EdTech Connect Ep. 68:
France Hoang – Designing AI Ready Systems that Put People Before Platforms
Release Date: January 2, 2026
Host: Jeff Dillon
Guest: France Hoang, Co-Founder & CEO of Boodlebox
Episode Overview
In this episode, Jeff Dillon sits down with France Hoang, a serial entrepreneur, West Point graduate, educator, and current CEO of Boodlebox. They discuss what it means to build genuinely human-centric, AI-enabled educational ecosystems. France shares his personal journey from refugee to leader, offers frank critiques of both AI hype and backlash, and outlines actionable strategies for institutions seeking equitable, ethical AI adoption.
Key Themes & Discussion Points
France’s Personal Journey and Inspiration [(02:02–03:44)]
- France’s story starts as a Vietnamese refugee, escaping Saigon at age 2.
- Education was his lifeline: military service at West Point, law school at Georgetown, White House counsel, and multiple entrepreneurial ventures.
- His experience in classrooms—as both a trustee and lecturer—inspired his edtech pursuits:
“All of which would not have been possible, none of which would have been possible without education. So I have a deep love of education.” (03:11, France Hoang)
- Founding Boodlebox: merging love of service, education, and tech, with concerns about how tech might help or hinder.
The Disruption and Challenge of AI in Education [(03:49–05:36)]
- AI has upended the traditional learning-assessment-feedback loop.
- Risks: Students might outsource critical thinking; educators may overreact by rejecting technology altogether.
- France warns against nostalgia and advocates for proactive adaptation:
“How do we enable human beings? How do we be human first in an age of AI?” (05:23, France Hoang)
The Boodlebox Mission: Partnering for Lifelong Learning [(06:06–07:22)]
- Boodlebox serves as a partner to educators, aiming to prepare students for lifelong work with AI—not just as a classroom tool, but as an ongoing professional aid.
- France stresses the importance of getting the human-AI relationship right:
“I want to get that relationship right. And I think if we start with where tomorrow’s workers are today, which is the classroom… they will take it and get it right in their workplaces, homes, and communities.” (06:58, France Hoang)
The Three Pillars of “AI Readiness” [(08:14–10:51)]
- Domain Expertise: Educators are more crucial than ever; students must be better than AI at their fields.
- AI Enablement: Teaching students to use AI responsibly. Faculty need to be comfortable learning alongside students.
- Human Skills: Elevating communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. AI should reverse the ratio of routine to imaginative work.
“What if… you spend 20% of your time on drudgery, 80% on things that require real human added value? I think that’s the promise of AI.” (10:30, France Hoang)
Reintroducing Productive Struggle & Measuring Change [(12:08–14:07)]
- AI aims for productivity, but learning needs struggle. Boodlebox adds guardrails and transparency for educators to see how AI is used.
- Cites a case from Pikes Peak State College:
- 90% of students found the platform a more ethical way to use AI.
- 87% more comfortable with AI prompting.
- 83% preferred it to free alternatives.
- Zero academic integrity violations; highest-quality work product to date.
True “AI Readiness” is a People Problem, Not a Platform Problem [(14:50–16:49)]
- Simply providing access isn’t enough; AI adoption must be part of holistic, institutional change.
- Security and FERPA compliance matter, but human-centered implementation, experimentation, and iteration are key.
- Needs differ between community colleges and large universities; encourage “letting a thousand flowers bloom.”
Bridging the Academic-Workforce Gap [(17:31–18:31)]
- Story from Point Loma University: Students use Boodlebox to build and train AI assistants with their lecture notes, then collaborate with their AIs and each other to solve real-world problems.
“How much better prepared is that student for this AI-enabled world than a student who takes a traditional marketing class?” (18:28, France Hoang)
Advice for Smaller Institutions on AI Adoption [(19:16–21:43)]
- Start with pilots, not campus-wide rollout; peer-to-peer learning among “pioneer” faculty is crucial.
- Adoption is slow and organic—a 2–3 year process.
- Boodlebox reduces token and environmental costs by 96%, making equitable, affordable access realistic.
- Cautions against pay-to-play AI:
“I want an educational system where people have better results because they work for it, not simply because they have access to a paid AI platform.” (20:54, France Hoang)
Aligning AI with Institutional Priorities [(22:21–23:30)]
- AI should serve clearly defined institutional goals (e.g., retention, efficiency), not be treated as an “end in itself”.
- Most adoption will be use-case driven; demonstrate clear ROI to win broader acceptance.
Rethinking Metrics for Success [(24:02–25:33)]
- Beyond logins and outputs; focus on impact and alignment with mission/values.
- Mix quantitative and qualitative measures, e.g. narrative examples (job interviews using AI projects), attitudinal shifts among students.
Looking Ahead: Personalized, Differentiated, and Portable Education [(26:04–27:38)]
- Personalized: AI enables tailored learning at scale:
“It’s like having a TA assigned to every student. What could you do if you did that?” (26:26, France Hoang)
- Differentiated: AI-powered learning adapts to discipline and context (chemistry ≠ philosophy).
- Portable: Students use Boodlebox as a permanent, evolving toolkit taken into their careers:
“Imagine the sum of your college academic experience now in an AI toolkit that you can access and use for the rest of your life.” (27:19, France Hoang)
Notable Quotes
- “We have to teach our students to be AI-enabled… knowing when and how to use AI responsibly.” (09:15, France Hoang)
- “This is a people problem, not a platform problem.” (15:41, France Hoang)
- “Peer-to-peer learning is really important here, and then organically it grows over time.” (19:38, France Hoang)
- “AI is not the end in itself… the goal isn’t to use AI. The goal is to do whatever you were doing before and do it in a way that is more efficient, more effective, free up time.” (22:23, France Hoang)
- “If we’re going to be human centric, we also have to measure the human impact… those things are harder to measure just by looking at usage.” (25:19, France Hoang)
Actionable Takeaways & France’s Advice
- Start with successful, small-scale pilots driven by clear instructional needs.
- Focus on equitable access to AI tools and support peer-led learning networks.
- Expand how you define and track success—pick metrics that align with your mission, not just quantitative usage data.
- Treat AI as a “force multiplier” for your strongest institutional priorities—not a distraction from them.
- Prepare students for “lifelong partnership” with AI, with transparent, ethical, and portable platforms.
Memorable Moment
- The story of the student flipping a job interview by showcasing her class-built AI bot—a persuasive, real-world demonstration of how AI literacy can change outcomes. (24:38–24:53)
Key Segment Timestamps
| Segment | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------| | France’s background & inspiration | 02:02–03:44 | | AI’s disruption to traditional pedagogy | 03:49–05:36 | | Boodlebox’s mission | 06:06–07:22 | | The three pillars of “AI readiness” | 08:14–10:51 | | Productive struggle & Pikes Peak case study | 12:08–14:07 | | Definition of AI readiness: people vs. platforms | 14:50–16:49 | | Bridging academic–professional gap (Point Loma story) | 17:31–18:31 | | Advice for smaller institutions & equity | 19:16–21:43 | | Aligning AI with institutional priorities | 22:21–23:30 | | Rethinking metrics for success | 24:02–25:33 | | The future: personalized, differentiated, portable | 26:04–27:38 |
Tone & Style
France Hoang brings a passionate, pragmatic, and often visionary voice; he’s grounded in classroom realities and equally at ease discussing national policy or startup operations. The discussion balances big-picture strategy with practical tips and memorable anecdotes.
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Explore Boodlebox: [Link in show notes]