 5 Disadvantages of Technology in the Classroom (And How to

Overcome Them)

ViewSonic

https://www.viewsonic.com/library/education/5-disadvantages-of-technology-in-the-classroom-and-

how-to-overcome-them/

Though we generally see progress as a good thing, there are definite

disadvantages of technology in the classroom. From distraction to
reducing face time, EdTech isn’t a magic bullet for every situation.
With some awareness, however, most disadvantages can be
overcome, like some of the surprisingly old-school thinking that
helps with tech disparity. 

So read on for some disadvantages of technology in the classroom

(and potential solutions). 

From apps and e-textbooks to organizational platforms and

“gamification,” there’s no shortage of technology in the classroom. But,
while EdTech tools can make lessons more engaging and useful for
students raised on technology, they can equally challenge teachers and
lead to suboptimal outcomes for students. How can teachers get the most
out of technology without sacrificing efficiency or engagement?
Here are 5 disadvantages of technology in the classroom and how to get
past them for your students.

Distracting Students

Smartphones have a bad reputation in classrooms and there have

been strong cases for banning them in schools. Research suggests that
during class time, when smartphones 42% of the time that students spent
on their smartphones in the classroom, it was to text, tweet, or otherwise
engage in social media rather than the lesson.

However, bans on devices such as smartphones are unlikely to work as

students will inevitably get around them. Also, such bans would be
resented by students, who consider the use of technology to be a matter
of personal autonomy that should only be regulated when it distracts
other students. While teachers can help students learn better self-control
methods to help them to regulate their own use of
devices, research shows that better lesson plans that promote student
engagement have less off-task use of technology.

Therefore, the onus is on instructors to create engaging, inspiring, and

stimulating lesson plans that incorporate technology. For example,
smartphones can access educational apps that promote learning as well
as time management.
Many teachers incorporate digital platforms into lesson plans and find
that using social media can actually keep students engaged and
encourage classroom participation. Some teachers even create twitter
hashtags to encourage comments.

Technology can be used to supplement lesson plans with digital materials,

including video, news stories, online discussions, and to encourage
participation. Get creative!

Requires Management and Training

The rise of EdTech means that being effective in the classroom requires
that teachers are effective on the screen and tech platform. Studies show
that three-quarters of teachers say the internet and other digital tools
have added new demands to their lives and have dramatically increased
the range of content and skills about which they must be knowledgeable,
with nearly half saying it has increased their workload.

New tech in the classroom also means needing IT professionals to help set
it up, maintain it, and support teachers and students in its use. Clear and
transparent communications among administration, faculty, and tech
vendors that clarify how adopting a particular device, platform, or
program will benefit students and teacher alike, can greatly enhance the
use of technology in the classroom, to remove the suspicion that such
technology is just “bells and whistles” with little actual value. Teachers also
need access to training.
Moreover, institutions can help maximize their technical support staff by
finding a less resource-intensive solution. Read 10 Reasons Education IT
Administrators Love Interactive Touch Screen Displays.

Leads to Tech Disparity

Tech disparity refers to how much access students have to the necessary
devices. The differences in access can be seen between school districts,
with more affluent districts having greater resources, but it can also refer
to differences among students in the same school, where students from
wealthier families having greater access. A recent survey indicates that
while 84 percent of American teens have a smartphone, the other 16
percent don’t. Reaching out to that 16 percent is the goal.

Tech disparity also refers to school policymaking and tech management.

For example, the above survey also points out that while three-quarters of
teachers working in wealthier districts felt that their schools provided
adequate training, only half of the teachers in low-income areas agreed.
Around 40 percent of teachers in economically disadvantaged areas saw
their schools as behind the curve in technology advancement.

Teachers and administrators can take practical steps toward bridging the
tech divide. Assuming unequal access to devices, schools can focus on
technology that can be shared among classes, for example, shared tablet
computers and school computer labs, not to mention school-based Wi-Fi.

Then, there is tech that can be used within the classroom, such as
interactive whiteboards and projectors, as well as a digital curriculum that
all students can access.

Bridging the tech divide is not easy, but for a fairer society with equal
opportunity, it needs to be the focus of all efforts. (But a good start to
fighting tech disparity is a computer lab in school.)

Cost Money

Nothing in this world is free, and buying cutting-edge electronics for a

classroom is downright expensive. While there’s no way to avoid spending
money modernizing a classroom, it is at least possible to maximize
the total cost of ownership (TCO) by installing devices with longer
lifespans and reduced maintenance. Tech with higher upfront costs might
actually save the school money as it will face fewer issues and have less
downtime while being easier to use. Schools need to assess TCO carefully
before choosing purchasing tech.

Moreover, the use of technology should not be confined to the classroom

and in fact can be used to streamline administrative systems, cutting
costs, boosting productivity, and reducing time wasted on administrative
tasks. Cloud computing, for example, offers substantial opportunities for
schools to save money. Switching to a digital curriculum eliminates the
need to continuously replace outdated textbooks.

Cloud-based computing also reduces the need to keep expensive

hardware on-site, which can save in administrative costs, reduce payroll
costs (fewer IT techs), and eliminates that 24-hour air-conditioned server
room. Also, sharing materials online rather than printing them out saves
costs of printers and ink – substantial costs for schools – not to mention
all that hard work spent printing.

In short, while technology has obvious costs attached to it, viewed

holistically, it can also provide substantial opportunities for cost
reductions that more than compensate.

Less Face Time

No amount of technology in the classroom can replace talented, inspired

teachers. As the adage goes, any teacher that can be replaced with a tech
device probably deserves to be replaced.

Technology is not the solution to ensuring a healthy vigorous learning

culture, it is simply a pedagogical tool that is only as valuable as the
instructor who wields it. In fact, while billions of dollars are spent on
EdTech, countries that don’t deploy tech often have better educational
outcomes than countries that spend heavily.
Face to face interactions between teacher and student can help students
not just acquire facts, but to understand, interpret, and apply these facts
into useful and interesting knowledge. Through face to face interactions,
teachers can help students build self-esteem and confidence and
emotional maturity. Particularly in disadvantaged areas, teachers can
provide a zone of comfort and security, and everywhere teachers can
reduce the cyberbullying that so often accompanies social media.

There are lots of ways to synthesize tech into real-world activities, but
sometimes teachers just need to switch off the tech and get down to
personal interactions. For example, while so much information can be
readily accessed on the Internet, so much of that information is dubious
at best and sometimes downright malevolent. Teachers need to guide
students on how best to identify useful sources and balance differing
viewpoints.

Final Thoughts

Of course there will be challenges along the way as we adopt new

technologies in education and improve them to suit student outcomes.
But the advantages vastly outweigh the disadvantages of technology in
the classroom. It is just always important to remain aware of where the
latest tech is coming up short and to adjust course for the best possible
learning outcome for the students.
There’s no reason to be afraid of EdTech, but nor should we rush blindly
into digital transformation. After all, education is all about learning, and
we should all be open to the ongoing process of improvement that comes
with it.

Want to learn more about implementing EdTech? Check this

out: Technology in the Classroom: The Complete Guide. Or go directly to
ViewSonic’s technology solutions for education.

 Technology in the Classroom in 2019: 6 Pros & Cons

Vawn Himmelsbach  •  July 15, 2019
https://tophat.com/blog/6-pros-cons-technology-classroom/

Technology in education is the biggest change in teaching we will

ever see. For years, policy makers, teachers, parents and
students alike have been weighing the potential benefits of
technology in education against its risks and consequences. But
now the debate is more pressing than ever, as curricula
increasingly incorporate technology and professors experiment
with new teaching methods. On one hand, technology allows you
to experiment in pedagogy, democratize the classroom and better
engage students. On the other hand, some argue technology in
the classroom can be distracting and even foster cheating.

Students are digital natives. They’ve grown up with technology; it’s woven into their
lives. In fact, it’s one of the basic 21st century skills that they’ll need in school and the
workplace. But using computer technology in the classroom isn’t just about digital
devices in class — it relates to anything that facilitates an interaction between teacher
and student. Classroom engagement is at an all-time low and lecturers are competing
against countless diversions from phones, tablets and laptops. Technology in schools
could be seen as the culprit, or it could be harnessed to improve student engagement
and effectiveness.

“Digital education is generating new learning opportunities as students engage in

online, digital environments and as faculty change educational practices through
the use of hybrid courses, personalized instruction, new collaboration models
and a wide array of innovative, engaging learning strategies.

Furthermore, a 21st century view of learner success requires students to not only
be thoughtful consumers of digital content, but effective and collaborative
creators of digital media, demonstrating competencies and communicating ideas
through dynamic storytelling, data visualization and content curation.”

David Goodrum, director of academic technology and information services, Oregon State

University, in Campus Technology

The cons
1. Technology in the classroom can be a distraction.
Tech savvy students may find it hard to concentrate in class when a wide range of
digital devices are around them. College students learn less when they use computers
or tablets during lectures, writes Susan Dynarski, a professor of education, public policy
and economics at the University of Michigan, in the New York Times. “They also tend to
earn worse grades. The research is unequivocal: Laptops distract from learning, both
for users and for those around them.”
But Matthew Numer, an assistant professor in the School of Health and Human
Performance at Dalhousie University, says in an article for The Chronicle of Higher
Education that banning laptops is an “insult” to students: “Our students are capable of
making their own choices, and if they choose to check Snapchat instead of listening to
your lecture, then that’s their loss. Besides, it’s my responsibility as an educator to
ensure that my lecture is compelling. If my students aren’t paying attention, if they’re
distracted, that’s on me.” To Numer, students glancing at their screens may indicate that
a course’s curriculum and instruction needs to be revamped.

This makes the notion of creating a structure and culture of respect all the more
important from day one. Identify specific projects, times during class, and your
intentions for allowing the use of technology in the classroom. Creating expectations
and guidelines for students, and sticking to them, will be important for them in
respecting your boundaries.

2. Technology can disconnect students from social interactions.

Many people are skeptical of technology and what it does to students’ (and everyone
else’s) ability to verbally communicate.
By creating assignments in class that use both technological tools as well as oral
presentations and group collaboration, students will learn to be dynamic in how they
learn and interact with others.

Sara Eskridge, history professor at Randolph College in Virginia, believes that

technology is a tool to be used in the classroom, rather than an end in itself. The
teacher is in control—and knows how to bring the best out in the student.

3. Technology can foster cheating in class and on assignments.

While students have always found ways to cheat, the digital age makes it even easier — from
copying-and-pasting someone else’s work to hiring an essay-writer from an online essay mill.
Here, digital technology could end up hindering students’ professional development.
While technology could be seen as yet another avenue for cheating, it’s possible to
structure assignments and exams in a way that makes cheating difficult, or make exams
open-book and focus on problem-solving and mastery rather than retention. Some
classroom software allows you set questions that are subtly different for every student,
making them focus on the technique rather than the answer; and edtech software such
as Turnitin is already well-established in most higher education settings. These assistive
tools can help professors identify students who plagiarize.
4. Students don’t have equal access to technological resources.

An online education should be accessible to students. Some students can’t afford iPads
or even the textbooks required for class. For these students, point them in the direction
of library or community resources, or create assignments that allow them to work in
groups and share resources.

Don’t make technology the focus of your class, and don’t make it a barrier. Incorporate it
in a holistic and inclusive manner.

5. The quality of research and sources they find may not be top-notch.

The Internet is a blessing and a curse. Your students may need guidance on identifying
proper sources and unreliable sources. Many schools have writing centers that can help
with this. You can also use OERs, which are open educational resources in the public
domain that anyone can freely use, copy and adapt; they range from textbooks to
lecture notes, examinations and assignments.

How can you tell if content is written by a competent authority? Here are some tips
on finding OERs, and Top Hat’s Marketplace is also a reliable source of OER you can
use.
6. Lesson planning might become more labor-intensive with technology.

The task of adapting technology into your classroom can seem daunting or
overwhelming. In many ways though, using technology can become as natural to you as
any daily activity.
When you’re choosing classroom technology, it’s important to engage with the software
vendor and make sure you have the support in place. Some questions you should
ask include whether they supply training or onboarding, and what their reliability
statistics and support functions are—after all, you don’t need to be the person all the
students come to if the technology goes offline.

But the most important thing is to allow yourself time to learn how to use something, and
make sure you ask for, and receive the support that you need.

Technology in the classroom: The final verdict

Conclusion:
It’s clear that the benefits outweigh the cons. But the key to technology in the classroom
is always going to be the teacher-student relationship, because that’s where the
education happens. Technology can be a highly effective tool, but that’s all it is — a
tool. In today’s hyper-connected world, sensible use of technology can enhance
education.

The uses of technology are widespread. Technology is not meant to replace the
teacher. Rather, the idea is to create a flexible learning environment that breeds
innovation. It shifts the classroom experience from the ‘sage-on-a-stage’ approach to a
more collaborative learning environment. The success of such endeavors will ultimately
depend upon how technology is applied to keep students engaged.

It can be frustrating and time-consuming, but in the end, technology in education can
open doors to new experiences, new discoveries, and new ways of learning and
collaborating.

 THE DARK SIDE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

 BY MATTHEW LYNCH OCTOBER 15, 2016
 https://www.theedadvocate.org/dark-side-educational-technology/

There’s no denying that technology has great benefits for schools. However, any conversation
that does not include the potential dangers of the widespread use of technology would not be
complete. Here we will discuss the dark side of technology when it comes to its use in schools.

Tablets are a learning fixture in many K-12 classrooms these days. Teachers, administrators,
and parents have all been on board to push for one-to-one tablet programs in classrooms
throughout the country. Why? Because a tablet has the potential to provide quick access to
information and personalized learning. While few schools have met the one-to-one goal yet,
nearly 60 percent of administrators say they have implemented some form of mobile
technology in classrooms.
The push reflects a global trend. Gartner research expected tablet sales to surpass laptop and
desktop sales in 2015. Children have access to tablets and smartphones outside school
grounds, making the technology in the classroom an easy adaptation. The difference, of course,
is that instead of playing the latest version of Angry Birds or Candy Crush, students on tablets in
the classroom can tap into the latest reading, math or history app. Administrators and teachers
are also interested in the potential for so many other useful tools. Take digital textbooks, for
example.  Imagine a student with no back pain. Other applications include life skills tools, like
calendars, to-do lists, and other time management applications.

Looking at surveys, it appears that the only reason administrators have NOT implemented the
one-to-one tablet initiative is financial. The cost of the tablets themselves, along with
maintenance costs, higher bandwidth and security features, and more manpower in school IT
departments, are certainly obstacles. If money were no issue, though, it seems that most school
districts would adapt this cultural push toward tablets as student rights.

It’s Always About Money…Except For When It’s Not

But is money the only sticking point when it comes to mobile technology in the classroom? Isn’t
it just as possible that teachers and administrators, along with parents and kids, just got caught
up in a commercial trend fueled by the companies that design and build tablets and
smartphones? By the time classrooms reach a one-to-one point, will it be time already to
upgrade to something else?

In a post titled “5 Problems with iPads in Education” digital CEO Mike Silagadze says that getting
iPads, or other mobile devices, into classrooms is just the first step. What many school districts
fail to consider when budgeting for the initial purchase is the cost of software, not to mention
the teacher training that will be needed to make those devices effective. He points out that the
current push for tablets in K-12 classrooms echoes the sentiments once reserved for in-class
computers. In many cases, the learning promises associated with those computers did not
come to fruition, he says, leaving behind a wake of technology-jaded educators. He says:

“We need to be careful to introduce technology in thoughtful ways or else we will be left with
another generation of teachers who see technology as nothing but overpriced distractions
rather than useful teaching tools.”

He raises a good point, though. Can the potential of mobile technology in classrooms ever live
up to the hype surrounding it? Sure, the convenience and ability for student self-direction are
benefits, but these can also send the wrong message to the next generation. Learning does not
always have to have a “fun” portion attached. Sometimes it is just challenging, but the payoff is
greater. Students that learn to read electronically and to find books at the touch of a button will
never know the joy of tracking down a library book, via Dewey Decimal System. The instant
gratification tablets in education provide make accessing knowledge easier – but does that
make it better?
As more schools get closer to reaching one-to-one tablet goals, more than just budget
constraints need to be addressed. Questions of work ethics and the value of traditional, non-
digital learning methods need to be asked too.

Let’s look a little deeper into the idea of using technology right. This concept applies even on a
global scale.

Around the world, 6.5 million mobile device contracts exist — making tools like smartphones
and tablets an indispensable and necessary part of life. How can this technological shift benefit
students in classrooms, though? That seems to always be the subject of debate, with some
people claiming more technology for K-12 kids is needed and now, while others say that
learning is being sacrificed for the sake of flashy technology.

At the Education Fast Forward event, education and technology leaders debated the best ways
to use classroom technology across the globe, to help it reach areas that do not yet have it in
place. The focus was on how to improve digital technology.

Success stories were part of the discussions. Professor Miguel Nussbaum of Pontificia
Universidad Catolica de Chile was among the speakers, and he talked about how his
developments are leading to better integration of technology in classrooms in India, the U.K.
and the U.S.

In talking about his research with the Huffington Post, Nussbaum said that while Chile has tried
to implement its practices when it comes to teaching and technology, his ideas are more
integrated with the actual material.

“The main problem is that government lead projects have been targeted to introduce
technology without considering the pedagogical practices that are associated to produce
learning,” he said.

Though he is talking about his home country, I think his point is well received here in the U.S.
too. While I applaud the government’s involvement in ensuring that technology learning and
equipment is reaching classrooms, I do think that some of the responsibility should be given to
educators themselves and even private entities that can bring in greater levels of innovation for
students.

Does the Widespread Use of Technology Leave Some Students Behind?

Technology can be a great equalizer for students while they are in school, as all students have
the same access to classroom resources. But what happens when the students go home?

Even today, some students do not have Internet access at home.

One example of this challenge is playing out in Madison, Wisconsin. A Tableau survey of over
27,000 students found that around 12 percent of students in the Madison Metropolis School
District do not have access to the Internet.

Of the elementary through high school students surveyed, 97 percent of white students and 93
percent of Asian students have access to the Internet – but only 74 percent of African-American
students and 79 percent of Hispanic students have access.

Similarly, only 78 percent of low-income students have access to the Internet, compared with 98
percent of students that did not fall into the low-income category.

The district is hoping to improve the equity of access for all students.

I think it’s really important to remember that not all students are fortunate enough to have
access to the Internet. Providing technology devices is a great start, and I think it’s terrific that
Madison Metropolis School District can do this for its students. However, if not everyone can
get online from home, it hinders the potential good of the devices.

It sounds like Madison needs to make sure students without Internet access at home can find
locations to take advantage of their devices, such as ensuring the school campus has open Wi-
Fi. I hope that we can find ways to overcome the issue in Madison and other school districts out
there facing the same challenges to keep minority and low-income students from falling further
behind their peers.

Can Technology Magnify Your Problems as an Educator? Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Some actions are bad enough as is. Cheating is one of those things.

Imagine how much easier it can be to cheat with the increasing use of technology.

Academic dishonesty is nothing new. As long as there have been homework assignments and
tests, there have been cheaters. The way that cheating looks have changed over time, though,
particularly now that technology has made it easier than ever.

And perhaps the most interesting caveat of modern-day cheating in U.S. classrooms is that
students often do not think that what they are doing is wrong.

A study by the Josephson Institute of Ethics interviewed 23,000 high school students and asked
them a variety of questions about academic ethics. Of the teens surveyed, 51 percent said that
they had knowingly cheated at some point on an exam but that they had no qualms about the
behavior. A Common Sense Media survey found that 35 percent of students had cheated via
cell phone, though the parents surveyed in that particular study did not believe their kids had
ever cheated. In many cases, students did not realize that tactics like looking up answers on a
smartphone were cheating at all.

In today’s K-12 classrooms, students who cheat are rarely caught. There are no formulas
written on in the insides of hands or students looking across the aisle, or whispering answers to
their classmates. Today’s students use smartphones, tablets or even in-class computers to aid
their cheating endeavors and leave no trace of their crimes. Since cheating through technology
is not listed specifically as being against the rules in many school policies, students do not view
the actions an unethical.

Consider the following ways that technology aids in modern-day academic dishonesty:

 Storing notes on a cell phone.

• Purchasing prewritten papers online, or ordering them to be customized.
• Writing a paper that is the same as something else found online, but changed enough
to look original.
• Students text messaging each other answers.
• Using a smartphone camera to take a picture of a test or exam.
• Using voice recorders or virtual assistance programs to record or ask for answers.

Most of the tactics on this list were non-existent ten years ago, or at least the technology was
not in common use by young people. A Pew Internet survey found that 78 percent of teenagers
have mobile phones, up from just 23 percent in 2011. The technology is being adopted so
quickly that school districts cannot adequately keep up with cheating policies, or even
awareness campaigns that alert students to the problem with using technology to find answers
in a certain way.

From a young age, students learn that answers exist at their fingertips through search engines
and expert websites. It is more efficient to just look up the answers through the hard work
someone else has already done than to find the answers on their own.

K-12 students are not the only culprits, though. When was the last time you went to the library
or dug through physical records or documentation to find the answer to something? Adults
take advantage of the convenience of technology all the time – even in the workplace. The
difference, of course, is that most adults grew up at least partially technology-free. Today’s
students will not have that life experience and instead will have learned the quickest ways to
find answers – not necessarily the right ones.

Schools must develop anti-cheating policies that include technology, and those policies must be
updated consistently. Teachers must stay vigilant when it comes to what their students are
doing in classrooms and how technology could be playing a negative role in the learning
process. Parents must also talk to their kids about the appropriate ways to find academic
answers and alert them to unethical behaviors that may seem innocent in their own eyes.
Technology is an Experience

For better or worse, technology is not just about exciting new gadgets and apps. Each major
new development leads to new experiences and unchartered territory. Often the results of
using these technologies will be unexpected in both good and bad ways. As an educator, you
need to be forward-thinking and adaptable to prepare for anything that comes your way. Be
creative in how you can use classroom technologies to become better educators and think of
ways to minimize its negative effects. It is not an easy feat, but I believe it is one worth pursuing.

 IS TECHNOLOGY GOOD OR BAD FOR LEARNING?

Saro Mohammed, Ph.D.
Partner - The Learning Accelerator
EdResearchWorks

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2019/05/08/is-technology-good-or-
bad-for-learning/

I’ll bet you’ve read something about technology and learning recently. You may have
read that device use enhances learning outcomes. Or perhaps you’ve read that screen
time is not good for kids. Maybe you’ve read that there’s no link between adolescents’
screen time and their well-being. Or that college students’ learning declines the more
devices are present in their classrooms.

If ever there were a case to be made that more research can cloud rather than clarify
an issue, technology use and learning seems to fit the bill. This piece covers what the
research actually says, some outstanding questions, and how to approach the use of
technology in learning environments to maximize opportunities for learning and
minimize the risk of doing harm to students.

THE GOOD

In my recent posts, I have frequently cited the mixed evidence about blended learning,
which strategically integrates in-person learning with technology to enable real-time
data use, personalized instruction, and mastery-based progression. One thing that this
nascent evidence base does show is that technology can be linked to improved
learning. When technology is integrated into lessons in ways that are aligned with
good in-person teaching pedagogy, learning can be better than without technology.
A 2018 meta-analysis of dozens of rigorous studies of ed tech, along with
the executive summary of a forthcoming update (126 rigorous experiments), indicated
that when education technology is used to individualize students’ pace of learning, the
results overall show “enormous promise.” In other words, ed tech can improve
learning when used to personalize instruction to each student’s pace.
Further, this same meta-analysis, along with other large but correlational studies
(e.g., OECD 2015), also found that increased access to technology in school was
associated with improved proficiency with, and increased use of, technology overall.
This is important in light of the fact that access to technology outside of learning
environments is still very unevenly distributed across ethnic, socio-economic, and
geographic lines. Technology for learning, when deployed to all students, ensures that
no student experiences a “21st-century skills and opportunity” gap.
More practically, technology has been shown to scale and sustain instructional
practices that would be too resource-intensive to work in exclusively in-person
learning environments, especially those with the highest needs. In multiple, large-
scale studies where technology has been incorporated into the learning experiences of
hundreds of students across multiple schools and school systems, they have been
associated with better academic outcomes than comparable classrooms that did not
include technology. Added to these larger bodies of research are dozens, if not
hundreds, of smaller, more localized examples of technology being used successfully
to improve students’ learning experiences. Further, meta-analyses and syntheses of the
research show that blended learning can produce greater learning than exclusively in-
person learning.
All of the above suggest that technology, used well, can drive equity in learning
opportunities. We are seeing that students and families from privileged backgrounds
are able to make choices about technology use that maximize its benefits and
minimize its risks, while students and families from marginalized backgrounds do not
have opportunities to make the same informed choices. Intentional, thoughtful
inclusion of technology in public learning environments can ensure that all students,
regardless of their ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language status, special education
status, or other characteristics, have the opportunity to experience learning and
develop skills that allow them to fully realize their potential.
THE BAD

On the other hand, the evidence is decidedly mixed on the neurological impact of
technology use. In November 2016, the American Association of Pediatrics updated
their screen time guidelines for parents, generally relaxing restrictions and increasing
the recommended maximum amount of time that children in different age groups
spend interacting with screens. These guidelines were revised not because of any new
research, but for two far more practical reasons. First, the nuance of the existing
evidence–especially the ways in which recommendations change as children get
older–was not adequately captured in the previous guidelines. Second, the
proliferation of technology in our lives had made the previous guidelines almost
impossible to follow.
The truth is that infants, in particular, learn by interacting with our physical world and
with other humans, and it is likely that very early (passive) interactions with devices–
rather than humans–can disrupt or misinform neural development. As we grow older,
time spent on devices often replaces time spent engaging in physical activity or
socially with other people, and it can even become a substitute for emotional
regulation, which is detrimental to physical, social, and emotional development.
In adolescence and young adulthood, the presence of technology in learning
environments has also been associated with (but has not been shown to be
the cause of) negative variables such as attention deficits or hyperactivity,
feeling lonely, and lower grades. Multitasking is not something our brains can do
while learning, and technology often represents not just one more “task” to have to
attend to in a learning environment, but multiple additional tasks due to the variety of
apps and programs installed on and producing notifications through a single device.
THE PRAGMATIC

The current takeaway from the research is that there are potential benefits and risks to
deploying technology in learning environments. While we can’t wrap this topic up
with a bow just yet–there are still more questions than answers–there is evidence that
technology can amplify effective teaching and learning when in the hands of good
teachers. The best we can do today is understand how technology can be a valuable
tool for educators to do the complex, human work that is teaching by capitalizing on
the benefits while remaining fully mindful of the risks as we currently understand
them.
We must continue to build our understanding of both the risks and benefits as we
proceed. With that in mind, here are some “Dos” and “Don’ts” for using technology in
learning environments:

Do use technology: Don’t use technology:

● To enhance or extend For many or unlimited hours each day

social interactions
● To remove students from learning
● To provide access to experiences that their peers have access to
Do use technology: Don’t use technology:

learning environments
(like advanced courses,
simulations, etc) that
otherwise would not be
available
● To facilitate and
generate learning
experiences that are
meaningfully aligned
with in-person learning
experiences
● To personalize,
individualize, and/or
differentiate learning to
each student’s pace, path,
abilities, and interests
● To provide students ● To implement, scale, or
with choice, agency, and sustain ineffective in-person instructional
ownership of their strategies
learning ● To track or stream students into rigid or
● To ensure equitable long-term, standardized learning groups
access to technology and ● To automate or make decisions about
its supporting learning without input from teachers and
infrastructure itself, as students
well as the opportunity to ● With the assumption that students
develop skills associated intuitively know how to use it (or have
with technology use access to it), especially for learning