Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Learning Technology Directory (LTD), and how does it work?
The LTD is a self-service registry where edtech organizations can share their company and product information with industry repositories, schools, districts, and marketplaces. In addition to basic information such as grade level, subject area, and technical requirements, product profiles can link to select badges and certifications.
After registering, organizations will receive a unique learning technology identifier (ULTID) for their products. This numerical code can be shared with partners in the edtech industry, allowing for efficient and consistent information exchange.
Product teams can then manage and update all their product information in the LTD whenever they need to.
The LTD will power various repositories of information, including the
EdTech Index, a free platform to support educators discovery and selection of high-quality products.
Products rapidly evolve to address users’ needs, but communicating updates takes time. The LTD streamlines the process, making it easier to identify and share features and new information with districts, schools, state DOEs, and other organizations who need curated lists of products. By improving information consistency and transfer efficiency across educational organizations, solution providers can more effectively promote or sell their product.
How is the LTD different from other edtech product registries?The Learning Technology Directory provides a streamlined way for edtech company representatives to manage and update their product records across various lists across the industry using the ULTID. Organizations will be able to share this product record with other industry repositories as well as schools and districts directly through an API.
Why does my company need a ULTID for my learning technology products?The unique learning technology identifier (ULTID) helps education solution providers access and share data across the entire edtech ecosystem, streamlining transactions, improving the consistency of product information, and making it easier for buyers to compare products and make purchasing decisions.
Who can have an account in the Learning Technology Directory?Any company or organization that provides a learning technology product (application, software, platform, hardware, or service) that is designed to provide direct benefits to the education field.
How will schools, districts, and DOEs access my information?By entering your information into the LTD, eligible products will be pulled into the new EdTech Index, a platform openly available to educators, schools, and districts for discovering high quality learning technology solutions. It will also feature enhanced profiles featuring product certifications and badges by trusted certifying organizations in the field, which will also be powered by the API from the LTD. We will also be working with districts who will pull product information directly from the LTD to populate their proprietary repositories or manage approved product lists within their system.
What types of information can be added to the directory?Solution providers can fill out all the relevant and basic information about their products with new fields for showcasing product certifications, badges, integrations, etc. being added all the time.
How will the LTD manage information related to third parties?There is no resource currently available that pulls basic product information and certification data together in one place to help facilitate and support decision-making on multiple dimensions. ISTE is partnering with select organizations to showcase third-party certifications and badges that have been earned by solution providers.
What is the difference between the ISTE LTD, the ULTID, and the EdTech Index?The Learning Technology Directory is the central registry where organizations will record company and product information. The Product Index is a front-facing repository where educational decision makers can view the information from the LTD. In order to share the information found in the LTD, products will be given a unique identifier (the ULTID).
How much does it cost to be included in the LTD?There will be no cost for companies to register their products in the LTD.
How can my organization register for the LTD, and who can I contact for more information?To register for the Learning Technology Directory and receive your ULTID, click on
this link and follow the steps to register. If you need more information, please email
ltd-info@iste.org