Childhood and Education #20: Phones and Screens

According to LessWrong, educational technology has become a dominant force in schools, but many implementations are creating harm rather than learning. The analysis focuses on i-Ready, a math software platform used by fourteen million students, which parents and teachers describe as pedagogically counterproductive. Unlike a human instructor who would adapt to a bored student, i-Ready reads identical lessons aloud at a slow pace, often repeating the same content fifty times a year, while preventing students from skipping or controlling pacing. One engineer's son, who initially loved math and taught himself calculus independently, came home in tears saying he hated math—solely due to forced i-Ready assignments. The broader concern: schools can't easily exit from failing EdTech, even when it's clearly damaging engagement and learning outcomes.

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