Parent’s Perspective on School Tech

The parent and volunteer advisor from Utah believes that classrooms which depend on technology more than ever show no improvement in her children's educational results. She acknowledges digital tools as educational resources yet she considers their usage has generated more problems than advantages because educational institutions lack specific standards for their implementation.

What Has Changed in Schools

The past five years have seen numerous schools implement one-to-one device policies which deliver individual school-provided laptops or tablets to every student. The mother of four children asserts that educational technology has not resulted in better academic outcomes. She documents that Utah students experienced significant declines in reading and math achievement since schools began using educational technology throughout their lessons.

Students use their devices for activities that do not support their learning because they watch videos and play games and send messages to their friends during school time according to her statement. She believes this distracts from learning fundamentals such as reading, handwriting, and problem-solving.

Support for The Balance Act

The author supports HB273 (the Balance Act) to resolve these issues. The legislation establishes specific rules for statewide device usage in educational institutions. The bill establishes two main requirements which include providing age-appropriate technology access and establishing screen time restrictions during teaching periods.

She explains that educational technology needs to assist learning activities instead of eliminating established teaching methods or cutting down time students need to master essential skills. Young learners can develop essential knowledge through device use restrictions which should begin in their first school years.

Concerns About Inequity

Many tech proponents say devices help bridge access gaps for low-income or rural students. The author argues that schools which implement device programs create new student inequalities because students now use screens during their free time. She cites research which demonstrates that low-income children watch screens more hours every day than their wealthier counterparts.

Learning and Human Interaction

The article maintains that learning requires physical and emotional and social interaction which technology cannot deliver according to educational specialists who were interviewed. The author stresses that real-time feedback from teachers and hands-on experiences are essential for deep understanding.

Conclusion

She believes that schools should concentrate on teacher engagement and traditional learning methods while using technology according to established standards. She believes that this balance would better support student success than unregulated EdTech use.