Nov 13, 2025
What makes edtech truly useful for teachers? In this episode of Teacher Smarter, former middle school teacher and Otus co-founder Chris Hull talks about building practical tools that come from real classroom experience. They cover Otus’ time-saving beginnings, the case for unified data, and the role of embedded AI that supports teachers (not the other way around).
3 big insights from the episode:
Real-world solutions beat shiny tech
Teachers can spot “innovation for innovation’s sake” a mile away. Chris knows the tools that actually stick are the ones that make the workday smoother, not more complicated. When technology solves a real classroom problem, it earns trust. That’s why Otus was built from teacher experiences, with every new feature still guided by educator feedback and tested against real classroom challenges. In short, if it doesn’t help teachers do their jobs better, it doesn’t belong.
“It's got to be pragmatic, right? There's this reluctance or this trepidation around technology. If it's not pragmatic, if it's not helping, okay, if you can do something cool, awesome – that's like a nice little gadget. But what's going to really drive the use or the implementation of something is when it actually helps you.”
Uniting data and AI helps teachers work smarter
Teachers don’t need another dashboard. They need a single, clear picture of each student. With everything in one place, teachers can see what’s working sooner and adjust instruction faster. When AI is built right into the system, teachers can get quick summaries and insights without coding, spreadsheets, or “data days.” By turning hours of digging into seconds of understanding, it frees teachers to focus on what they do best: teach.
“There's so much data. It doesn't really become information because you're kind of overwhelmed by it. And what is AI great at? Taking a wealth of information and giving you these discoverable, digestible, tangible pieces that you can actually use. ‘I have a parent-teacher conference later today. How's Avery doing in my class, and what questions might her family ask me?’ It'll give you a summary of how they're doing, it'll give you five to seven questions of what you might be asked.”
Keep the heart of teaching human
AI can amplify what teachers do well; it can’t replace it. The real magic happens when educators stay focused on relationships, curiosity, and collaboration. AI can take care of busywork, but it’s the teacher who sparks the “aha” moments, builds confidence, and creates lasting connections. As Chris put it, AI should make space for more of these moments, not fewer.
“We just have to focus on the right things and not try to find more things, right? Sometimes, you simplify something, and all of a sudden, you're now looking for more. It's like, no, double down on connecting to your students, talk to them about what they like to do. I always enjoyed learning the favorite activities of my students because when you can get them engaged about that and they can start talking, you can teach them the skills that are going to be transferable.”
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