Episode 70

Proof Over Play: The New Rules for EdTech Engagement

Brief description of the episode

Vadim Polikov, CEO of Legends of Learning, joins Dipesh Jain to unpack what it really takes to make game-based learning work in K–12 classrooms. He explains the key difference between gamification and true game-based learning and why aligning to curriculum and class time matters. Tune in to find out how AI is improving personalization, surfacing actionable insights for teachers and parents, and helping edtech tools work together.

Key Takeaways:

- Gamification adds game-like elements (like points or leaderboards) to non-game materials to motivate students, but the gameplay itself isn’t connected to the learning content.
- Game-based learning uses gameplay to directly teach concepts, for example, running a pizza shop to learn fractions, where the play and the lesson are intertwined.
- Gamification is easier and cheaper to build and is often used for quick assessments or quizzes, especially when there’s limited class time.
- Game-based learning is harder to scale because each concept needs a different, purpose-built game tied to standards.
- While both have a role in classrooms, only game-based learning tends to be bought by districts, as it delivers rigorous, curriculum-aligned instruction, whereas gamification is seen more as a classroom practice tool.
- Each game should teach one specific curriculum standard clearly and effectively.
- Games must be both fun for students and useful for teachers, aligning with classroom needs.
- Feedback from students (on engagement) and teachers (on alignment) helps surface the best games.
- Balancing fun and academic rigor is crucial—too much of either leads to games that don’t get used.
- Scaling requires a way to produce many such games without sacrificing quality.
- Edtech teams have to build for four groups: districts, teachers, students, and sometimes parents.
- Focusing on teachers is a smart long-term strategy because they are the ones using the product daily.
- If teachers like a tool, they use it more, students respond better, and admins hear positive feedback during renewal time.
- Products made mainly for admins might sell once, but often don’t get renewed if teachers aren’t on board.
- Making teachers your core users increases classroom adoption and helps everything else fall into place.
- Impact has become the top priority for districts, especially after the end of ESSER funding and tighter budgets.
- Districts now focus on whether a product leads to measurable learning outcomes, particularly improved test scores.
- Positive feedback from teachers and students matters, but without research-backed efficacy data, it is not enough to justify continued use.
- The strongest evidence comes from third-party research studies, including both correlational and experimental designs.
- Products that show clear gains in academic performance, while keeping students engaged, are more likely to be retained and valued by districts.

Proof Over Play: The New Rules for EdTech Engagement

Brief description of the episode

Key Takeaways:

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