Week in EdTech 10/29/25: Alpha School's Backlash, Chegg Layoffs, Kaplan’s AI Pivot, Mem0’s “Memory Layer,” Big Tech vs. Higher Ed, and More! Feat. Rebecca Winthrop & Jenny Anderson, Authors of The Disengaged Teen and Justin Reich of MIT Teaching Systems L

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Nov 7, 2025

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Join Justin Reich, director at MIT Teaching Systems Lab, as he shares insights on AI in classrooms and the realities of edtech's transformative promises. Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson dive into their research on student engagement in 'The Disengaged Teen,' exploring the alarming decline in enjoyment and defining vital learner agency. They introduce the four learner modes, offering practical strategies for reshaping disengaged students. This conversation navigates the intersection of technology and education, spotlighting the importance of thoughtful innovation.

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INSIGHT

AI's Promise Outpaces Shared Understanding

AI is ubiquitous and everyone is experimenting, yet fundamental concepts of AI in education remain unresolved.
Being an 85-year-old company versus a two-year-old startup has unclear advantages in the AI era.

INSIGHT

Genie Out: Students Already Use LLMs

The genie is out: students use LLMs for many tasks, blurring learning, cheating, and entertainment.
Schools are slow to adapt and edtech faces limited defensibility for AI features.

ANECDOTE

Alpha Schools' Rapid Rise And Takedown

Ben describes the press cycle: heroic education model gets built up then quickly torn down.
He contrasts Alpha Schools' hype with the Wired takedown and notes private school choice complicates critiques.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they recap a post–New York EdTech Week full of highs and hard truths.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Alpha School's backlash and what it reveals about AI-based education.
[00:06:58] EdTech’s new K–20 alliance with Microsoft and Google for responsible AI.
[00:10:09] The risks and lessons from Alpha School's rapid rise and fall.
[00:21:53] Chegg cuts 45% of staff amid AI disruption and market pressure.
[00:26:01] Kaplan launches AI tools built on 85 years of learner data.
[00:31:02] Mem0 raises $23M to build a universal AI memory layer.
[00:38:10] Cal State’s OpenAI deal sparks debate on Big Tech in higher ed.
[00:44:18] The media’s anti-AI narrative and its impact on innovation.

Plus, special guests:
[00:50:24] Rebecca Winthrop, Director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings, and Jenny Anderson, award-winning journalist and co-author of The Disengaged Teen, on student agency, engagement, and the four learner modes.
[01:11:14] Justin Reich, Director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, on AI in Schools: Perspectives for the Perplexed and how educators can experiment safely with emerging AI tools.

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