The Bot in the Back of the Room

In this episode we explore what Khanmigo’s uneven rollout reveals about AI tutoring, student motivation, and the limits of chatbot-based learning tools.When students do not use an AI tutor, is that a student motivation problem, a product design problem, or a teaching design problem?Topics covered:What Khanmigo’s rollout tells us about AI tutoring in real classroomsWhy low student usage matters more than edtech hypeThe difference between a teaching problem and an interface problemWhy students may not know how to ask AI tools for helpHow chatbot interfaces can increase cognitive loadWhat teachers already understand about motivation, confidence, and relationshipsWhy Socratic AI tools may not work for students who are already confusedWhat district leaders should ask vendors about AI usability and evidenceSources: https://danmeyer.substack.com/p/rip-khanmigo-and-edtech-industryhttps://www.chalkbeat.org/2026/04/09/sal-khan-reflects-on-ai-in-schools-and-khanmigo/https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/claude-dispatch-and-the-power-of