Reciprocal relations: curriculum, markets, and edtech brokering in Norwegian schools

This paper examines how edtech companies legitimise, create and shape digital services and content for Norwegian K–12 (In Norway this refers to years 1–13) education. Since 2006, digital skills have been defined as one of five basic skills in the Norwegian national curriculum. As a result, local education authorities have, for almost two decades, procured computer hardware, software and services from edtech intermediaries to meet curriculum requirements. In this context, three kinds of intermediaries have emerged, associated respectively with local education authorities, the edtech industry and traditional publishing houses. Data were collected through interviews with representatives from these three intermediary groups. We discuss the characteristics of their different brokering activities. Our findings suggest that the curriculum, as a governing document, establishes boundaries for brokering activities and creates a reciprocal relationship between the different intermediaries. The paper concludes by proposing analytical directions for further research on edtech brokering.