Walking into many classrooms across Tennessee today reveals a troubling trend: students are often isolated behind screens, spending more time with software than with their teachers. This shift raises critical questions about the role of technology in education and its impact on learning.
Technology was introduced into schools with good intentions, promising personalization and efficiency. However, these well-meaning efforts can have unintended consequences. While digital platforms aim to tailor lessons and enable early intervention, we risk losing the essential human element in education as technology takes over.
Education goes beyond content delivery; it is about shaping individuals. Students develop essential skills—attention, resilience, discipline, and critical thinking—through interactions with adults. Skilled teachers can read body language, recognize confusion, and adjust instruction in real time, fostering confidence in ways that technology cannot. While useful, technology lacks the nuanced human response that teachers provide.
Tennessee has made significant progress in raising academic standards through investments in teacher preparation and literacy reform. However, these gains could be jeopardized if instructional software dominates classroom instruction. Additionally, modern educational platforms collect extensive data beyond test scores, including behavioral information. This raises concerns about data ownership, storage, and potential misuse, particularly regarding the creation of lifelong digital profiles for children. We argue for balance.
Attention is a vital focus in education. Research shows that traditional methods like handwriting improve retention, while excessive screen time can disrupt attention. Constant device use may lead students to normalize distraction, causing them to miss opportunities for developing character and perseverance.
Nobody in education is against technology. When used wisely, it can enhance administrative efficiency, provide valuable feedback, and improve access to quality resources—especially in rural areas. However, the tools should serve professionals and enhance, not replace, human interaction. This would be most beneficial to children.
We must support children and emphasize the importance of human relationships in education. Tennessee can lead the way in developing guidelines that prioritize child development and innovation.
- Maintain Teacher-Led Instruction: Public schools should default to teacher-led models, using technology as a supplement rather than a substitute for direct engagement.
- Ensure Transparency in Data Collection: Parents and educators deserve clear information about what data is collected, its purpose, and how long it is retained.
- Prohibit Misuse of Student Data: Protect children’s information from being used for behavioral risk scoring, non-academic profiling, or commercial resale.
- Develop Age-Appropriate Screen-Time Guidelines: Recommendations should be grounded in developmental science, not influenced by marketing agendas.
- Conduct Periodic Audits of Technology Contracts: Regularly checking technology contracts is important to avoid problems with innovation and high costs. These reviews help make sure that progress meets ethical standards and protects our ongoing interests.
Tennessee’s strength lies in its communities—teachers who know their students by name, schools that reflect local values, and parents who demand excellence and accountability. The future of education should prioritize human connections, supported by thoughtful technological innovation rather than by convenience-driven choices that sideline the professionals entrusted with our children’s education.
The essential question remains: Will we let screens dictate the classroom experience, or will we ensure that teachers remain at its heart? Technology can be a powerful ally, but it cannot replace the wisdom, mentorship, and presence only a teacher can provide. Tennessee must affirm that while screens may assist educators, they must never become the educators themselves. Let’s shift the debate from expanding access to a critical re-evaluation of the impact of screens on learning, attention, and mental health.
JC Bowman is the executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee.
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