Chalk and Code

Michael shares why he believes the traditional startup playbook often fails education founders and explains Transcend's alternative approach. Rather than treating founders as bets and pushing them toward fundraising too early, he advocates for strong founder communities, co-building with customers, transformative partnerships, and generating sustainable revenue before pursuing outside capital. He also explains why the rise of generative AI makes a compelling vision and deep understanding of customer problems more important than ever.

The conversation goes beyond products and funding to explore the human side of entrepreneurship. Michael discusses founder loneliness, the importance of protecting the 'soul' behind a company, and why founders need to be thoughtful about the first partnerships they build. If you're curious about what it takes to build an education company around meaningful transformation rather than simply selling another tool, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Moments

02:07 Why Transcend was created for education founders

05:15 Why founders cannot build successful companies alone

07:37 The problem with AI-generated products chasing weak pain points

11:28 Moving from product selling to collaborative visioning

14:58 Rethinking fundraising for early-stage education companies

17:59 Why founders should prove revenue before raising capital

18:53 Treating entrepreneurship as a skill that can be learned

22:53 Why lived experience can give edtech founders an advantage

26:00 Protecting the founder's 'soul' as a company grows

31:42 What the ocean can teach founders about fear and growth

33:35 Start with the uncomfortable truth you want to transform

35:18 A vision for thousands of founders building sustainable companies

Why You'll Love This Episode

This episode challenges the familiar startup formula of building a product, raising capital, and then searching for growth. Michael offers a different vision where founders build deep partnerships, stay close to the transformation they want to create, and develop sustainable businesses without losing sight of why they started.

Michael also shares:

- Why founders should think like facilitators and co-builders
- How customer partnerships can create an alternative to early fundraising
- Why lived experience matters when solving problems in education
- How discernment and strong partnerships can protect a founder's long-term vision

Connect with Michael Narea
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mnarea
Transcend Network: https://www.transcend-network.com/

Connect with Us

Company's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

Mark traces Amira's roots back to Carnegie Mellon University's Project LISTEN, an ambitious research effort that began in the 1990s and ultimately produced decades of research into intelligent reading tutoring. He explains why successful edtech has to balance engagement with measurable efficacy, how consistent dosage and alignment with classroom instruction can improve outcomes, and why Amira increasingly measures its impact against the same state assessments districts use to evaluate student progress.

Key Moments

06:34 Balancing student engagement with measurable efficacy
11:26 Why dosage and consistency matter for effective tutoring
14:15 The importance of implementation fidelity
15:05 Maximizing learning growth while minimizing screen time
20:15 Amira learns from millions of student reading interactions
23:40 Moving from independent reading to curriculum-aligned tutoring
26:21 Navigating content ownership, student data, and privacy
32:17 Why keeping humans in the loop creates important tradeoffs
36:41 Lessons from integrating Amira and Istation
44:38 Why outcomes-based contracting could reshape edtech

Why You'll Love This Episode

This conversation goes beyond the hype surrounding AI to examine what it actually takes to build educational technology that produces measurable learning outcomes.

Mark also shares:

- Why implementation matters as much as the technology itself
- How the right dosage can maximize learning without adding excessive screen time
- Why curriculum alignment can strengthen the impact of AI tutoring
- How Amira approaches student voice data and privacy
- Why edtech companies may need to become accountable for actual student outcomes

Connect with Mark Angel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-angel-0b6b3b1
Amira Learning: https://amiralearning.com/

Connect with Us

Company's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley speaks with Dora Palfi, Co-Founder and CEO of imagi Education, about rethinking coding and AI education for the next generation.

Dora shares how imagi began as a Kickstarter-backed programmable wearable designed to inspire girls to code and has grown into an AI-powered learning platform that helps students build creativity, confidence, and responsible technology skills.

Key Moments

05:39 Creating Meaningful Projects

09:04 Navigating post-Covid manufacturing challenges

11:06 Pivoting to focus on schools

13:30 Updating education policies for AI

18:47 Gender imbalance in tech startups

22:26 Bootstrapping and revenue focus

26:14 Balancing screen time in education

27:45 Importance of a growth mindset

Why You'll Love This Episode
This episode explores how coding, creativity, and AI literacy can come together to help students become builders, not just consumers, of technology.

Dora also shares:
Why AI education must protect student agency
How project-based learning builds motivation
Why teachers need more support to adapt to AI
How schools can prepare students for a future shaped by intelligent tools

Connect with Dora Palfi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorapalfi 
imagi Education: https://edu.imagilabs.com/ 

Connect with Us

Company's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley speaks with Allie Fuchs, Vice President of Product at Pathful, about how technology can bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real world of work.

Drawing on her experience as a former physics and algebra teacher and special education administrator in New Orleans, and later as a product leader at companies like Nearpod and Clever. Allie shares how Pathful is building tools that help students explore careers, develop relevant skills, and prepare for life after graduation.

Together, they discuss the growing urgency around career readiness, why exposure to real professionals is critical for students, and how Pathful’s platform connects career exploration, work-based learning, and workforce preparation into a single ecosystem for districts.

If you’re interested in how schools can help students make more informed career decisions and how edtech can support authentic learning experiences, this episode offers valuable insights into what it takes to prepare students for the future of work.

Key Moments

3:25 "Comprehensive Career Readiness Plan"

07:44 "Pathful: Bridging Industry and Education"

10:26 Realistic Career Insights and Tools

14:34 Thriving Wage Research for Students

16:45 "Career Skills Through Real Experience"

21:56 "Pathful Reporting and Insights"

26:08 AI Enhancing Career Readiness

31:00 Career Readiness Product Strategy

32:22 Early Career Readiness Matters

36:36 AI Career Platform for Houston

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode explores how career readiness technology can help students move beyond abstract career ideas toward practical, informed decision-making.

You’ll hear how Pathful is combining career exploration, financial literacy, work-based learning, and real industry connections to give students a clearer view of their future.

Allie also shares:

• Why students need exposure to careers long before graduation

• How the Lifestyle Calculator helps students understand real financial outcomes

• The importance of authentic career simulations before internships

• How schools can use career data to better plan programs and pathways

• Why equity in career readiness starts with access to real experiences

  
  

Connect with Allie Fuchs

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-fuchs-5a773b65 
• Pathful: https://www.pathful.com/ 

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Gilberto Pinzon, CEO and co-founder of Edu1st, to explore what it really means to transform a classroom into a thinking culture. A former surgeon turned education leader, Gilberto shares the story behind the VESS model (Vida, Equilibrio, Sentido, y Sabiduria) and why he and his co-founder, Ana Maria Fernandez, set out to redesign schooling around curiosity, metacognition, character, and purposeful learning.

Together, they unpack the shift from memorizing content to building understanding, how teachers evolve from lecturers to learning facilitators, and why cultural transformation in schools requires a multi-year commitment, not a one-time workshop.

From the promise and risks of AI in education to the real-world challenges schools face today (teacher shortages, shifting demographics, and rising competition), this conversation offers a grounded look at where learning is headed, and what we must protect as technology accelerates.

Key Moments

03:30 Rethinking Education for Balance

08:44 "Curiosity: The Essence of Learning"

10:08 "Fostering Curiosity for Lifelong Learning"

14:11 "Fostering Curiosity-Driven Learning"

18:05 "Understanding Success as a Process"

21:08 "Assessing Progress Through Cultural Forces"

24:23 "Personalized Learning Through Technology"

28:55 "Human Development vs. Technology"

31:34 "Concerns About Rapid Technology Impact"

34:48 Cognitive Decline and Technology Concerns

40:31 Preschool Industry Challenges in Florida

43:39 "AI's Impact and Challenges"

44:57 "Proactive Tech for Civilization's Future"


Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode challenges a familiar assumption: that education improves simply by adding more content, more testing, or more tools.

You will hear how Edu1st is helping schools build cultures of thinking where students ask better questions, learn how they learn, and develop the character needed to navigate real-life complexity.

Gilberto also shares:

• How VESS reframes education around purpose and balance
• Why curiosity is the engine of lifelong learning
• What “documentation” reveals about student thinking and growth
• How AI can support learning and what risks we cannot ignore
• Why the future demands we become “more human,” not less

Connect with Gilberto Pinzon

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbertopinzonedu1st/ 
• Edu1st: https://edu1stvess.com/ 

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jennilee Bertrand sits down with Jamie Forrest, Co-Founder and CTO of CourseMojo, to explore what it takes to build responsible AI for real classrooms.

Jamie shares how his background in AI engineering at Apple (Siri), his early experience teaching in Harlem, and the realities of COVID learning for his own kids shaped a clear philosophy: technology should support people, not the other way around.

Together, they unpack CourseMojo’s decision to keep AI mostly “behind the scenes,” how the platform helps students who are afraid to raise their hands get the support they need, and the systems CourseMojo uses to protect student privacy at scale — including never sending personally identifiable information to third-party AI models.

Key Moments

04:39 "Discovering Vellum in 2025"

09:27 "Technology Serving People, Not Vice Versa"

11:19 "AI Enhances, Not Replaces Teaching"

16:47 "LLMs in Education: Challenges Persist"

19:36 Interactive Teaching Worksheets Software

22:51 "Empowering 'I Don't Know'"

26:04 Enhancing Real-Time Teacher Insights

30:11 Student Data Privacy Commitment

32:39 "Ensuring AI Compliance with Laws"

36:14 LLMs Enhancing Education Analysis

38:13 "Using AI Intentionally for Good"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode gets specific about what “responsible AI” looks like in practice — not as a slogan, but as product choices teachers can feel.

You’ll hear how CourseMojo:

• Keeps teachers at the center by designing AI to support real classroom routines
• Helps students build confidence without public embarrassment
• Uses AI to surface actionable insights (grouping, discussion prompts, struggle spots)
• Treats privacy as a core engineering principle, not an afterthought
• Stays realistic about hallucinations, misuse, and the need for AI literacy

Connect with Jamie Forrest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieforrest/
Website: https://www.coursemojo.com/ 

Connect with Us
Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/ 

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk & Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Joe Cotter, Founder in Residence at Teaching Channel, to explore what it really takes to support teachers in a changing education landscape. A former middle school social studies teacher, Joe shares how his frustration with traditional continuing education led to the creation of Learners Edge, which grew into the largest direct-to-teacher continuing education company in the United States.

Joe unpacks the early days of building teacher-centered learning experiences before online learning became mainstream, and why practical application, energy, and relevance matter more than tests and papers. He also shares how the organization evolved through acquisitions into a broader ecosystem now known as K12 Coalition, with the Teaching Channel at the center of teacher development, coaching, and video-based learning.

If you're curious about what teachers actually need from professional learning, how education companies can build strong culture while scaling, and how AI will shape teaching without replacing the human connection at its core, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Moments

03:09 Building an Education Powerhouse

09:28 "Understanding Teachers and Their Needs"

13:57 "Meeting Teachers' Evolving Needs"

18:33 Hiring Challenges and Leadership Lessons

20:28 "Building Trust and Leadership"

24:46 "Pivoting and Supporting Transition"

28:14 "Staffing, Vision, and Responsibility"

29:37 Empathy in Leadership Decisions

35:57 Igniting Passion for Teaching

38:34 Alternative Certification for Teachers

41:48 "AI Instructors: Passion vs. Human Touch"

45:06 "Teaching: From Expert to Facilitator"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode is a grounded, founder-level look at what teacher support should actually mean—especially in a time when teacher retention is one of the biggest challenges in education. You’ll hear how Joe Cotter built professional learning around classroom realities, and why the future of edtech depends on strengthening the human systems that keep great teachers in the profession.

Joe also shares:

• Why professional learning works best when it’s practical, applied, and classroom-ready
• How mission and culture shape hiring, growth, and long-term impact
• Why teachers are facilitators and coaches now, not just “information deliverers”
• How AI can support learning without replacing the human heart of teaching

Connect with Joe Cotter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-cotter-5b309714/
Website: https://www.teachingchannel.com/ 

Connect with Us

Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jennilee Bertrand sits down with Leonard Lafrance, President and CEO of NCLab, a Nevada-based company rethinking online vocational education for data analysts, Python programmers, and automation technicians. At a time when most online courses struggle with single-digit completion rates, NCLab stands out with nearly 100% learner completion and graduates who are genuinely job-ready.

Leonard shares how his background in software and entrepreneurship revealed a critical gap between credentials and real skills, and why traditional lecture-based learning often fails learners. At NCLab, he champions a radically different approach grounded in learning by doing real-time feedback, and gamified progression that builds confidence one skill at a time.

If you’re curious about why most online learning doesn’t stick, how vocational education can close the workforce readiness gap, and what it truly means to prepare people for work in a rapidly changing economy, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Moments

02:51 Principles behind long-term learner motivation

05:33 "Active Learning Over Passive Consumption"

07:36 "Challenges of Online Learning"

12:52 "AI-Assisted Problem-Solving Approach"

14:19 "Scalable Online Training Empowering Women"

19:59 "Gamified Learning and Engagement"

21:10 "Transformative Learning System Petitioned"

24:04 "Employment Readiness Assessment Tool"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode challenges long-held assumptions about online learning and workforce preparation. You’ll hear how Leonard Lafrance has built a model that prioritizes skill mastery over seat time, and why confidence, feedback, and perseverance matter more than lectures or credentials alone.

Leonard also shares:

• Why completion rates skyrocket when learning feels like problem-solving, not studying
• How gamification and real-time feedback change learner mindset
• What employers actually look for beyond resumes and degrees
• Why vocational education is becoming central to the future of work

Connect with Leonard Lafrance

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonard-lafrance-710349b5
Website: https://nclab.com

Connect with Us
Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/ 

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Christopher Psiaki, Chief Technology Officer of Topia Interactive, to explore how spatial media and real-time communication can make online learning feel more human

Topia is a cloud-based spatial media platform where participants move through persistent, customizable worlds, and connect through proximity-based audio and video. Christopher shares how his background in software development and game-inspired world-building shaped Topia’s technical direction, and why human connection remains central to the platform’s design.

The conversation covers what makes spatial communication different from traditional video calls, how Topia supports virtual classrooms and large-group instruction, and how K–12 safety, moderation, and access controls are built into district and partner implementations. Christopher also discusses the emerging creator economy for educators, the importance of scalable infrastructure, and the real questions edtech teams must solve as AI becomes part of learning environments.

Key Moments

01:10 Christopher’s path into software and startups

05:46 Real-time spatial communication, explained

07:57 Broadcasting, screen sharing, and running large sessions

10:57 Designing for K–12 safety, privacy, and moderation

13:41 What implementation looks like with virtual schooling partners

15:39 SchoolSpace for districts, and how it differs

18:05 LMS integrations, LTI 1.3, and chaperone mode

21:06 Engagement without building an attention economy

24:29 Unexpected student behaviors, and what they reveal

27:59 Belonging, social connection, and student motivation

32:09 Teacher-created worlds and sharing at scale

36:16 Challenges ahead, cost, scale, and AI

41:03 AI-driven historical NPCs, guardrails, and multiplayer context

44:36 What edtech should talk more about, human connection

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This conversation is a grounded look at what it takes to build virtual learning spaces that feel natural, engaging, and safe. If you’re thinking about community, student motivation, synchronous learning, or what AI could look like inside interactive environments, this episode offers a practical view from the technical leadership side.

Connect with Christopher Psiaki

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-psiaki-41275b15

Website: https://topia.io/

Connect with Us
Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/ 

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley sits down with Kiera Peltz, Founder and CEO of The Coding School, to explore how happiness economics, equity, and emerging technology education are deeply connected.

Kiera shares her journey from studying happiness at Brown to launching The Coding School from her college dorm room at 19, driven by a belief that access to technical skills is foundational to agency and wellbeing. She reflects on global perspectives gained in China, early validation from school leaders, and the urgency she felt to rethink how and when students are introduced to computer science.

Throughout the conversation, Kiera unpacks what equity looks like in practice, from high-touch retention strategies to designing programs that work for students learning on mobile devices. She also shares how bold experimentation led to scaling quantum computing and AI education, partnerships with IBM, and earning a $3M Department of Defense grant. The episode closes with a forward-looking view of why depth, not just awareness, is essential in preparing students for a rapidly evolving future.

Key Moments

01:08 What happiness economics is and why it matters

04:29 Education, skill-building, and control over one’s future

06:13 Global perspectives and the urgency to act early

09:16 Early validation from a school principal

10:11 The Coding School’s access-focused program model

13:38 Equity at scale, funding, and retention through human connection

19:06 Dropout patterns and shifting from in-person to online learning

24:27 Introducing quantum computing and pushing past skepticism

26:57 Scaling during the pandemic with IBM

30:32 Turning outcomes into a $3M Department of Defense grant

32:17 Designing for mobile learners and listening with humility

37:35 What’s next for The Coding School and emerging tech education

42:58 Why tech literacy matters for every future path

44:57 “It’s not on the students, it’s on us.”

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode reframes emerging technology education as a human-centered endeavor. Kiera makes a compelling case that rigorous STEM learning can and should be accessible to every student, and that retention, personalization, and humility are essential parts of equity.

Kiera also shares:

• Why STEM fluency is a pathway to happiness and agency
• How retention can be an equity strategy
• What it takes to teach complex topics like quantum computing at scale
• Why “intro-only” exposure to AI and emerging tech isn’t enough

Connect with Kiera Peltz

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierapeltz
• The Coding School : https://blog.the-cs.org/

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.