Tech in EdTech

Student engagement is a top priority in K12, yet teachers, students, and district leaders rarely agree on what it actually looks like or how to measure it. Brian Shaw, CEO of Discovery Education, shares new findings from their Education Insights Report, including a striking gap between how students and adults perceive engagement. We explore the signals that matter, how AI can free teachers to focus on students, and what it takes to scale a great pilot into district-wide success. Read the Education Insights Report at https://www.discoveryeducation.com/education-insights/

Learn more about Discovery Education: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/

Joel Kupperstein, Chief Product Officer at Project Lead The Way, shares field‑tested product principles for K–12. He explains why “easier before better” should be every product leader’s mantra, how empathy beats features, and what decades of experience have taught him about building tools teachers actually adopt. The conversation tackles AI’s rapid spread, with practical uses in teacher support, student personalization, and development workflows.

What does it take to shift from degrees to skills-based hiring while tackling the AI skills gap? Lydia Logan, VP of Global Education and Workforce Development at IBM, joins host Laura Hakala to discuss how IBM’s SkillsBuild program and its culture of lifelong learning are helping close global skills gaps. She shares what it takes to build responsible AI guardrails, maintain meaningful digital credentials, and design learning that actually drives employability. A sharp and practical conversation for anyone shaping university partnerships or workforce development programs.

What turns “edutainment” into real learning that lasts? Clarence Tan, co-founder of Boddle Learning, shares how thoughtful game design can keep students engaged without losing instructional focus. He unpacks strategies to reduce cognitive load, signals districts should track to judge impact, and the AI guardrails that keep student data safe. The conversation also explores what makes rollouts smoother and adoption stick, with lessons any K-12 product team can apply.

What does it take to put career services at the center of the college experience? Christine Cruz‑Vergara, Chief Education Strategy Officer at Handshake, joins Eric Stano to unpack why higher ed’s value is under pressure, what today’s students expect, and how campuses can respond to close the trust‑usage gap. Christine shares what Handshake is seeing in student behavior and pragmatic ways to integrate GenAI across disciplines.

Students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences are often underserved by traditional school systems. Diana Heldfond, Founder and CEO of Parallel Learning, joins Tech In EdTech to unpack how edtech can help close that gap. Drawing from both personal and professional expertise, Diana shares how districts can deliver precision interventions, measure real outcomes, and use AI responsibly without losing the human judgment that special education requires. The conversation also looks at design thinking with a neurodiverse lens, showing how solutions built for diverse learners can benefit everyone.

As AI, automation, and talent shortages reshape the future of work, Bijal Shah, CEO of Guild, offers a clear, practical roadmap for building teams that bend, but don’t break. In this episode, she shares how to support frontline talent, track the real ROI of learning programs, and build a workforce that adapts, evolves, and drives business forward. If you're focused on aligning learning pathways to real jobs and measurable outcomes, this conversation delivers insights you won’t want to miss.

Vadim Polikov, CEO of Legends of Learning, joins Dipesh Jain to explore what it takes to make game-based learning effective in K–12. He breaks down the difference between gamification and true game-based learning, the importance of curriculum alignment, and how AI is driving personalization and collaboration across edtech tools.

In this episode, Adam Reid, Online CTE Teacher at Anchorage School District, joins Sean Strathy and talks about what it takes to run effective virtual Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. He shares insights from his  unique approach at his school district in Alaska, balancing course breadth with access, using industry partnerships to enrich learning, and why sparking student curiosity often matters more than certification. A valuable listen for curriculum developers, edtech leaders, and district decision-makers navigating the future of CTE.