Research
Research
Gregarious is built on doctoral research.
EdTech Fatigue
Most teachers don't resist technology because they're behind the times. They resist because they've been burned — by platforms that promised everything, delivered mandates, and disappeared in two years. That resistance is rational. Gregarious is built on doctoral research that takes that resistance seriously.
The EdTech Fatigue Scale
The platform measures its own effectiveness through the EdTech Fatigue Scale — a 12-item, 7-point Likert instrument (composite 12-84) measuring whether teachers trust and use the tool over time, not just whether it was installed on their devices. N ≈ 280-300 secondary teachers in the pilot study.
Dissertation research approved under IRB #2025-0847 at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Research-informed design throughout.
What the Scale Measures
The EdTech Fatigue Scale captures four dimensions of teacher technology resistance:
- Implementation Burden — time cost, training debt, workflow disruption
- Platform Churn — how many tools have been adopted and abandoned
- Trust Erosion — belief that any new tool will follow the same cycle
- Autonomy Loss — feeling that technology decisions are made for teachers, not with them
Higher composite scores indicate greater fatigue. The instrument is designed to predict adoption resistance before a rollout fails — not after.
What International Data Says About Screens
Large-scale international studies consistently show that more screen time in early grades correlates with worse outcomes, not better:
- OECD PISA (2023) — Students who spent more than one hour per day on devices in school scored significantly lower in mathematics. The report explicitly warned against uncritical technology adoption.
- TIMSS (IEA) — Across 60+ countries, moderate device use showed small positive effects; heavy use was associated with lower achievement in math and science.
- PIRLS (IEA) — Early readers who relied primarily on digital text showed weaker comprehension than those who read physical books with teacher guidance.
This is why Gregarious targets grades 5-12. Younger children learn best through books, conversation, movement, and hands-on instruction. Our platform picks up where that developmental foundation ends.
Growth Above Replacement
The GAR metric measures teacher impact the way baseball measures player impact: how much better are outcomes with this teacher versus a replacement? It gives teachers credit for what they actually do, adjusted for the students they actually have.
Gregarious as a Dissertation Instrument
Gregarious is not just an EdTech product. It is a research instrument designed to test a hypothesis: that a platform built around teacher autonomy, transparent data practices, and the bifurcated mastery/creation model can reduce EdTech Fatigue scores over a semester of use.
The platform collects anonymized usage telemetry alongside periodic EdTech Fatigue Scale administrations to measure whether design decisions that respect teacher expertise and student developmental readiness produce different adoption patterns than the industry norm.
IRB-Informed Design Principles
Every feature is designed with research ethics in mind:
- Informed Consent — Students and parents provide explicit consent before any data collection begins. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
- Data Minimization — We collect only what the research requires. Student names are stripped from all AI-processed data.
- FERPA Compliance — All student data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Row-level security prevents cross-student access.
- Audit Logging — Every access to student data is logged and reviewable.
- No Deception — The platform does exactly what it says. There are no dark patterns, no engagement manipulation, no hidden data sales.
Research Collaboration
If you are a researcher studying EdTech adoption, teacher technology resistance, adaptive learning, or student screen time — we welcome collaboration. Gregarious generates data that may be useful to multiple lines of inquiry.
Dissertation research approved under IRB #2025-0847 at Notre Dame of Maryland University. For research inquiries, partnership proposals, or data sharing agreements, reach out through the contact form below.