In this episode of Build Momentum, We are joined by Betsy Corcoran. She is the co-founder of EdSurge. Her company has rapidly become a leading information hub for teachers, entrepreneurs, and school leaders with a commitment to edtech. She has also led the development of an award-winning news team, a robust conference program, and in-depth research.

Betsy has been a staff writer and editor for Scientific American magazine, The Washington Post, and Forbes media, and a fellow in the night science journalism program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Aspen Institute's  Fahara fellowship and a featured commentator on television programs, including NBC’s, Press Here.

Some Questions I Ask:

• What’s happening in education right now and what should we expect this fall? (1:38)
• Where does technology play a part in this and do you think SEL can be addressed through technology? (4:01)
• What do you think is going to be the long-term education plans? Do you think parents are going to demand that kind of flexibility moving forward? Do you think that's going to be part of education moving for what are your thoughts? (5:54)
• What is the story about how you founded EdSurge?  (10:11)
• What have you been up to after you sold EdSurge? (16:14)
• Do you have advice for these leaders in authentically sharing their story? (19:35)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• What’s happening in education during the pandemic and what to expect in the fall. (1:55)
• SEL and technology in education (4:51)
• Recognizing technology as a tool in support. (6:25)
• How EdSurge was born. (10:30)
• Betsy’s life after EdSurge. (16:47)
• Advice for future thought leaders (19:40)

Quotes:

“There are a number of different ways that technology can support social-emotional ties and connections. But number one is you have to recognize that it is in support of building human relationships. It is not a replacement for human relationships.”

“Recognizing technology's always going to be a tool in support of a bigger purpose, bigger goal, we're going to continue to see a very big role for that."

“I learned a lot about how teachers viewed and used technology, I learned a lot about why they didn't often use it, it was really practical, it didn't work for them.”

"A huge priority for EdSurge was to amplify and support the voice of the teacher, the user of this technology, and to really help them say, you know, you have a big voice, you're the user, you should feel empowered to talk about what you need, what doesn't work, that sort of thing."

“I know how to spend enough time thinking deeply about the things that matter to you, the things that express the deepest beliefs that you have, and then try to act on those.”

“Do you love this thing so much that you'd be willing to you know, do something else, work in the grocery store, wait tables, you know, be an IT support person, or are you willing to do something else? Because you love this thing so deeply. Then you know, it's authentic, and people resonate with authenticity.”

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