How Edtech Improves Educational Outcomes

In 1984, Bloom proved one-on-one tutoring could push kids from the 50th percentile to the 98th. The catch? It was too expensive for most to access. Today, in a school in Nigeria, that dream just got a test run with a free AI tool and a shaky internet connection. Here’s how it worked: 700 high school students from public schools in Benin City, Nigeria, joined after-school English sessions over six weeks. No fancy edtech platform, just Microsoft Copilot powered by GPT-4, and teachers guiding rather than lecturing. The early signs were promising. Students reported clearer writing, fewer spelling errors, and richer vocabulary. Some said the AI helped them feel more confident communicating in English.  After six weeks the results speak for themselves. Students in the treatment group improved their scores by 0.31 SD overall. They also performed significantly better in the end-of-year examinations, which covered broader topics than the ones included in the program. Researchers estimate that a full year of participation could yield 1.2 to 2.2 standard deviations of improvement, based on attendance. Even more striking: the program delivers over 3 years of learning growth per $100 spent, making it a very cost-effective method. These findings highlight both the promise and the precautions necessary with AI in education. My takeaway: of course, AI can hurt learning if it becomes a crutch, encouraging cognitive offloading and shallow engagement. But when paired with sound pedagogy and human oversight, it can accelerate growth. Teacher shortages are worsening. Scalable, affordable tutoring is not a nice-to-have anymore. AI like this could be a part of the solution.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡: 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 A mobile app for early numeracy and language is showing measurable gains among children from low-income communities in Ghaziabad (UP). Usage has grown, teachers observe progress and families are participating. For classrooms struggling with foundational learning, this is significant. Yet a critical reading shows deeper structural questions. 1. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬? Most large-scale pilots in India appear in government schools, not elite private ones. Research (Banerjee et al., 2023; EdTech Hub) shows these interventions often focus on basic skills, while privileged students access inquiry, reasoning, and creative pedagogies. This risks producing two distinct learning trajectories: targeted remediation for the poor, cognitive expansion for the privileged. Higher-order thinking and meta-cognition remain absent from the design. 2. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 Shared phones, unstable networks, limited data, and low digital literacy among caregivers are not side issues; they structure who benefits. Technology often amplifies existing social conditions (Selwyn et al., 2023). 3. 𝐏𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐠𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 The most effective element here is not the app but the ecosystem around it: teacher-led support, WhatsApp-based engagement, and blended learning practices. Evidence from Reich (2020) and Escueta et al. (2020) shows that digital tools improve learning only when embedded in coherent instructional practice. 4. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 Minutes spent on an app indicate activity, not conceptual depth. Quizzes may measure recall but reveal little about reasoning, explanation, or confidence as learners. The risk is mistaking performance traces for understanding. 5. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 EdTech can support early learning, but it cannot replace investments in teachers, libraries, home environments, or school infrastructure. Equity requires: (i) slow and supervised use (Livingstone & Blum-Ross, 2020) (ii) pedagogical redesign before technological redesign (Reich, 2020) (iii) structural investment in teachers, families, and public systems (iv) ethical frameworks centred on children’s rights and agency #EdTech #AIinEducation #FoundationalLearning #CriticalEdTech #Childhood #DigitalDivides #HigherOrderThinking #LearningFutures #EducationPolicy #PublicSchools

🧠 Teaching the Machine to Teach: Ministries, AI, and the Future of Learning by EdTech Hub 📘 This learning brief explores how ministries of education in low- and middle-income countries are harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen education service delivery. 🌍 It explains why AI matters—improving efficiency, equity, and data-driven policymaking—and how it’s being applied to automate administration, optimise teacher allocation, predict dropouts, and inform curriculum reform. ⚙️ 🤝 Supported by EdTech Hub, UNESCO, the World Bank, and innovation partners, these efforts demonstrate how AI can transform education governance—if guided by ethical frameworks, inclusive infrastructure, and robust local evidence. 🚀 1. 💡 What roles does AI play in education systems? 🤖 AI streamlines administration, enhances data analysis, predicts risks, and supports curriculum and policy design. It automates routine tasks, strengthens Education Management Information Systems, and enables evidence-based decisions. 2. ⚙️ Why is AI integration important for education ministries? 📊 AI improves operational efficiency, reduces costs, and offers real-time insights into student performance and institutional needs. It enables predictive analytics, optimises resource use, and drives targeted interventions—helping ministries overcome systemic barriers while promoting equitable, evidence-based. 3. 🌍 How are ministries using AI practically?   🏫 Countries use AI for attendance tracking, teacher deployment, and dropout prediction. Emerging tools like digital twins simulate education systems to test policies. 4. 🤝 Who is leading these initiatives?   🧭 Education ministries, with partners and national AI agencies, are leading adoption. Collaborations with research institutions and technology firms support pilot projects, frameworks, and ethical standards—ensuring solutions fit local needs and advance national education priorities responsibly and inclusively. 5. 🚀 What are the future priorities for AI in education?   🔍 Strengthening governance frameworks, investing in digital infrastructure, and generating robust evidence are essential. Ministries must prioritise equitable access, bias mitigation, and teacher training. Challenges ⚠️ 1. 📉 Limited empirical evidence and small-scale pilots hinder informed policy adoption. 2. ⚖️ Algorithmic bias risks reinforcing socioeconomic, gender, and regional inequalities. 3. 🖥️ Weak digital infrastructure limits scalable AI integration in LMICs. 5 policy maker recommendations 🧩 1. 🛡️ Establish ethical frameworks ensuring privacy and accountability. 2. 🌐 Invest in digital infrastructure for equitable AI access nationwide. 3. 👩🏫 Build teacher capacity for AI literacy. 4. 🔄 Promote iterative pilot testing before scaling AI applications. 5. 🤝 Foster public-private partnerships to support sustainable AI innovation. Source: https://lnkd.in/e8fu56N7

Hot off the press: I'm proud to share Learn Capital’s 2025 Outcomes Report—an effort I helped lead, and one that reflects our evolving view on how AI can reshape learning for the better. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/gMstPX_D We need to optimize for the human experience, not just efficiency! Lately, I’ve been hyper-focused on what it means to build systems that truly serve all learners. We know AI holds incredible promise—to accelerate mastery, personalize learning, and connect people to real opportunity. But it also presents challenges we can’t ignore. At Learn Capital, we believe this is one of the defining issues of our time. And we’re working to ensure that the future of AI in education expands access, builds agency, and improves outcomes at scale. Our strategy focuses on three core frontiers: 1. Skill Delivery – foundational literacy, numeracy, creativity, and wellness 2. Labor Market Optimization – converting skills into income and mobility 3. Learning Infrastructure – AI-powered systems for lifelong learning We’re seeing powerful signals across our portfolio: - Amplify: +20 point reading gains in underserved districts - Brainly: 85% of AI tutor users improved grades - Ascent: $1.6B in income gains through outcome-based financing - Brilliant.org: 4× improvement in problem-solving - Polygence: 6× higher acceptance to top-tier universities - Andela: 77% income growth for engineers upskilled through AI-driven pathways Grateful to be spending my time and energy working to leverage AI as a force for improving lives—and building a future where learning is more human, more equitable, and more effective. Also, a big shout-out to my colleagues, Vinit Sukhija, Rob Hutter, Greg Mauro, and Sierra Espinosa. Also, huge thanks to our strategic communications partner, Matt W Gore, Nathan Wallace, and the OPTIO team for making this sing. Would love your thoughts. #AI #EdTech #ImpactInvesting #FutureOfWork #LearningEquity #HumanDevelopment #LearnCapital

For decades, we've sorted kids into neat little boxes—A, B, C—letting labels define their potential and future. But what if I told you there's no such thing as a "C student"? There are only students with knowledge gaps—and the right technology can close them. Picture this: Two 5th graders tackle fraction division. - Olivia masters it effortlessly, scoring an A - Leo struggles, earning a C What happens next is where our system fundamentally fails. Class marches on while Leo—carrying critical knowledge gaps—falls further behind until he eventually says "I'm just not a math person." Think about that child labeled as "struggling." What if they just needed: • A concept explained differently • Time to recover missed material when sick • Simply more time with the lesson Data tells us that performance on 3rd-grade tests strongly predicts academic outcomes in 10th grade. Students struggling with reading in 3rd grade are 4x less likely to graduate on time—1 in 6 never complete high school. We're essentially determining children's educational destiny before they lose all their baby teeth. Miss a foundation piece, and everything above becomes unstable. This is why so many students decide: "Math isn't for me" "I can't do science" "Maybe college isn't my path" Self-limiting beliefs close doors to university opportunities, scholarships, and future career paths. But it doesn't have to be this way. Stop accepting the myth of "average students." AI-powered educational technology is the great academic equalizer: • Identify knowledge gaps • Develop personalized learning paths • Make learning engaging through personalization • Adjust teaching in real-time based on performance Ready to revolutionize learning outcomes? 1. Embrace the AI paradigm shift. Stanford University research confirms AI chatbots haven't increased student cheating rates. Instead of fearing misuse, imagine students "chatting" with historical figures or receiving bite-sized, gamified lessons instead of slogging through dense textbooks. 2. Become a discerning edtech evaluator. Seek platforms that deliver personalized tutoring, interactive mastery exercises, and data-driven insights that guide intervention. 3. Leverage AI as your educational partner. The path forward combines cutting-edge technology with human guidance—setting ambitious goals, tracking metrics, and fueling motivation. 4. Stay ahead of the curve. The tool that will revolutionize your students' outcomes might be launching tomorrow. Here's what I know to be true: Your child isn't defined by their current grades. They simply need the right tools to fill their knowledge gaps. Every student can excel when given the proper support. The traditional notion of A, B, or C students belongs in education's past. Let's reframe the "C student" as what they really are: a learner who just hasn't mastered the material *yet*. With the right technology and mindset, today's struggling students could become tomorrow's innovators.

Building Bridges to Economic Mobility: “Beyond Traditional Education” The Bertrand Education Group (B.E.G) envisions a future where education isn't just about learning—it's about creating pathways to prosperity. The Challenge: Traditional education systems often miss the mark on economic mobility. In a rapidly evolving $668B EdTech market, we need solutions that do more than teach—they must transform. Our Approach and Partnership with PrepAI: - Personalized Learning Pathways - Cultural adaptability - Market-aligned skills - Real-time adaptation - Measurable Impact - 23% academic performance improvement - 79% educator efficiency gains - Over 10 major institutions transformed and growing - Economic Empowerment - Reduced barriers to entry - Accelerated skill acquisition - Sustainable growth models Through strategic partnerships with Microsoft for Startups and Qatar Foundation, we're not just developing technology—we're creating economic ladders for underserved communities. As we prepare for the Ai Everything GLOBAL Forum 2025 in Dubai, our focus remains clear: technology should serve as a bridge to opportunity, not a barrier. How do you see education evolving to drive economic mobility? Share your perspective. #EconomicMobility #Education #EdTech #SocialImpact #PrepAI #Innovation #Leadership #InclusiveGrowth

Rethinking Education: Embracing Personalized Learning Over Traditional Grade Levels The traditional education system, structured around fixed grade levels, often fails to accommodate the diverse learning paces and styles of students. This one-size-fits-all approach can hinder both advanced learners and those needing more time to grasp concepts. During my student teaching, we were taught to teach to the middle. Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a catalyst for change. AI-powered personalized learning platforms can tailor educational experiences to individual needs, allowing students to progress at their own pace and according to their unique learning styles. This shift not only enhances engagement but also improves retention and mastery of subjects. A study published in the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education highlights the effectiveness of AI in creating adaptive learning environments that respond to each student's progress and challenges. Moreover, the World Economic Forum emphasizes that AI can bridge educational gaps by providing personalized support, especially in underserved communities, which is huge. By moving away from rigid grade levels and embracing AI-driven personalized learning, we can create a more equitable and effective education system that prepares students for the complexities of the modern world. It's time to rethink our approach to education and harness technology to meet the diverse needs of every learner. What do you think? #edtech #AI #education