In episode 75 of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how schools are turning to technology to solve the problem of cellphone distraction in classrooms. They focus on Yondr, a company that produces lockable pouches for phones, and examine the data from schools that have adopted the system. Lucas shares that some schools report a 30 percent drop in disciplinary incidents after implementing the pouches, while Luna questions whether banning phones is the right long-term strategy. They also discuss alternative approaches, such as classroom management software that limits phone usage during class time, and consider the broader implications for student engagement and digital literacy. The conversation is grounded in real examples from middle schools in Oregon and high schools in New York. This episode offers a balanced look at a contentious issue facing educators today: how to manage technology in a world where students are never without their devices.

#Yondr #CellphoneBan #ClassroomTech #StudentEngagement #DigitalDistraction #SchoolDiscipline #PhonePouches #Edtech #K12 #EducationPolicy #ClassroomManagement #OregonSchools #NYCSchools #ScreenTime #StudentWellness #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #EdtechConversations

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In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how AI chatbots are being deployed in US high schools to handle routine mental health check-ins and college application questions, freeing up human counselors for deeper work. They focus on a specific case: the partnership between Roseville Union High School in Ohio and the chatbot platform 'EdNavigator AI' (a composite case based on real trends). The conversation covers the implementation numbers—Roseville's four counselors previously managed 1,200 students each—and early outcomes: a 22% drop in missed check-ins and a 14% increase in FAFSA completion rates. Luna challenges the ethical boundaries, asking where triage ends and genuine care begins. Lucas walks through the school's escalation protocol, which includes a mandatory human handoff for any distress flagged above a certain confidence threshold. They also touch on the broader market: according to a June 2026 report from the EdTech Action Network, 1 in 8 US high schools now uses some form of AI for non-academic student support. The episode ends with a question about whether this model could widen the gap between well-funded and underfunded districts.

#AI #Chatbots #SchoolCounselors #EdTech #MentalHealth #CollegeAdmissions #FAFSA #RosevilleUnion #Ohio #EdNavigatorAI #HumanHandoff #Ethics #StudentSupport #K12 #EdTechActionNetwork #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness

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Today, Lucas and Luna dive into the rise of corporate microschools — a trend where companies are creating their own small, employer-run learning pods for employees' children. They explore how Guild Education, a Denver-based workforce learning platform, is helping employers like Chipotle and Walmart offer tuition benefits for K-12 microschools. The hosts discuss a specific case: how Guild's partnership with Prenda, an Arizona microschool network, has enrolled over 2,000 students from employee families since 2024. Lucas breaks down the economics — companies spend roughly $8,000 per child per year, about half the cost of public school per-pupil funding — and why this model is gaining traction as a retention tool in tight labor markets. Luna challenges whether this risks creating a two-tiered education system, and they explore data from a recent EdChoice survey showing 68% of parents would prefer a microschool if cost were equal. The episode avoids broad edtech overviews and instead focuses on a specific, measurable trend that's reshaping how employers think about benefits.

#CorporateMicroschools #GuildEducation #Prenda #WorkplaceEducation #EmployeeBenefits #WorkforceLearning #K12Education #Microschools #EdtechTrends #Business #Technology #EducationPolicy #HumanResources #TalentRetention #EmployerSponsored #LearningPods #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Episode 72 of Edtech Conversations with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore how H5P, an open-source content collaboration framework, is quietly replacing static PDFs and slides in thousands of universities and schools. They trace H5P's origins at a Norwegian edtech nonprofit, its integration with major learning management systems like Moodle and Canvas, and how a single interactive tool — the branching scenario — is improving student engagement by an average of 40 percent. Lucas shares data from a 2025 EDUCAUSE survey showing that 63 percent of faculty now prefer H5P over traditional publisher materials. Luna challenges whether open-source tools can survive without commercial backing, and they discuss how Joubel, the company behind H5P, sustains itself through hosting and enterprise support. The episode closes with a look at H5P's new AI-powered content generator, which lets instructors turn a lecture transcript into a drag-and-drop activity in under two minutes. A focused, specific case study on one tool reshaping digital pedagogy.

#H5P #InteractiveContent #Edtech #OpenSource #Moodle #Canvas #LMS #DigitalPedagogy #Joubel #EDUCAUSE #ActiveLearning #FacultyAdoption #BranchingScenario #AIinEducation #ContentAuthoring #HigherEd #Business #FexingoBusiness

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In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how Labster, a virtual lab simulation platform, is bringing hands-on science experiments to underfunded high schools. They discuss Labster's partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District, which rolled out 5,000 VR headsets in fall 2025, and the company's shift from university to K-12 markets. The conversation covers cost savings — schools save $300,000 per year on lab equipment — student engagement data showing a 40% increase in science interest, and challenges like teacher training and equity in access. Lucas argues that VR labs can't fully replace wet labs but can democratize access to advanced science experiments. Luna questions whether schools will sustain VR investment after initial grant funding runs out. They also touch on the broader trend of immersive learning in edtech, drawing parallels to earlier episodes on gamified math and adaptive reading tools.

#EdtechConversations #Labster #VirtualReality #ScienceEducation #HighSchool #VRLearning #LabSimulations #LAUSD #STEM #ImmersiveLearning #UnderfundedSchools #EducationTechnology #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Edtech #K12 #VirtualLabs

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Lucas and Luna explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way elementary students learn to read. They focus on a specific case: Amira Learning, an AI-powered reading tutor that listens to children read aloud, detects errors in real time, and provides personalized feedback. The discussion covers how the tool supports teachers without replacing them, the evidence from a 2023 study showing students using Amira achieved 30% greater reading gains than peers, and why this matters for literacy outcomes in under-resourced schools. They also touch on privacy concerns, the role of voice recognition technology, and how districts are piloting the software. It's a deep dive into one of the most promising applications of AI in K-12 education today.

#Edtech #AI #ReadingInstruction #Literacy #ElementaryEducation #AmiraLearning #VoiceRecognition #PersonalizedLearning #K12 #EdtechPodcast #AIinEducation #TeacherTools #LiteracyGap #AdaptiveLearning #EducationTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #EdtechConversations

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In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into Duolingo's unique approach to language learning that has turned it into a billion-dollar public company. They discuss the company's gamification mechanics, the Streak feature, and how AI powers its adaptive lessons. The conversation also touches on Duolingo's expansion into math and music, and the business model behind its freemium offering. The hosts break down the key metrics that matter to investors, such as daily active users DAU and revenue per user, and debate whether Duolingo can maintain its growth as competition heats up.

#Duolingo #LanguageLearning #Gamification #AI #Edtech #BusinessModel #Freemium #DAU #RevenueGrowth #Streak #AdaptiveLearning #MobileApp #LuisVonAhn #IPO #MathLearning #MusicLearning #Business #FexingoBusiness

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In episode 68 of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how a Kathmandu-based startup is tackling one of education's toughest barriers: language. Nepal has 123 languages, but most digital learning content is in English or Nepali. This startup uses voice-first AI to deliver math and science lessons in Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Tharu. Early results show 40 percent higher engagement and 25 percent better test scores. We unpack the tech stack — offline-first, low-bandwidth, locally-built speech recognition — and what it means for the 800 million children worldwide learning in a language they don't speak at home. A concrete look at how small-market edtech is leapfrogging big incumbents.

#NepalEdtech #MotherTongueLearning #VoiceFirst #AIinEducation #OfflineLearning #EdtechStartup #LanguageBarrier #Maithili #Bhojpuri #Tharu #Kathmandu #LowBandwidth #SpeechRecognition #EmergingMarkets #EdtechConversations #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how Prodigy Education built one of the most engaging math platforms for elementary students by gamifying curriculum-aligned practice. They break down Prodigy's freemium model, how it keeps kids playing for hours, the controversy around in-game purchases in classrooms, and what the company's 2025 teacher survey revealed about usage patterns. The hosts also discuss how Prodigy balances educational outcomes with game design, and whether the model can scale to older students or other subjects. A must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of gaming and learning.

#ProdigyEducation #MathGame #Gamification #Edtech #K12 #MathPractice #FreemiumModel #GameBasedLearning #RPG #StudentEngagement #TeacherTools #ClassroomTech #Curriculum #EducationalGames #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how ClassDojo evolved from a simple behavior-tracking app into a global classroom culture platform used by millions of teachers, students, and parents. They dig into the company's unexpected origin story, its freemium business model, and the privacy controversies that shaped its growth. Specific numbers include ClassDojo's 95% US school adoption rate and its expansion into 180 countries. Lucas explains how the founders deliberately avoided venture capital for years to prioritize product over profit, and how family engagement features became the key to retention. Luna questions whether the 'Dojo points' system reinforces compliance over intrinsic motivation, and they discuss the company's pivot toward student portfolios and digital citizenship lessons. The episode closes with a look at ClassDojo's new AI-powered tools for translation and behavior insights, and what that means for the future of classroom software.

#ClassDojo #Edtech #ClassroomCulture #K12 #BehaviorManagement #Freemium #StudentEngagement #ParentCommunication #DigitalCitizenship #AIinEducation #PrivacyInEdtech #BusinessModel #GlobalEdtech #TeacherTools #EdtechStartup #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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