Schools are catching on to Big Tech’s playbook
TL;DR
It's the hot new thing in tech, and it's where all the jobs are. Students who don't learn to use it fall behind. And to help them catch up in time, its creators are graciously providing the resources and curriculum for learning it, often pro bono. That's the narrative AI companies are pitching schools on right now, but according to New York Times education technology reporter Natasha Singer, it's also how the tech industry has built its influence in classrooms for the past 15 years.
Nauti's Take
Schools and small education teams should begin with a provenance check: who created the materials, which products do they assume, and what data does classroom use generate? Free curricula can embed vendor dependence early.
Test a provider-neutral lesson with several tools and verify that the learning goals still work when access to one company’s platform is removed.
Sources