EdTech: Jeanette Koskinas of Lumen Learning On How Their Technology Will Make An Important Positive Impact On Education
Fall in love with the problem: I’m not saying you should fall in love with the issue itself. I believe you must understand what problems the issue causes and then work toward solutions that genuinely make progress. If you fall in love with the problem you’re trying to solve, you stay grounded and connected to the work.
In recent years, Big Tech has gotten a bad rep. But of course, many tech companies are doing important work making monumental positive changes to society, health, and the environment. To highlight these, we started a new interview series about “Technology Making An Important Positive Social Impact”. We are interviewing leaders of tech companies who are creating or have created a tech product that is helping to make a positive change in people’s lives or the environment. In this particular installment, we are talking to leaders of Education Technology companies, who share how their tech is helping to improve our educational system. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeanette Koskinas.
Jeanette Koskinas is Chief Product Officer at Lumen Learning, where she works to design, develop, and deliver higher education courseware that enables unprecedented learning for all students. She has an extensive background in sales, marketing, and product management of educational software across a range of subjects. Most recently, Jeanette led the launch of Lumen One, the first courseware built with a focus on equity, to uniquely understand and support minority student populations.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory and how you grew up?
I grew up in Detroit, MI surrounded by a big family of aunts, uncles, and cousins (my mom is one of eight) which balanced my life as an only child. When I was 11, we moved to Rochester, NY for my dad’s job — a move that was only supposed to be two years but became a permanent one. A move at that time in my life was super intimidating — junior high school can be complicated enough, let alone facing it as “the new girl.” Learning I could adjust to new places and people — that I could make friends and create a “home” wherever I was — turned into a really valuable life lesson that has served me well.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I don’t know if this is the MOST interesting story, though it was incredibly eye-opening for me. Within the first month of joining Lumen, I was in a meeting where we were exploring an idea around a new product model. The meeting was full of brainstorming and creative thinking. At the end of that meeting, I had a budget and a six-week timeline to explore whether the idea was viable and worth investment; this was a total shock to me based on my previous work experiences.
I had spent the majority of my higher education career in a very large company, where typically a good idea generated in one meeting would take at least another six weeks of discussion, with 12+ more meetings before it was even considered for research. Then, the idea would need another week or so of more people weighing in to establish a budget. By the time all of that was done, the investment in the exploration of the idea would be significant — so significant that “failure” was not an option. Any exploratory research at that point was far more likely to center on justifying the idea, not on openly evaluating whether we SHOULD pursue it.
I was amazed at the freedom to quickly and objectively research a product idea at Lumen so early on in my time with the company. At the end of those six weeks, I recommended we NOT move forward, and again, I was pleasantly surprised when the team agreed with my assessment. The whole concept of “fail fast” only works if your team believes failure is part of learning.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am well aware that growing up in the 1970s was not the dark ages, though I still don’t know how we survived without cell phones, streaming media, and the ability to apply filters to our photos. Growing up, I knew many strong women who were mothers, teachers, secretaries, and caregivers, but none were executives. The closest thing to a female entrepreneur in my youth was the Avon lady.
So, it might not be surprising that it was the men in my life who helped set a standard of success I still reflect on today. I was lucky to have two men who encouraged me to be whatever I wanted to be, and who believed I could be successful at anything I put my mind to. My dad taught me to stand my ground and advocate for myself, no matter who was in the room. Over years of “rigorous debate” with him, I had learned not to shrink from a challenge or defer to a perceived power structure. My uncle probably taught me more about feminism than anyone else in my life. He was never the loudest voice in the room, but he was almost always the most perceptive and insightful. He instilled in me the importance of listening and that fighting for others is just as important as advocating for oneself.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Never mistake kindness for weakness.” I think a version of this was originally said by Al Capone, which certainly gives it a darker meaning than my intent, but I fundamentally think the world could use a lot more kindness. Considering how much of our lives are spent at work, making the choice to be kind — even when you are under pressure or frustrated or feeling less than perfect — that is the work of heroes. As a woman in business, it has sometimes felt like the skills necessary for success — strategy, grit, drive — can get confused with aggressive, cut-throat behaviors (like being the loudest at the table), and selfishness. I believe you can be kind and strategic; kind and direct; kind and competitive. At the end of the day, I don’t think you need to act like an ass to be successful.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Enthusiasm: I credit a lot of my success to being excited just to show up and do the thing. If you aren’t energized by what you do, you can never motivate or inspire anyone else. There certainly are mundane aspects to any role, but at its core if you believe in the value of your work and your mission, others will believe it too.
Curiosity: When I’m hiring or stretching myself into a new role, I try to think about whether the skill I’m looking for is trainable. It can be easy to see gaps in experience: “They don’t know how to do X” or “I’ve never done Y before.” The number of things I’ve done for the first time, from a position of leadership, is mind-blowing. Someone decided I could do whatever it was, even if I wasn’t so sure myself. Curiosity makes you ask why — why do we do it this way? Why haven’t we tried this? Why does or doesn’t this work? Bottom line: you can teach (someone or yourself) a wide variety of skills if you are just willing to suspend your disbelief and try. I’ll place my bet on the person who approaches problems with a sense of wonder every time.
Humor: Life is way too short. Even in really ugly times, I try to imagine how that moment might be a funny story someday. I have a pretty dark sense of humor, which likely explains how I can make all sorts of things funny, at least to me!
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about the tech tools that you are helping to create that can make a positive social impact on our educational systems. To begin, what problems are you aiming to solve?
Lumen’s mission is to enable unprecedented learning for all students. Access to and affordability of higher education materials have always been central to what we do. I do not believe any student should ever have to choose between groceries and course materials.
In 2021, we took a closer look at our mission and added a significant and explicit way we intend to achieve our mission — by eliminating race, income, and gender as predictors of success. There is no doubt this is a big North Star goal, yet if we don’t set our intention to do something of this magnitude, how will we ever even come close to achieving it?
How do you think your technology can address this?
Technology can solve a lot of problems, but it can’t solve all of them. I don’t believe technology can replace a thoughtful, caring human experience. I do believe that technology can give us the information, the nudges, and the guidance on how to create meaningful interactions and interventions. Lumen One, our latest courseware offering, is designed to help faculty and students find moments of connection, both to the course material and to one another. From the beginning, we proactively included our customers in the design and development of Lumen One. We established User Testing Centers at minority-serving institutions in partnership with students, who created the user testing protocols, recruited their peers, and conducted feedback sessions. We worked with external partners to help us better understand higher education achievement gaps in gateway courses. We designed, tested, re-designed, and re-tested features and functionality. The inclusion of encouraging, supportive language is an example of how this research impacted design. Our Faculty Engagement Center within Lumen One provides actionable insights so faculty can leverage the power of technology to make informed decisions about how and when to intervene and get students back on track.
We continue to iterate based on both customer feedback and platform data itself (rage clicks, abandonment, time on task, etc.). Technology, in partnership with faculty and students, can help bridge gaps in understanding, identify opportunities for learning, and encourage persistence and achievement.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about education?
My grandfather had an eighth-grade education and ran a gas station in St. Clair Shores, MI. My grandmother’s high school graduation picture was prominently displayed in my grandparents’ house as a source of pride. They wanted at least that much for their eight children.
On the other side of my family, my father completed his bachelor’s degree the year I was born. He was a non-traditional student, working while going to college. (Always a fierce competitor, my dad also made sure to finish his master’s degree before I did!)
There was never a doubt I would go to college. My family, whether through trade or degree, knew that education had the power to change lives and the trajectory of generations. When I’m working with students and faculty who continue to pursue their dreams regardless of the speedbumps or roadblocks life has thrown at them, I can see my family in their struggles and dreams. I respect that it took hard work from the people before me to afford me the privilege of furthering my education.
How do you think your technology might change the world?
We develop courseware to support students in courses they are likely to take during their first years of college, courses frequently referred to as gateway courses. Gates are an interesting metaphor since they can serve to invite someone in, or to keep someone out. Too often students lack the preparation or foundational support to be successful in these courses. When this happens, they may need to take a course repeatedly, which is costly financially and emotionally. They may question whether they belong in higher education and whether their future dreams are within reach. Creating learning experiences where students feel seen, supported, and connected to systems and people who are invested in their success is incredibly rewarding work.
When times are particularly stressful at work, I try to put things into perspective. At no point during the day am I performing surgery to save a life, for example. There are people right now trying to cure cancer — we’re building courseware so you can pass a college algebra course. But maybe someone who uses our products stays in school, completes their degree, and goes on to do important, world-changing work. That makes the work we do every day more than important enough!
Keeping the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
I don’t believe that anything that helps people learn, exposes them to factual information, and encourages their ability to think critically is ever going to have a societal drawback. I do think we sometimes solve one problem and inadvertently create another. That is why I prefer to fall in love with the problem vs. fall in love with the solution. When you are convinced your solution is the best and only way forward, you stop asking why. You stop examining the possible repercussions. You might bring water to the desert by draining the ocean.
How do you envision the landscape of education evolving over the next decade, and how does your technology fit into that future?
It is impossible to talk about technology and education these days without turning to AI. Large Language Models (LLMs) are the biggest disruptor in the education sector (maybe in any sector) that I’ve ever seen in my lifetime (though I will never forget the first time I heard the static buzz of connecting to the internet via dial-up). AI is the cause for much excitement, and sometimes much anxiety, particularly in education.
There is no doubt the way we assess proficiency is going to evolve — it has to. I don’t think that is a bad thing! It is a challenge and one that many of us haven’t necessarily encountered at this scale, which can make it seem daunting. I see so much possibility in the future, as long as we are aware of the role humans must continue to play in education. We have a responsibility to be transparent about our concerns, challenges, and expectations when it comes to LLMs in particular. These days, it is easy to dismiss technological advances because of fear. Conversely, I see people dismiss legitimate concerns because they are caught up in the hype and don’t want to be left behind. We’re humans. We can acknowledge risk and harness opportunity at the same time.
Here is the main question for our discussion. Based on your experience and success, can you please share “Five things you need to know to successfully create technology that can make a positive social impact”? (Please share a story or an example, for each.)
Fall in love with the problem: I’m not saying you should fall in love with the issue itself. I believe you must understand what problems the issue causes and then work toward solutions that genuinely make progress. If you fall in love with the problem you’re trying to solve, you stay grounded and connected to the work.
Set your intention: You can’t effect change without a commitment to doing the work. You don’t have to do only the big things. Baby steps add up.
Check your assumptions: We’re human. Our experiences influence our opinions and assumptions. Stay focused and remind yourself that assumptions are not facts.
Advocate for/Recruit/Amplify different perspectives, lived experiences and voices: You are not the only vote that counts. More is better. See #3.
Acknowledge the hard work: Celebrate the victories, no matter how small. Keep your commitment regardless of how big the challenge is. If the problem was easy to fix, it would have been solved by now.
In the realm of EdTech, there’s often data collection involved. How do you ensure the ethical handling of user data, especially when it concerns students?
Because we have some access to student information, the protection of PII (personally identifiable information) is incredibly important to us. We adhere to federal guidelines via FERPA and have a tight integration with campus Learning Management Systems, which allows us to “push” information to the institution’s source of record, without needing to “pull” information that could expose risk. The level of scrutiny any higher education provider must go through to deliver courseware at scale at U.S. institutions is significant. We are always looking to improve our security standards and we have built a software architecture that mitigates risk. We never sell customer data. If we are involved in an efficacy study, we are open and transparent with faculty and students about what we’re doing and why, and all data is anonymized.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Doing something you believe in for a cause that is greater than you — how could you ever regret that? Everyone needs to chart their own course through this life. The things that bring joy or the injustice you wish to fight are all personal decisions. In the end, I want to know I’ve brought more love into the world, and by extension hopefully less hate. As Mary Oliver asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
This question is tough! I would probably answer this question differently every day. I feel like I should answer this very professionally, naming a Nobel Prize winner or a famous CEO. Some days, I would definitely lean into an answer that makes me seem very business savvy. Today is not that day.
Tom Petty said, “Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life.” There are few places where I am happier than when I am listening to music,* especially live music. My playlists are all over the map, from bluegrass to EDM.
So, my person?
Trey Anastasio. Strange to name a jam band guitarist and, in my opinion, poetic lyricist for this question? Maybe. But it’s not solely the “magic” of his music that propels Trey to the top of my list. Trey has overcome his own personal struggles with addiction to create the Divided Sky Foundation. In today’s world, you are truly blessed if addiction has not touched your life in some way. I deeply respect how Trey taps into the vulnerability and honesty of his own recovery to prioritize helping others. It can be very easy to talk about the change we want to see — in the world, in our communities, within our families. Doing something that fosters change is hard work. Using your influence to bring awareness and inspire action in others is heroic.
Trey is not perfect (though several videos he made during the heights of COVID might have kept me sane). He may be idolized for many reasons, yet he has had setbacks and incredibly vulnerable moments play out in the public eye. His decision to transform these moments into opportunities to help others is why I’d love the chance to sit across from him — breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee…whatever!
*My other happy place? Horse barns.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanettekoskinas/
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success in your important work.
