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Technology in schools is getting closely examined—and for good reason. Parents and teachers are worried about distraction, cheating, and whether screens are helping students learn or letting them zone out.
We share those concerns.
We think it’s important to ask if technology in classrooms is actually helping students learn.
Classroom technology should be purpose-built for learning. It should connect to a teacher’s overall approach to instruction—not replace it. It should help students practice and make progress while also giving teachers and administrators useful information about where students are and what they need.
Here are five simple questions families, teachers, and school leaders can ask when evaluating the use of technology in the classroom.
1. Is it serving our goals?
Technology should be adopted to solve specific problems. Technology works best when it supports what the teacher is trying to accomplish. A useful tool works best when it has a clear purpose: personalized grade-level math practice, differentiated math practice to support learners at different levels, getting more and deeper feedback on essays, or prepping for the SAT, for example.
Before adding any tool, it is worth asking: What problem are we trying to solve?
We see this in districts that partner with us. They identify a problem and set clear learning goals. Then, they identify someone to monitor progress and use data to help schools stay focused on student growth. Before seeking out new technology, ensure you have a clear goal in mind—something specific that this technology can help you achieve.
2. Does it help students learn?
What evidence is there that the tool helps students make progress toward their goals? Research matters, and schools should ask for it: independent studies, third-party reviews, peer-reviewed research.
Strong evidence is:
- Independent—conducted by academic peers
- Large-scale—not a small pilot or selective sample
- Transparent—publicly available and replicable
The Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal law that governs public education, outlines different tiers of research. Each tier has specific criteria a study must meet, which can help schools understand the strength of the evidence.
Evidence of learning should not just be visible through academic studies. The most useful tools make learning visible to adults along the way. They help teachers and school leaders see what students are working on and what progress they are making.
3. Does the tool encourage student thinking?
Learning is work, and there are no shortcuts. It takes effort. Students learn by practicing, solving problems, making mistakes, getting feedback, and trying again:
- Students who solve problems learn more than students who watch problems being solved.
- Students who explain their thinking remember more than students who only read explanations.
- Students who struggle with enough support to keep going learn more than students who are handed answers.
A well-designed tool can help by meeting students at their level and teaching them how to keep going when they get stuck. In a large classroom, a teacher cannot always give every student individual support at the exact moment when they need it most. Good technology can.
To be clear, good technology asks something of the student. It does not simply hand over an answer or reward passive clicking. This is especially important with AI. The best learning tools help students think through a problem rather than just giving them the answers. Sal Khan, Khan Academy’s founder and CEO, calls this alternative cognitive onloading—putting the work back where it belongs, with the student.
4. Does the tool support teachers?
Teachers know their students best. They know when a student needs more practice, when a class needs discussion, and when devices need to be put away. No platform, dashboard, or algorithm can know a student in the same way their teacher can.
Good technology gives teachers more information and better tools. A good platform provides teachers with valuable information about students’ individual progress. It offers suggestions about how to differentiate learning while also allowing for teachers’ insight.
Technology supports teacher judgment. It does not replace it.
5. Was it designed for the classroom?
Intent matters. A tool built for learning looks and feels differently than a tool built to keep kids scrolling.
For younger children especially, schools and families can look for simple signs: no ads, no endless feeds, and no pressure to stay on longer, plus clear learning goals and content that is connected to what’s being taught in the classroom that’s developmentally appropriate for the child’s age.
For older students, the same principles apply. The tool helps them practice, think, and learn. It doesn’t distract them from their work or enable them to passively click through content.
Earning our place in the classroom
Technology earns its place in schools when it is backed by research, helps students learn, helps teachers understand what students need, and fits the broader educational goals of the district.
At Khan Academy, it’s our mission to do this important work. We’ll keep at it!
Khan Academy Kids is free for children ages 2–8. Khan Academy is free for students in grades 3–12 and their teachers.
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