Tech in EdTech

AI makes it dangerously easy to stop at one confident answer. For education publishers and learning platforms, that’s a product risk: teachers need sources they can trust, students need research support (not shortcuts), and credibility doesn’t survive black-box answers.

In this episode, Jan van der Crabben of World History Encyclopedia explains how they built the platform on one core idea: history is a web of connections, not isolated timelines. 

Jan also shares how their History AI evolved through teacher feedback, why shorter answers and visible citations matter, how academic journals help reduce hallucinations when proprietary content is limited, and why trustworthy publishing is at risk as AI becomes the default interface to knowledge.

Parents want to help their kids. Most don’t know where to start. In this episode of Tech in EdTech, Zahra speaks with Stephanie Parra, M. Ed., CEO of ALL In Education, about making proficiency, communication, and learning tools easier for families to understand and act on. 

Dan Sandhu, CEO, EDT, lays out a practical, evidence‑first view of AI in education. He argues that AI must be anchored to shared educational outcomes, owned by local systems, and guided by living policies for ethics, safety, training, and leadership. Equity remains the strategic lens. AI can widen gaps when bandwidth, devices, and power are scarce, yet it can also narrow them by enabling access to national and sub‑national data on school quality, real‑time monitoring, and targeted support.

Dr. Andrea Gregg, Associate Research Professor and Director of Learning Experience Design at Penn State University, outlines a practical approach to building strong online learning in the AI era. She explains why simple, “don’t make me think” design protects real learning, and why every choice should tie back to outcomes and assessment. She covers what makes micro-credentials credible, how to avoid personalization and dashboard features that mislead instructors, and where AI can help without replacing essential thinking. The episode turns solid learning principles into concrete decisions for higher-ed leaders, LXDs, faculty, and product teams.

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.