Great ideas come from listening to your target audience. See why research and customer advocacy belong at the heart of your go-to-market strategy.
Great ideas come from listening to your target audience. See why research and customer advocacy belong at the heart of your go-to-market strategy.
July 8, 2025 • 0 comments

Voice & Vision: Using Market Research to Grow Your Business

Insights on Everything EdTech

Welcome to The EdTech Pulse, your ultimate guide to staying ahead of the curve with the latest trends and innovations in education technology, K-12, higher education, and workforce development. With each edition, we provide fresh industry news, insightful analysis, and valuable resources to empower you to make proactive, informed decisions. 

This month, we explore how market research and advocacy-driven marketing can work together to elevate your strategy. We’ll consider the importance of understanding what truly matters to your audience, then use those insights to drive authentic engagement, smarter outreach, and lasting connections in higher ed.

Never miss a beat – subscribe now and be at the forefront of the dynamic world of EdTech and beyond!

Industry News

Funding
  • Proposed cuts to Pell Grants could reshape college access. A House GOP budget plan would limit eligibility and awards for many low-income students. Higher ed leaders cite concerns about affordability. Read the full story here. 
  • Education Department delays Title funding. Nearly $6.2 billion in federal grants for English learner and after-school programs is being withheld pending a federal review. Read more here.
  • Publishers embrace digital-first strategies. At the EdTechX Summit, industry leaders discussed how AI makes education content creation more cost-effective, while emphasizing the need for careful editorial oversight. Read about it here.
Innovation, Trends, & Tools
  • MIT study links early student ChatGPT use to reduced brain activity. New research suggests using ChatGPT at the start of the writing process may reshape the function of young brains and limit creativity in student work. Explore the study here.
  • Teachers seek AI tools to support, not replace, their roles. There’s a growing demand for AI to assist in personalizing learning. However, teachers remain cautious about AI in grading and decision-making. Explore the findings here. 
  • Major tech companies pledge support for AI education. Over 60 organizations have committed to expanding AI resources, curriculum, and teacher training. Read more about the White House initiative here.

The Inside Scoop

Building edtech that works starts with listening. Engaging educators early, and keeping the feedback flowing, is the key to creating products that truly fit classroom needs. Ready to put users at the center of your product development? Watch this!

Featuring Nicole Lang, Director of Market Insights and Growth at Partner in Publishing.

Office Hours

A recurring look at what we’re hearing from educators, edtech leaders, and decision-makers, and how those conversations are shaping what comes next.

The Importance of Conversation & Connection

This week, we’re reflecting on the intersection between thoughtful market research and customer advocacy. Right now, AI is everywhere, and edtech vendors are racing to integrate it into their products. With the AI revolution taking classrooms by storm, it’s important that we’re asking educators the most essential question: what do they actually want to see in these products? How can new features help and not hinder? 

In our recent podcast, @Nicole Dingley, VP of Marketing at @Ad Astra, frames customer advocacy as power sharing. “We’re working in tandem with you to keep recognizing what goals you have and how those goals are changing, so that we can solution together and come up with better ideas,” she says, in her conversation with @Lisa March. “People want to be seen for what they represent and they want to be seen for their challenges.”

When tech is feature-ridden, rather than speaking in terms of how we can help or problems we could solve, customers don’t feel seen. The product isn’t helping anyone. So, the product doesn’t sell. 

A recent EdSurge article echoes this mindset. Experts interviewed teachers to ask about their preferences. At the end of the day, educators tell us themselves: they want to see AI help with time-consuming, repetitive tasks, not those that require relationship-building or human judgement. 

The clear line in the sand is relationships. At Partner in Publishing, we talk to customers. Interviewing and focus groups are key, and conversations are a critical component of our PIP Insights Team, led by @Nicole Lang. By sitting down with educators to discuss how edtech tools can support meaningful work in the classroom, we develop actionable insights. Based on feedback, our clients shape what they do with their products in a way that’s grounded in the true needs of the customer. 

Until next time, thanks for reading The EdTech Pulse.

For the Educators

We offer paid opportunities for educators to participate in market research that will help transform educational tools. Opt-in here to learn more.

Upcoming Conferences

PIP Announcements

Don’t miss our latest episode of EdTech Elevated! 🎧

Our newest podcast episode, “From Insight to Impact: Nicole Dingley on Advocacy-Driven Marketing in Higher Ed,” covers how customer advocacy can fuel pipeline growth, shape marketing efforts, and build lasting partnerships in higher ed. From uncovering real challenges facing institutions to translating those insights into meaningful marketing and product direction, Nicole offers a practical and mission-driven approach to connecting with customers.

Listen here:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/62pn2PC340uEvhq7subojj?si=lOSylGDNTyyWQn-HtRkDhQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-insight-to-impact-nicole-dingley-on-advocacy-driven/id1761245502?i=1000714347997

Thanks for reading!

Don’t forget to subscribe to stay informed on the latest education insights and updates, helping you stay ahead in the increasingly competitive field of education technology.
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