Adapting Math Education to a Digitalized Generation

Parents and coaches are invited to attend this year’s panel discussion, “Adapting Math Education to a Digitalized Generation”. This event is free and open to the public.

The panelists–each bringing expertise in traditional, online, hybrid, or technology-enhanced learning–will be sharing their perspectives on how educators should address math education in an increasingly digitalized environment. We’ll be addressing questions like “How do digital tools impact the role of educators?” and “Do you believe technology helps or exacerbates the problem of shrinking attention spans?”, and there will be a time for audience Q & A as well.

Saturday, January 24, 2026 • 9:45am-10:45am • Cabot Theater

Moderated by Karissa Tang, TKA Class of 2026

Panelists

Derek Sanders

Derek Sanders is a senior manager at ExploreLearning, an EdTech firm focused on delivering engaging, research-driven STEM experiences. Derek leads a team responsible for the adaptive behavior of game-based math activities, including Frax, a fractions curriculum suite.

Derek received his master’s degree in Operations Research from Stanford and has devoted his career to mathematical modeling, simulation, and algorithm development in a variety of contexts. In addition to EdTech, his areas of mathematical applications include optical networking, the automotive and health care marketplaces, cybersecurity, and (surprisingly) tacos.

Mat Miyashiro

Mat Miyashiro is an experienced educator who has spent his entire career supporting and creating a positive learning environment in K12 education. A founding teacher at Gompers Preparatory Academy for 10 years and served as the Math Department Chair and varsity tennis and soccer coach.

Following his time teaching, he worked as a writer for math curriculum, math digital editor, and software quality assurance engineer at Pearson. He has helped develop various interactives and learning management systems at Pearson Realize and Learnzillion for Imagine Learning. He uses his classroom experience in teaching mathematics to travel the country to model best practice for synchronous and asynchronous learning in today’s digital classrooms.

Currently, he works with Corwin as a Senior Professional Learning Advisor to partner with CA school districts to provide school improved solutions for K12 teachers and leaders.

Rebecca Hao

Rebecca Hao is a learning designer and software engineer excited about technologies that thoughtfully, enjoyably, and effectively support learning. She is a recent graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Education Learning Design and Technology Master's program, where she researched and built generative AI tools for teachers and technologies to support self-directed learning for young adults. Prior, she was a software engineer at Google and studied human-computer interaction and linguistics at Harvard. With this background, she uses human-centered design and aims to ground and evaluate educational technologies in the science of how we learn and to develop AI tools responsibly and ethically. She is currently building and exploring how helpful "learning how to learn" and reflecting on your learning and AI use will be in the world with generative AI.