Research First Approach to AI Tools with Short Answer
In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Adam and Alexa Sparks, the husband-and-wife founders of Short Answer, a writing platform built to strengthen peer-to-peer learning and classroom dialogue.
We dive into their journey from classrooms and Stanford labs to building an edtech startup that puts pedagogy first. Adam shares how a tough reception at a ResearchED conference burst the EdTech bubble and reshaped their vision for AI in schools. Alexa explains why her research left her more skeptical of AI than when she started, and how that skepticism helps keep Short Answer grounded in solid pedagogy.
Together, they open up about:
- Why EdTech needs more dialectical thinking
- How Short Answer blends AI feedback with student discourse
- Their new partnership with EduProtocols and what it means for teachers
- The tension between tool-driven conferences and pedagogy-first practices
- What’s next on the roadmap for Short Answer
This conversation is for every educator, leader, or EdTech enthusiast who wants to see technology serve teachers and students—not replace them.
⏱️ Time Stamps
0:00 – Welcome and sponsor shoutouts
2:00 – Adam and Alexa’s journey into EdTech
7:00 – Why EdTech needs dialectical thinking
10:00 – ResearchED pushback and bursting the EdTech bubble
15:00 – From hype to caution: AI in writing feedback
20:00 – Short Answer’s approach to peer-to-peer learning
27:00 – Tool-first vs pedagogy-first conferences
31:00 – Partnering with EduProtocols
37:00 – New features: Quick Write and Pen Pals
43:00 – What’s next for Short Answer
45:00 – Edu Kryptonite: time and the EdTech bubble
49:00 – Billboard messages and who they’d trade places with
50:00 – Closing thoughts and final shoutouts
🔗 Adam's Substack Article: EdTech Needs More Dialectical Thinking
🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://www.myedtech.life
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As always, my friends… Stay Techie!
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