Who is classroom tech really built for?

We reflect on a long-running tension in K–12 EdTech: the gap between what districts buy, what teachers are expected to use, and what students actually experience. We explore what happens when software is designed more for dashboards, monitoring, and accountability than for genuine teaching and learning.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Why critiques of EdTech in 2026 sound a lot like critiques from 2010
• The difference between building for the buyer versus building for the classroom user
• How district purchasing incentives can shape product design
• Why student engagement is often missing from EdTech adoption decisions
• What it means for a teacher to have a clear role during technology-supported instruction
• A contrasting example of when classroom software actually deepened student learning
• How product philosophy and go-to-market strategy can either align or conflict
• Why educators should ask whether a tool serves learning, accountability, or both