Why Edtech Needs Less Hype and More Honesty with Tony Wan & Betsy Corcoran

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dot com. Look, when I read the headlines around the tech backlash, I think I think the concerns that overlap with some of the research on the impact of screen time on how we develop as children is valid, right? I think that as we learn more and more about some of the mechanisms for which software is designed to engage kids or people in general, right? You know, we often like to say EdTech borrows, right, from consumer tech.

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Welcome to EdTech Insiders. We have a couple of EdTech legends, true, true, true legends with us today. The founder of EdSurge and the former managing editor of EdSurge, Tony Wan, you may know now from his work at Reach Capital. I'll give their formal bios and we'll jump right in. But these are some of the most informed people about the EdTech space in the world. First off, Tony Wan, head of platform at Reach Capital, an early-stage investor in learning, health, and work. He's co-founder and former managing editor of EdSurge, where he covered ed tech. He previously built a math game, he worked in nonprofit publishing, and he taught English in rural Inner Mongolia. Very interesting. Betsy Corcoran is a writer, speaker, and serial entrepreneur. She co-hosts the podcast Future Fluent with Dr. Jeremy Rochelle. I had the pleasure of being on that podcast. What a blast. Or I guess I had the two of you on EdTech Insider. That's what it was. Amazing, amazing. Exploring AI and learning, and she chairs the board of Design Tech High School. She also advises EdTech organizations, including PlayLab AI, PlayLab, and she previously co-founded EdSurge. Tony Wan and Betsy Corcoran, welcome to EdTech Insiders.

Thanks, Alex. It's really great to be here with you.

Good to see you, Alex.

Always nice to hang out with a blast from the past. Always. And good to see

you, Tony. I love seeing you, too. Yes,

back in a square box.

Feels

just like COVID.

Exactly.

We have all known each other for many years. It's no secret that EdSurge was the direct inspiration for everything we do at EdTech Insiders. I've said it a hundred times on this show. I feel like the two of you truly created an entire new ecosystem of journalism covering the education technology industry, especially