In Episode 373 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso Mendoza sits down with Dacia Toll (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/) , co-founder of Coursemojo (https://coursemojo.com/) , to challenge how schools measure the value of educational technology.

Logins, minutes, and completed activities may show that a platform was used, but they do not prove that meaningful learning occurred. Dacia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/) explains why districts must look beyond usage data and demand stronger evidence of student thinking, instructional impact, and academic growth.

Together, we explore the middle school literacy crisis, the difference between decoding and comprehension, and why classroom discussions can sometimes make thinking optional for many students. Dacia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/) also shares how AI can support productive struggle, provide timely feedback, and help teachers identify misconceptions without replacing human judgment or student collaboration.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why reading proficiency requires more than decoding
• How disconnected interventions can create instructional confusion
• Why AI should preserve productive struggle
• The difference between receiving feedback and using it
• How EdTech can support teacher workflow without becoming the lesson
• What outcomes-based contracting could mean for district accountability
• Why safety, efficacy, and outcomes should guide EdTech decisions
• How educators can look beyond AI hype and evaluate what works locally

Timestamps:
00:00 — Introduction to Episode 373
01:12 — Meet Dacia Toll (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/) and Coursemojo (https://coursemojo.com/)
03:45 — Why logins and usage data do not prove learning
07:18 — Measuring student thinking and instructional impact
11:06 — The middle school literacy crisis
15:42 — Decoding versus comprehension
20:10 — How classroom discussions can make thinking optional
24:36 — Designing interventions that support coherent instruction
29:05 — AI, productive struggle, and meaningful feedback
34:18 — Helping teachers identify misconceptions
39:02 — Supporting teacher workflow without replacing instruction
43:27 — Outcomes-based contracting and district accountability
48:16 — Evaluating EdTech for safety, efficacy, and outcomes
52:40 — Looking beyond AI hype
56:08 — What evidence should schools demand?
58:12 — Closing thoughts and where to learn more

The central question is simple: Are we measuring technology use, or are we measuring learning?

Connect with Dacia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciatoll/) and learn more about Coursemojo (https://coursemojo.com/) :
https://coursemojo.com (https://coursemojo.com/)

Read Dacia's Article: What It looks Like to Build Educational Ai Based on Cognitive Science (https://www.k12digest.com/what-it-looks-like-to-build-educational-ai-based-on-cognitive-science/)

Explore more episodes of My EdTech Life:
https://www.myedtech.life

A special thank you to our sponsors, Comeback Coffee (https://comebackbev.com/) , Book Creator (https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast) , Eduaide.AI (https://www.eduaide.ai/) , and Peel Back Education (https://peelbackeducation.substack.com/) , for supporting our mission to amplify meaningful voices in education.

Subscribe, share this episode with an educator or district leader, and tell us in the comments: What evidence should schools demand before renewing an EdTech platform?

Stay Techie!

Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife)