The Evolution of Teachable Agents

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In this special episode, Alex sits down with Adam Franklin, our very first guest on EdTech Insiders, who returns three years later with an exciting new venture. 

Adam is a former high school history teacher turned edtech entrepreneur. He previously taught at YES Prep Brays Oaks HS in Houston, TX and coached the varsity soccer team. Adam earned a masters degree in Learning, Design, and Technology from Stanford GSE in 2016 where he also served as a researcher and writer for the Stanford History Education Group. In 2017, he joined Nearpod, then a Series A startup, to help lead the content arm of the business where he stayed through their $650M acquisition by Renaissance in 2021. In early 2024, Adam left Nearpod to join the Teaching Lab Studio as a fellow to build out innovative products at the intersection of AI and Education, with StudyBuds, a teachable agent practice platform, being his primary focus. 

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How AI-powered teachable agents help students learn by teaching.
2. Why AI can boost engagement and deeper learning in classrooms.
3. The limitations of multiple-choice assessments and AI’s role in fixing them.
4. How AI can co-create with students instead of just giving answers.
5. Why venture studios like Teaching Lab Studio are investing in AI-powered learning.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:01:18] Adam Franklin’s journey from teacher to edtech founder.
[00:06:46] How teachable agents create interactive student practice.
[00:12:39] Training AI to “not know” and learn from students.
[00:16:56] The Pokémon effect—why students love training AI characters.
[00:22:57] Why students outsource thinking and how AI can change that.
[00:31:23] StudyBuds aligns with curricula to support teachers.
[00:37:20] Inside Teaching Lab Studio’s unique edtech venture model.
[00:44:48] The future of AI in education and multimodal learning.

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