Educational Technology
Education for a Better World
The Hearth has developed a reputation for identifying and bringing to market innovation that works. We discriminate between product and service offering and find educational technologies that address critical areas within their systems, from unique forms of instructional delivery and online learning to data management and accountability tools. We advise investors as well as technology companies in multiple segments like strategic planning, research and development, and formulating market-entry strategies.
The reason for the success of our approach to design and innovation is our process, Design Thinking, that enables the creation of leading technology-assisted learning communities for the future. The institutions are dynamic, adaptive, self-organising systems, not only capable but inherently designed to renew themselves and to grow and change. Our Design Thinking is about having an intentional process to get to new, relevant solutions that create a positive impact on institutions. It is a process for transforming difficult challenges into opportunities for education innovation, using appropriate technologies in appropriate contexts for appropriate outcomes.
The process is collaborative and benefits significantly from the views of multiple perspectives. Key to the process is experimentation: bringing ideas to life. Building prototypes means making ideas tangible, learning while building them and sharing them with other people in the process. Also significant is evolution: the development of the concept over time. It involves planning next steps, communicating the idea to people involved, and documenting the process.
The Hearth has previously incubated, developed and sold companies relating to online and distance learning. We have helped investors find value in educational ventures, and invested in solutions that include English-language learning, classroom and teacher assistant tools, student learning technologies, knowledge management and ERP/course management/learning management solutions.
