TABLE2: Why Shared Language Matters in Education Technology

What happens when districts, vendors, and policymakers use the same words—but mean entirely different things? Through Moving with the Mission, our efforts revealed a surprising truth: even foundational terms (i.e., direct instruction, indirect service, behavior intervention) carry vastly different meanings across stakeholder groups. This session examines how language barriers in educational technology hinder progress and unintentionally perpetuate inconsistencies. We’ll share key findings from our national study, which captures how school systems and EdTech companies define critical terms and how those misalignment affect procurement, implementation, and trust. In this session, we’ll explore how these misalignment create friction in procurement, product development, and policy, and how the Common Education Context (CEC) framework offers a critical step toward shared understanding.