or ADA standards? See below for mindful reminders.

• Reliability & Integration: Does it function consistently and work with your LMS?

• Cost, Privacy & Security: Is it sustainable, compliant, and ethically sound?

These criteria ensure that you assess tools holistically, not just based on features or aesthetics.

3. Accessibility Issues (See *Accessibility* Issues Below)

4. Populate and Weigh Your Options

Add potential tools to your matrix, noting how well each meets the criteria above. Assign weights to the categories based on what matters most for your course; pedagogical impact might outweigh cost, for example.

5. Analyze and Decide

Once completed, the matrix becomes a visual representation of your decision-making process. It makes your selection transparent, evidence-based, and defensible. This can be ideal for accreditation, quality reviews, or departmental collaboration.

6. Reflect and Iterate

Technology evolves quickly, and so do learners’ needs. Revisit your matrix regularly to update tools, criteria, and results. Over time, it becomes not just a decision tool but a living record of your instructional innovation.

When considering the accessibility of the tool, use the below as accessibility guidelines for new apps or tools before adopting them into your learning environment:

In short, the technology matrix is more than a spreadsheet; it’s a thinking tool. It helps educators shift from asking “Which tool is the best?” to “Which tool best supports this learning goal?”

Try it out here: [Open the Technology Matrix Template →]

Use the [Technology Matrix Template →] http://bit.ly/4h6n643 to explore potential tools, weigh your priorities, and make confident decisions that enhance your teaching. 

*Common *Accessibility* Issues in New or Popular Tools

𝤿Missing or Inconsistent Text Alternatives (Alt Text)

• Example: Image-based content creation tools like Canva (free version) or Google Jamboard often lack the ability to add proper alt text for images or decorative visuals.

• Why it matters: Learners using screen readers won’t know what the visual represents, losing access to instructional meaning.

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𝤿Poor Keyboard Navigation

• Example: Many interactive quiz tools (like Kahoot! or some H5P activities) aren’t fully keyboard-navigable.

• Why it matters: Students who use assistive devices or can’t use a mouse may not be able to complete activities.

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𝤿 Inaccessible Video Players or Missing Captions

• Example: Loom, Panopto, and even YouTube rely on auto-captions that may contain major transcription errors if not edited.

• Why it matters: Deaf or hard-of-hearing learners (and non-native speakers) miss important information.

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𝤿 Inadequate Color Contrast or Reliance on Color Alone

• Example: Miro or Padlet templates often use pastel text or rely on color-coding for meaning.

• Why it matters: Students with color vision deficiencies may not distinguish categories or instructions.

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𝤿 No Heading Structure or Semantic Markup

• Example: Some Google Workspace tools (like Google Sites or Forms) don’t allow true hierarchical heading levels (H1, H2, etc.) that screen readers rely on to navigate.

• Why it matters: Screen reader users can’t skim content efficiently.

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𝤿 Unlabeled Buttons and Icons

• Example: Certain interactive simulations (e.g., older PhET models or AI chatbot plug-ins) have icons that lack ARIA labels or text equivalents.

• Why it matters: Screen readers will announce “button” instead of the function (e.g., “play,” “submit,” or “next”).

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𝤿 Time-Limited Interactions Without Adjustment Options

• Example: Timed quiz tools like Quizizz or Kahoot! may not allow extra time or pause features.

• Why it matters: Learners who process more slowly or use assistive devices are at a disadvantage.

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𝤿 Non-Responsive or Fixed Layouts

• Example: Some older or free tools (e.g., legacy SCORM content or outdated learning games) are not mobile-responsive.

• Why it matters: Learners using tablets, phones, or screen magnifiers may struggle to view or interact with the content.

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𝤿 Limited Screen Reader Compatibility

• Example: Newer AI-driven apps or chatbots often use dynamic content that doesn’t announce updates to assistive technologies (ARIA-live regions missing).

• Why it matters: Users with visual impairments don’t know when the screen changes or when new info appears.

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𝤿 Inaccessible File Formats

• Example: Some tools export only image-based PDFs or PPTs without selectable text or tagged reading order.

• Why it matters: Screen readers can’t interpret image-only files.

🧩 Accessibility Gaps in EdTech Tools – Review Matrix

Accessibility Issue	Example Tool(s)	Impact Severity	Possible Workaround / Fix
Missing or inconsistent alt text	Canva (free version), Google Jamboard	🔴 High	Provide descriptive captions in surrounding text or use tools that allow alt text (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Docs).
Poor keyboard navigation	Kahoot!, H5P drag-and-drop	🔴 High	Offer alternative quiz formats (e.g., non-timed, text-based forms) or provide screen reader–friendly versions.
Auto-captions only (no editing)	Loom, YouTube, Panopto	🟠 Medium–High	Always review and edit captions; upload corrected caption files (VTT or SRT).
Low color contrast or color-dependent meaning	Miro, Padlet	🟠 Medium	Use contrast checkers (e.g., WebAIM) and pair color with icons or text labels for meaning.
No heading structure / missing semantic markup	Google Sites, Google Forms	🟠 Medium	Add headings manually where possible, or include text-based outlines alongside embedded tools.
Unlabeled buttons or icons	PhET simulations, AI chat plug-ins	🔴 High	Add clear text instructions nearby or provide accessible alternative paths for interaction.
Time-limited interactions	Quizizz, Kahoot!	🟠 Medium–High	Allow untimed mode or share a downloadable version of the quiz content.
Fixed or non-responsive layouts	Legacy SCORM modules, older web apps	🟠 Medium	Test on mobile and enlarge text using browser zoom; rebuild outdated content in responsive design tools.
Limited screen reader compatibility	AI chatbots, dynamic dashboards	🔴 High	Provide static text summaries or accessible transcripts of content updates.
Inaccessible file exports (image-only PDFs)	Canva, certain LMS quiz exports	🟠 Medium	Export as tagged PDFs or copy content into accessible HTML/Word format.