Edtech Insiders

Send us a textIn this episode, we speak to Ben Kornell of Cambiar Education, who was most recently the CEO of Altschool  as it was acquired by Higher Ground Education in 2021. Ben is a longtime edtech executive with educational roots- five years in the classroom - as well as experience in healthcare, and he speaks in this episode about how we might borrow some of the best practices in healthcare to improve education, as well as how to scale the educational practices of the best teachers in every school. Resources: Ben names several innovative companies in this podcast including:Crimson Education: an international small-group based high school, based in New Zealand)Third Space Learning: a high-dosage tutoring platform based in Sri Lanka)Book and Blog Recommendations:Work by Thich Nhat Hahn Class Clowns by Jonathan A. KneeThe Flight of a Butterfly or the Path of a Bullet?: Using Technology to Transform Teaching and Learning by Larry CubanLarry Cuban's Blog "Larry Cuban on School Reform"

Send us a textIn this episode, we talk to Adam Franklin, Sr. Product Manager for Content at K12 platform Nearpod.  Adam explains his journey from high school classroom teacher to curriculum developer to edtech product manager, as well as what it's like building and curating a world-class content library to get teachers the resources they need. We also talk about an age-old k12 edtech dilemma: how to get big enough to sell to school districts while staying agile enough to respond to your end users. Adam's Recommendations for those interested in Edtech:Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace by Gordon MackenzieMeasuring What Matters by John Doerr and Larry PageHooked by Nir EyalStratechery Blog by Ben ThompsonJen Carolan  (@jencarolan) on TwitterBuzzfeed's article  "How Edgenuity Failed Students During the Pandemic"

Send us a textIn this pilot episode, we interview edtech investor Atin Batra, founder and general partner at Twenty Seven Ventures, also knows as 27V, a venture firm devoted to education and the future of work. Atin talks about his journey to edtech, his interest in founders who really understand the problems, and how some of the best and most collaborative learning happens outside of traditional schools. 27 Ventures has invested in Fiveable, Edlyft, Topknot, 101Edu, Edgi, New Campus, and many other startups that are looking to transform education. We talk about several of these startups in this episode. Atin's Recommended Resources:Winners Take All by Anand GiridharadasThe Sensor Tower Mobile Data Report (Q2 2021)

Send us a textEducation technology is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. At Edtech Insiders, we talk to the founders, operators, educators, researchers, business leaders, and thought leaders who know the industry inside and out. This new series explores the intersection of education, technology, and business by talking to those making it happen. While most education technology podcasts focus on “how” to use education in the classroom, Edtech Insiders is about the trends, products, and business models that power the global Edtech revolution. Edtech Insiders is hosted by Edtech veteran Alex Sarlin, product manager and learning engineer for leading Edtech companies like Coursera, 2U, Skillshare, Scholastic, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Check us out, share, like, and subscribe! Also, check out the Edtech Insiders newsletter on Substack.