Shows
Edtech InsidersHow Schools Can Use Data and AI to Improve Teaching at Scale with Matt Kennard of BetterLessonSend us a textMatt Kennard is the CEO of BetterLesson (which offers High-quality K-12 professional development for educators and administrators, ensuring successful districtwide implementation of HQIM.) and former CFO & Head of Operations for LearnZillion, a K-12 digital core curriculum provider. At LearnZillion, he oversaw the expansion of curricular offerings through partnerships with leading OER curriculum providers and led the company's sale to Weld North Education. Previously, Matt led strategic M&A activity for iHeartMedia as the Director of Liquidity and Corporate Development. With a background in finance, strategy, and technology, Matt has...2025-02-0540 min
Edtech InsidersWeek in Edtech 1/15/2025: LA School Fires, ChatGPT's To-Do's & Reminders Feature, PowerSchool Data Breach, $175M for Element451, Student Loan Forgiveness, and More! Feat. Emily Lai of Pearson, Dominik Kovacs of Colossyan and Adele Smolansky of AI-LearnersSend us a textHappy New Year! Welcome to the first Week in EdTech episode of 2025! Join hosts Ben Kornell and guest co-host Matt Tower as they dive into the biggest stories shaping the education technology landscape, from AI innovations to major edtech funding and cybersecurity challenges.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:16] 🌐 OpenAI introduces a feature enabling ChatGPT to handle reminders and to-dos.[00:05:04] 🔥 LA schools face closures and damage as wildfires disrupt education.[00:22:54] 🔐 PowerSchool data breach exposes student and staff data, raising cybersecurity concerns.[00:29:55] 🎓 $4.2 b...2025-01-241h 42
Edtech InsidersSeesaw’s Learning Loop: Connecting Teachers, Students, and Families with Matt GivenSend us a textMatt Given is an experienced education technology leader and the CEO of Seesaw, a groundbreaking learning experience platform designed for PreK-5 students. With over 20 years of experience in education and edtech leadership, Matt has held executive roles at Kaplan, Catapult Learning, and EdisonLearning. Known for his expertise in universal design for learning and his ability to bridge the gap between home and classroom, Matt is a driving force behind Seesaw's mission to create accessible and engaging learning tools.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:How...2024-11-2544 min
Edtech InsidersWeek in Edtech 8/7/2024: ChatGPT 5 on the Horizon, High-Level OpenAI Departures, Meta's LLAMA 3, Google's AI Moves, Instructure's Canvas AI Integration, AI-Powered Tutors, Custom Chatbots, and More! With Special Guest Host, Matthew TowerSend us a textJoin Alex Sarlin and guest host, Matt Tower, as they explore the most critical developments in the world of education technology this week:🧠 OpenAI's ChatGPT 5 is Coming🚪 High-Level Departures at OpenAI🚫 AI Detection Technology Still Unreleased🦙 Meta Launches LLAMA 3 and AI Studio🤝 Google Hires Character.AI Co-founders🎓 Community Colleges Band Together on AI Education🔗 Instructure Canvas Integrates AI Across Platform👩🏫 Heeyo's AI Chatbot Aims to Be Kids' Interactive Tutor🍐 Pear Deck’s New Instant AI-Generated Lessons🛠️ Pluralsight’s AI Assistant Iris🌍 Neuberger Berman Nears $15B Deal for Nord An...2024-08-2255 minEdtech InsidersESAI: Julia Dixon's Answer to the College Admissions Inequality CrisisSend us a textJulia Dixon is the Founder and CEO of ESAI (pronounced [ES] + [AY] + [EYE]), the first-of-its-kind generative AI platform for college applicants and young professionals. As a former college advisor, Julia saw a major inequality emerging as only the wealthiest families could afford resources for their students to stand out and get into the most competitive colleges and universities. She created ESAI to help level the playing field, so students of all backgrounds and resources could have a fair shot at telling their unique stories. Recommended Resources:2024-04-0142 minEdtech InsidersWeek in Edtech 02/21/2024: OpenAI's Sora Rivals in the Works, 2U's Financial Struggles, Reach Capital's 2023 US Edtech Funding Report and More! With Special Guest, Matt Sherman of LSAT LabSend us a textIn this episode of Week in Edtech, Ben and Alex discuss:1. AIOpenAI Completes Deal That Values the Company at $80 BillionOpenAI’s SoraRivals In The Works—Including From Google And Meta2. EdtechOnline course provider 2U faces doubts it can continue3. PreK-12Unleashed Brands to Acquire Sylvan Learning4. ReportsReach Capital’s 2023 US EdTech Funding Report Oppenheimer ReportSpecial...2024-02-2739 minEdtech InsidersShaping Careers Through Experiences with Chris Parrish of Podium EducationSend us a textChris Parrish is Co-Founder and President of Partnerships at the leading experiential learning company, Podium Education. At Podium, Chris led the launch of The Global Tech Experience, an industry redefining digital program that enables students to build skills and experience by working on projects directly with organizations like Intel, The Grammy’s and charity:water. Podium currently partners with 55 universities across the world and will support 10,000 students in 2023. His work has been featured in Fortune Magazine, Forbes, InsideHigherEd and TechCrunch. Chris and Podium are based in Austin, TX.2023-12-1546 minEdtech InsidersInteractive Storytelling for Engaging Education with Maia Glikman of GoKidGo and Matt Hammersley of Novel EffectSend us a textMaia Glikman is a Los Angeles based producer whose body of work spans numerous areas of the entertainment industry. Highlights as an executive include several years at ABC Network, Lucasfilm and Sony Pictures Television. Maia is the CEO of GoKidGo, Inc. and Never Ever Productions, female led ventures developing exceptional IP for children and adults respectively. As a creative producer, Maia’s mandate is the production of high-quality content that resonates with today’s audience, most especially those that champion female and underrepresented voices. Most recently, R.L. Stine’s Stor...2023-10-2346 minEdtech InsidersWhere is Higher Education Headed Next? with Sacha Litman of Boston Consulting Group (BCG)Send us a textSacha Litman is a core member of the Public Sector practice at Boston Consulting Group and the global lead for analytics in education, employment, and welfare (EEW) for that practice. Sacha is an expert in talent gaps, higher education turnarounds, pricing, and student financing.Sacha advises higher education, employer, and state leaders on building education/employer partnerships that close talent supply/demand gaps in order to improve students' employment outcomes; employer talent acquisition costs and retention; higher education enrollment, brand perception; financial sustainability; and states' ability to...2023-07-1751 minEdtech InsidersWeek In Edtech, 3/12: SVB Bank Run, ChatGPT4, Google Buys Photomath, and SxSWEDUSend us a textIn this special, UNEDITED version of Week in Edtech, Ben, Alex and special guest co-host Matt Tower discuss:1) The sudden demise and federal takeover of Silicon Valley Bank and what it means for Tech, Banking and Edtech.News:Jenna Smialek and Alan Rappeport of NYTEric Wallerstein et al. of WSJDaniel Taub of BloombergTakesKevin Roose of NYTMatt Levine of BloombergNoah Smith of Noahpinion2) Discuss the rumors of ChatGPT4 launching next week with AI-created videoMicrosoft will launch ChatGPT 4...2023-03-131h 13Edtech InsidersCreating the One-Stop Shop for Edtech Enterprise Sales with Siya Raj Purohit of AWS MarketplaceSend us a textSiya Raj Purohit is the Global Edtech & Workforce Development Lead at Amazon's AWS Marketplace and a General Partner at Pathway Ventures. She’s an operator-investor in the Edtech and Future of Work sectors who helps grow & invest in companies that drive economic mobility through innovative models of earning, learning, and community building. Siya is an edtech veteran and a true insider, as an early employee at Udacity & Springboard, a graduate of Harvard GSE’s TIE program, and an author; she published her first book: “Engineering America” while she was an undergraduate at the U...2023-02-0642 minEdtech InsidersWeek In Edtech 11/11/22 with Guest Host Matt TowerSend us a textOn this Week in Edtech:1) A16z on EdtechAndreessen Horowitz is 'betting heavily' on edtech 2) Layoffs in Tech...Latest layoffs: Companies making cutsThousands of tech workers were laid off last week3) ...and EdtechEd Tech - LayoffsTrackerCoursera announces layoffs Unacademy cuts 10% of jobsBrainly Fires Employees 4) Indian Edtech is MessiBYJU'S unveils Lionel Messi as Global Brand Ambassador2022-11-1446 minEdtech InsidersThis Week in Edtech with Ben Kornell, 10/12Send us a textIn this episode, guest host Matt Tower of Edtech Thoughts and Alex discuss:1. The Possible "Second Boom" of the Edtech Investing Market as per BrighteyeThe evolution of Edtech: Activity in private and public markets | Dealroom.coEdtech’s honeymoon might be over, but expect a second boom | TechCrunch2) Addictive Game Mechanics Used For GoodOpinion | I Make Video Games. I Won’t Let My Daughters Play Them. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)Roblox jumping into ads in effort to d...2022-10-1241 minEdtech InsidersThis Week in Edtech, 8/5/22Send us a textWelcome to Season 2 of This Week in Edtech!Guest: Matthew Tower, Principal @ Workshop Venture PartnersSubscribe to Matt’s weekly newsletter @ https://matthewtower.substack.com/Topics This Week:Byju’sLayoffs, debt, litigation!?Bearish OPMsPhil Hill: ”The brutal spring and summer for OPMs & MOOCs”Zovio sells OPM business to University of Arizona Global C...2022-08-0554 min