Does Ed Tech Improve Learning, or Just Improve Reporting?

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 2010The difference between building for the buyer versus building for the classroom userHow district purchasing incentives can shape product designWhy student engagement is often missing from EdTech adoption decisionsWhat it means for a teacher to have a clear role during technology-supported instructionA contrasting example of when classroom software actually deepened student learningHow product philosophy and go-to-market strategy can either align or conflictWhy educators should ask whether a tool serves learning, accountability, or both