WHY WE MUST EMBRACE BENEVOLENT FRICTION IN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Benevolent friction—the concept of being soft on people but hard on ideas—is an approach to constructive engagement and innovation that I’ve long embraced and brought to DreamBox Learning over seven years ago. We find that benevolent friction is a catalyst for thoughtful and candid dialogue that leads to creative ideation. It’s in our DNA and has made us stronger as individual contributors, team members, and devoted shepherds of our customers’ experiences.

In the spirit of benevolent friction, I’d like to share a few thoughts with our colleagues working at the intersection of education and technology as I reflect on 2017 and look ahead to the new year.