A growing conversation about screens in schools
A recent NBC News article highlighted a growing concern among parents in Los Angeles: school-issued iPads and Chromebooks may be creating unintended challenges for students. Parents interviewed in the piece described children becoming distracted by games and videos, struggling to focus on schoolwork, and spending far more time on screens than families ever anticipated - even when devices were issued for educational purposes.
While school districts point to the importance of digital literacy and modern learning tools, the article reflects a broader, nationwide conversation that extends far beyond one school system or one city. Parents and educators alike are beginning to ask an important question:
Are screens supporting learning - or slowly replacing it?
This isn’t a debate about whether technology belongs in schools. It does. But it is a conversation about balance, intentionality, and how students actually learn best.
Technology isn’t the problem - passivity is
Tablets, laptops, and online tools can be incredibly powerful when used intentionally. They open doors to research, collaboration, and creativity that simply weren’t possible a generation ago.
The challenge arises when screens become the default learning environment.
Much of screen-based learning encourages passive consumption: clicking through slides, watching videos, tapping answers, scrolling endlessly. While this can deliver information efficiently, it doesn’t always promote deep understanding, critical thinking, or long-term retention - especially for younger students whose brains are still developing focus, memory, and self-regulation.
Learning isn’t just about receiving information. It’s about processing it.
Why active learning still matters
Decades of educational research point to one consistent truth: students learn best when they are actively engaged. Writing, drawing, explaining ideas out loud, solving problems collaboratively, and teaching concepts to others all strengthen comprehension and memory.
Active learning does something screens often struggle to replicate - it slows students down.
Instead of tapping “next,” students must:
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Think through an idea
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Organize their thoughts
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Make their reasoning visible
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Respond to questions and feedback in real time
These moments of friction are not obstacles to learning - they are learning.
The role of physical learning tools in a digital world
Chalkboards and whiteboards may seem simple compared to modern devices, but their value lies precisely in that simplicity.
When students stand at a board to work through a problem, sketch an idea, or explain their thinking:
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Learning becomes visible - to teachers and peers
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Mistakes are part of the process, not hidden behind a screen
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Collaboration happens naturally
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Focus shifts from the device to the discussion
Physical learning tools encourage presence. Students are not multitasking, switching tabs, or navigating notifications. They are engaged with the material, the room, and each other.
This doesn’t mean classrooms should abandon technology. It means they shouldn’t abandon human-centered learning in the process.
What parents are really asking for
The parents featured in the NBC News article weren’t calling for a ban on technology. They were asking for boundaries, transparency, and balance.
They want to know:
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How much screen time is appropriate during the school day?
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When is technology enhancing learning - and when is it distracting from it?
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How can schools help students build focus, not dependence?
These concerns reflect something deeper than device policies. They reflect a desire to protect attention, curiosity, and meaningful engagement - the foundations of real learning.
Rethinking balance in the modern classroom
The most effective classrooms today aren’t “high-tech” or “low-tech.” They are intentional.
Screens work best when they are tools - not replacements for thinking.
Physical learning tools work best when they encourage participation, collaboration, and reflection.
A balanced classroom might look like:
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Tablets used for research or visualization
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Whiteboards used for brainstorming, teaching, and problem-solving
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Digital tools paired with discussion and hands-on practice
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Screen breaks built into the learning process
This approach respects both innovation and how students learn best.
Learning should still feel human
As education continues to evolve, it’s worth asking not just what students are learning - but how they’re learning it.
Does learning feel active or passive?
Does it encourage curiosity or distraction?
Does it invite students to think, explain, and engage - or simply to consume?
Technology will always have a place in education. But the heart of learning has never lived inside a screen.
Sometimes, the simplest tools - and the most human moments - are what help understanding last the longest.