The EdTech Playbook
A Must-Read Guide for Strategic EdTech Leadership
At HeadteacherChat, we review numerous titles aimed at supporting school leaders with pedagogy, leadership, and school improvement. The EdTech Playbook is one of the most practically useful and timely resources we’ve come across for navigating the complex landscape of educational technology.
Authored by Mark Anderson and Olly Lewis,both experienced senior leaders and widely respected figures in the EdTech space, this book provides an honest, evidence-informed approach to embedding technology meaningfully within schools.
Key Strengths
Clear Implementation Frameworks
Rather than promote technology for its own sake, the book takes a grounded look at why EdTech initiatives so often fail, referencing real-world failures such as the LAUSD iPad rollout. The authors then present powerful frameworks, including:
* TPACK, which integrates technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge
* The 5 Cs of Digital Cognition: Confidence, Competence, Cognisance, Consistency, and Community
* A reimagined approach to change management based on stakeholder engagement and sustainability
Honest Post-Pandemic Reflections
The authors reflect candidly on the lessons of the pandemic, particularly around CPD, digital equity, and readiness. They argue persuasively that many schools risk losing valuable progress made during this period unless digital strategy becomes a core part of long-term planning.
Practical Advice for School Leaders
Leadership chapters are among the most valuable. Topics such as online safety, digital culture, strategic vendor engagement, and creating student/staff ambassador roles are tackled with clarity. The advice is actionable and well-suited to both individual schools and multi-academy trusts.
Subject-Specific Guidance
Unlike many technology-focused books, The EdTech Playbook includes discipline-specific advice for English, maths, science, humanities, and modern foreign languages. This section is ideal for subject leaders and curriculum planners looking to connect strategy with practice.
Final Reflections
This book is not a sales pitch for the latest apps. It is a sober, strategic, and thoughtful guide for school leaders who wish to use technology to support learning, reduce workload, and improve outcomes. It is also refreshingly critical of unproven fads, while still offering optimism about what’s possible when technology is applied well.
The EdTech Playbook is an essential read for school leaders who want a strategic, sustainable, and evidence-based approach to educational technology.
Verdict
Highly recommended for headteachers, digital leads, SLT members, and MAT executives who are serious about integrating EdTech into their long-term vision for teaching and learning.