Need for balance: How best to use technology in our children’s classrooms

In the past two decades, technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives. From healthcare to communication, the digital age has reshaped how we work, interact, and learn. But as we integrate these technological advancements into our children’s classrooms, we must ask: are we doing more harm than good?

As a practicing physician, I’ve watched the benefits, but also the consequences of overexposure to technology unfold, not just in my patients, but also in my own children. The classroom, once a place of dynamic, face-to-face learning and interaction, has become a virtual world where screens dominate. 

Most classrooms in the United States are equipped with digital devices. According to a 2020 report by the National Center for Education Statistics, about 90% of public schools in the U.S. reported having digital devices for instructional purposes in classrooms. While technology undoubtedly has its benefits in enhancing education, it also brings with it a host of dangers that are proving to have long-term consequences on our children’s cognitive, social and emotional development.

Rising Attention Deficit

One of the most concerning impacts of widespread technology use in the classroom is the rise of attention deficit. For decades, children were accustomed to learning through traditional methods – reading textbooks, engaging in discussions and writing by hand. This provided them with an opportunity to practice not only fine motor strength and hand-eye coordination, but sustained attention, a skill that is critical in everyday life.

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Children are now faced with multiple stimuli at once: pop-up notifications, games and the temptation of social media, all of which pull their attention away from the task at hand. Technology is teaching our children to be more easily distracted, less capable of focusing for extended periods, and less able to retain information.

Studies have shown that multitasking can impair cognitive function, and the constant switching between activities makes it harder to focus. As such, the prevalence of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among school age children have nearly doubled since 1998, according to the CDC’s National Survey of Children’s Health. Part of the increase may be attributed to expanded diagnostic criteria and greater awareness by teachers and parents, however the modifiable risk factors and technology exposure effects also contribute.

Loss of Patience

Another alarming side effect of classroom technology is its contribution to rising levels of anxiety among kids. Anxiety disorders among children have been steadily increasing for years, as demonstrated by the percentage of U.S. children aged 3-17 with diagnosed anxiety rose from 5.5% to 8.4% from 2009 to 2019. During COVID, screen time for the average child doubled and as such, patient-reported anxiety symptoms also doubled among children.

The constant bombardment of information, combined with the pressure to respond immediately, cultivates a sense of urgency that students often bring home with them. No longer are students required to sit with a problem, contemplate it and arrive at a solution through critical thinking. Technology creates a culture of instant gratification, and this mindset is leading to a generation that struggles with patience. 

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This constant need for immediate feedback creates a cycle where students begin to feel that they can’t function without it. In turn, this hampers their ability to navigate more thoughtful processes required in solving complex problems or mastering difficult concepts. Anxiety rises when a child can’t get the instant validation they’ve come to expect from their device or when their learning speed doesn’t match the pace of the digital world.

Decreased Communication Skills

Perhaps the most profound effect of technology in the classroom is the erosion of meaningful social interaction. In an age where screen time has become synonymous with communication, students are missing out on the subtle, yet crucial, interpersonal skills that were once honed through face-to-face interactions. Conversations, empathy, and emotional intelligence – these are essential components of growing up that technology simply cannot replicate.

A 2023 study found that children who spend over three hours daily on screens are 60% more likely to struggle with basic communication skills, such as maintaining eye contact and the ability to interpret social cues. This raises urgent concerns about technologies role in stunting social development, a necessary pillar of civilized society.

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The Need for Balance

The question is not whether technology should have a place in the classroom – of course, it should. It provides valuable tools for research, collaboration and even creativity. But there must be a balance. The classroom should not be a place where students are constantly plugged in. 

Teachers, parents, and policymakers need to recognize the importance of limiting screen time and encouraging face-to-face interfaces, bringing back pencil, paper, analog alternatives (books, white boards) and other tangible tools for learning.

We should be focusing on how to use technology to complement, not replace, traditional teaching methods. Importantly, we need to provide students with opportunities to engage in meaningful, real-time interactions, whether through group work, debates, or community-building activities.

As both a parent and a physician, I cannot stress this enough: the future of education is not about blindly embracing a digital revolution – it’s about striking a critical balance between the powerful tools technology provides and the proven, time-honored methods that nurture mental health, deep focus and meaningful social interaction.

If we don’t reassess how we integrate technology into the classroom now, we risk raising a generation that lacks the cognitive resilience, critical thinking and interpersonal skills essential for true success. The ability to think, reason and engage beyond a screen must not become a lost art.

DR. NICOLE SAPHIER