The CEO of DreamBox Talks Virtual Learning with Guy Raz | How I Built This | NPR | Summary and Q&A

Summary

In this interview, Jesse Wooley-Wilson, the CEO of DreamBox, discusses how the edtech company has adapted to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. DreamBox is an online math program for K-8 students that offers personalized learning. Wooley-Wilson talks about the company's response to the pandemic, such as opening up the platform for free and providing support to educators and parents. He also addresses the future of remote learning and the potential for educational technology companies to thrive in the coming years.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has DreamBox adapted to the changes caused by the pandemic?

DreamBox has gone through two phases of adaptation during the pandemic. The first phase was focused on survival, where the company prioritized the wellbeing of its employees and took care of its school customers. The second phase was about thriving and ensuring the company's long-term success. DreamBox made significant cost reductions, moved employees to a four-day work week, and opened up the platform for free to support teachers and students learning from home. Despite the challenges, the company saw exponential growth in the number of students using the platform.

Q: How did DreamBox continue to sell its product to school districts during the pandemic?

DreamBox initially faced uncertainty about how it would connect with district administrators and decision-makers when schools shut down. However, they found that educators were actively seeking solutions to keep learning going, even in a remote environment. DreamBox's partnerships with trusted organizations, such as Harvard University, helped maintain relationships with customers. The company also relied on its reputation for quality and reliability to maintain access to district administrators and decision-makers.

Q: What was the economic impact of the pandemic on DreamBox?

DreamBox took a proactive approach and prepared for the worst when the pandemic hit by cutting back on expenses and reducing costs. They moved to remote work and eliminated travel and conference attendance. However, the decision to open up the platform for free resulted in an explosion of new customers and an increase in the number of students using DreamBox. Despite the challenges, the company adapted and worked towards maintaining revenue protection while prioritizing employee and customer needs.

Q: How has the growth in users impacted DreamBox's product team and engineers?

The rapid growth in users put a strain on DreamBox's support system and overwhelmed their staff. This strain was magnified by the fact that the company had moved to a four-day work week expecting low volumes during the pandemic. The team had to sprint to meet the increased demand and anticipate further surges when schools reopened. Communication and transparency became crucial, and the team embraced the challenge of adapting to unexpected growth and supporting customers effectively.

Q: Is DreamBox hiring new employees?

DreamBox put a hold on hiring during the survival phase of the pandemic but began the recruiting process again after resuming work in July. However, the recent trend of schools deciding to remain 100% remote until the end of the calendar year has impacted the company's plans to train teachers on using DreamBox. DreamBox is adapting to the changing landscape and ensuring flexibility in their hiring plans to meet the needs of schools and districts.

Q: Will DreamBox pivot back to targeting parents if more parents choose to homeschool or opt out of traditional virtual learning?

DreamBox believes in the importance of parents' role in education and does not plan to move away from parents as a target audience. While DreamBox primarily focuses on school districts and administrators, the company recognizes that winning the confidence of parents can positively impact institutional adoption of their platform. DreamBox aims to bridge the gap between parents and teachers by providing insights and support, ensuring that technology complements rather than replaces the role of educators.

Q: How does DreamBox plan to make its product accessible to every child, especially those who may not have access to online learning opportunities?

DreamBox acknowledges the risk of online learning widening the gap between privileged and underprivileged students. The company's shift towards the institutional model is aimed at making DreamBox available to all children in schools, including those whose parents may not be aware of the platform. DreamBox is committed to working with public-private partnerships, libraries, and foundations to address issues such as broadband and device access. They advocate for policies and funding mechanisms to ensure equal access to quality learning experiences for all children.

Q: Is DreamBox considering becoming a non-profit or collaborating with foundations to make its product free and accessible?

DreamBox has already engaged in public-private partnerships to support its mission and impact student opportunities. For example, the Gates Foundation provided a grant to accelerate the development of DreamBox's educator solution. DreamBox also partnered with the Rise Fund, an impact investment fund, which aligns with their double bottom line approach of achieving growth and impact. Although DreamBox has made the platform available for free during the pandemic, there is potential for more collaborative efforts with foundations or non-profit organizations to ensure broader access to their product.

Q: Do you anticipate an explosion of opportunities for educational technology companies in the coming years?

DreamBox believes that the market for remote learning is shifting and will continue to do so even after the pandemic. The company has experienced explosive growth and expects this trend to continue. The increased reliance on technology for learning has transformed remote learning from a nice-to-have complement to a must-have tool. DreamBox sees immense growth opportunities for proven, effective, engaging, and reliable learning technologies, and the future of educational technology appears promising.

Q: Can remote learning truly work for all children and replicate traditional in-person classroom instruction?

Research shows that the most vital factor for student success is the teacher. DreamBox does not believe that technology should replace teachers but rather support them in personalizing learning experiences for students. Technology can analyze students' thinking processes, provide actionable insights, and help modify instructional strategies. DreamBox emphasizes the importance of connecting technology with in-person learning to create a blended learning experience that optimizes student success. While the future of learning may change, DreamBox believes in pursuing a new normal that combines the best of both virtual and in-person instruction to meet the diverse needs of students.

Q: Are there any school districts that are ready to open in-person?

Due to the absence of a comprehensive national strategy that optimizes frequent testing and tracing, it is difficult to predict when schools will be safe to open. Factors such as sanitization, masks, and distance requirements need to be taken into account in planning for safe learning environments. Without a national strategy and the necessary precautions, many districts lack confidence in reopening fully. At the moment, very few districts in the United States are confident enough to send children back to school on a full-time basis.

Q: How does DreamBox's leadership style, characterized by benevolent friction, work?

Benevolent friction is about having courageous conversations and being hard on ideas while remaining soft on people. DreamBox encourages its employees to subject their ideas to scrutiny and welcomes constructive conversations to improve their innovations. They prioritize leaving ego aside and focus on the ultimate goal of democratizing learning opportunities. Benevolent friction aims to push ideas towards greatness and make sure that every child can succeed in learning math on DreamBox.