The EdTech Revolution Has Failed

This is interesting, and I think plausible, but I find it... surprisinging that the evidence base is so poor. Like, I know entire states have banned smart-phones now, can we see those effects yet? If it's anywhere near as powerful as the author suggests, surely we should?

The second question I have is about the outcome variable on these (but I realise I should probably just go read the damn research) - is it possible that letting people use phone teaches digital skills, at the cost of traditional spelling, for instance?

I don't think there are any smartphone bans for US states that have been in force for more than a school year, no?

Perhaps the onus of the evidence base should be upon EdTech. I used to ask the OLPC fans where the studies were. Or what curricula had been tested to work, or what great education software was being ported, what measurable outcomes were expected, what programs were established to educate the ITeachers...

EdTech is a baseless orthodoxy tied together with hardware sales, unproven software and anecdotes.

They banned cellphones/smartphones in Ontario schools in 2019... but it was a "ban" with no plan for enforcement and no roll-out so everyone ignored the ban.

So they banned them again this year.

Policy so nice they did it twice.