Source: Fortune
Summary
Utah’s standardized test scores for fourth- and eighth-graders have declined since 2014, coinciding with the implementation of the SAGE computer-adaptive test. Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, author of a 2025 book, argues that increased classroom technology, including computers and tablets, has harmed student learning. He testified before the U.S. Senate, claiming Gen Z is the first generation to perform worse on standardized tests than their parents. International data shows a correlation between screen time and lower test scores. Horvath criticizes the push for educational technology, suggesting it has weakened learning environments rather than strengthened them.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Utah’s test scores fell after 2014, when SAGE was introduced.
Horvath links this to increased screen time in schools.
He claims edtech has harmed learning, not helped it.
Students are learning to use tools, not the subjects themselves.
Author: Evan Null
The rise of edtech
Edtech began in U.S. schools in 2002 when Maine launched a laptop program for seventh-graders. By 2024, the U.S. had spent over $30 billion on classroom technology. Tech companies like Apple and Google benefited from these deals, with Google’s Chromebooks becoming dominant in schools by 2017. Horvath argues that the push for edtech was based on a false narrative that schools were broken and needed computers to fix them.
Edtech’s weakness: the ‘transfer problem’
The concept of teaching machines dates back to the 1950s, with B.F. Skinner and Sidney Pressey. These early devices faced challenges, as students learned to use the machines but not the actual subjects. The “transfer problem” refers to students’ inability to apply knowledge outside of the tool. Horvath says this issue persists with modern edtech, where students rely on tools without mastering the underlying skills.
Edtech’s AI revolution
Today’s teaching machines take the form of AI, raising concerns that students are using it to bypass critical thinking. A Pew Research survey found that over half of U.S. teens use AI for schoolwork, with some using it to cheat. Horvath argues that AI is effective for experts but not for students, who become dependent on shortcuts rather than learning skills. He suggests that AI should be used to enhance learning, not replace it.
Political responses to AI
Some politicians are taking action against AI in schools. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing AI tools. However, Horvath believes a ban is not necessary. Instead, he advocates for AI literacy courses that teach students how to use the technology responsibly. He argues that the focus should be on teaching core subjects, not on integrating technology for its own sake.
Future of education
Horvath believes that students should be taught math, literacy, and numeracy to build a strong foundation. Only then can they use AI effectively as experts. He criticizes the confusion between curriculum and pedagogy, where technology has become the method of teaching rather than the content. He suggests that the goal should be to help students understand the world, not just use tools to navigate it.
