I partially agree with what you just posted, but — walking along your train of thought, I take a bit of issue with the following paragraph (sliced for emphasis):
> So there seems to be a bit of a trend for people to build flashcard-type tools at the moment, [...] so it's impossible to build a stable business in this space.
I am of the radical idea that lots of things should not be for-profit businesses (doesn't mean that it can't be profitable — just not exorbitantly so), and that economist's mistaken goal of exponential growth expectations is criminally separated from the sigmoid limits to reality.
So, therefore, while I agree that EdTech is a bunch of fads, I think the fact that EdTech is a thing is wrong.
And I agree with your main point that we should be chasing accumulation and refinement of knowledge, and not doing some sort of spring-cleaning every 10 years.
"EdTech" is ripe for disruption - by a non-profit, open-source entity that provides "school stuff as a service" but is basically a lifestyle business.
It would have to be funded by adventure capitalists (e.g., retired techies having fun building stuff) for awhile, but it could easily take over once it got traction.
> So there seems to be a bit of a trend for people to build flashcard-type tools at the moment, [...] so it's impossible to build a stable business in this space.
I am of the radical idea that lots of things should not be for-profit businesses (doesn't mean that it can't be profitable — just not exorbitantly so), and that economist's mistaken goal of exponential growth expectations is criminally separated from the sigmoid limits to reality.
So, therefore, while I agree that EdTech is a bunch of fads, I think the fact that EdTech is a thing is wrong.
And I agree with your main point that we should be chasing accumulation and refinement of knowledge, and not doing some sort of spring-cleaning every 10 years.