[freshfruit]

I don't think we're disagreeing on your first point. A cooperative dynamic is hugely important for some personality types. I would argue that such a dynamic arises in student centric teaching.

As for your second point, I too was a teacher a few years ago. Great teachers can work wonders with a good textbook. For example there is a lot of great evidence/support for the Direct Instruction model which requires extraordinarily well curated material.

But the real question remains, how do we repair our STEM education system in this country (and many other parts of the world) for happier, more capable workers and a more competitive work force?

Student centric learning tools offer amazing potential for scalable and cost effective solutions.