Becoming a skilled classroom teacher requires a balance.  Teachers need to balance their understanding of child development while at the same time helping their students understand the important skills and knowledge required to learn. 

I have been a teacher for a long time; in fact, my first computer was an Apple IIe and my students had to sign up for a time to use it.  We only had a few options:  Make a printed banner or sign, use the computer for writing a report, or play Oregon Trail (a game that focused on keeping your pioneer family alive as they crossed the United States). Flash forward to today, teachers have a myriad of choices as they consider technology use in the classroom.  My role as a teacher has changed as well, I now prepare future teachers for the classroom.   

As I consider how I prepare teachers for today’s classrooms, I’ve always tried to stay current with educational trends. I’ve incorporated digital tools, gamified my lessons, and even embraced online collaboration platforms. As I have gone into classrooms regularly to coach and collaborate with my student teachers (interns), something’s been gnawing at me lately: we’re on screens too much—all of us, especially the kids.

Every day, I see students come into class already drained from a morning of scrolling. Some struggle to stay focused on digital assignments. Others finish quickly and drift toward more screen time during breaks. Our learning tools were meant to engage, but increasingly, I worry they’re numbing attention spans and eroding genuine curiosity.

The Tipping Point

It hit me while watching a recent group project. My intern had assigned a digital research task with clear expectations. The students dove into their devices… and didn’t say a word to each other for nearly 15 minutes. No discussion, no debate—just silent tapping and Googling.

That wasn’t the kind of learning my intern and I had in mind.

The Case for Less Screen Time

Here’s the thing: screens can be amazing tools. But they’re not always the best ones. There’s real power in paper, pencils, and face-to-face conversation. When students sketch ideas, build models, write by hand, or debate in real time, something different happens. There’s more creativity. More connection. More depth.

In John Hattie’s work, Visible Learning (2009), he speaks directly to the idea of more connection and depth.  As an educational researcher, he examined hundreds of research studies, and here is what he found: Students with opportunities to make deeper learning connections will engage more with others and ultimately help them grow as learners.  

I want my students to wrestle with ideas, not just swipe through them.

Small Shifts I’m Making

I’m not tossing the laptops out the window. But I am making intentional changes.  Recently, while visiting an experienced mentor teacher in my area schools, I noticed:

If you want to look for small shifts in your classroom, there are many resources you can find.  You might start with the article “6 Ways to Unplug From Classroom Technology in Our Digital Age” by Rachelle Dené Poth. I highly recommend it!

What I’ve Noticed

The room feels more alive. Students talk more. They look up. They even ask better questions. It’s not perfect—some still miss the crutch of instant answers—but overall, there’s more engagement and less fatigue.

These are small changes in the classroom, but the teachers have engaged students in monumental ways.  They are designing classrooms where connection, community, and engagement are at the forefront. As one of my favorite professors in education says:

“A gifted teacher has an unfailing eye for magical classrooms & loses sleep over anything less than the highest quality.” – Dr. Carol Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom

A Thought for Fellow Teachers

If you’ve been feeling the same itch—that quiet concern that we’re leaning too hard on screens—it’s okay to listen to it. You’re not a tech-hater for wanting balance. Our job isn’t to digitize everything; it’s to teach humans how to think, communicate, and grow.  If you are seeking ideas 

Sometimes the best innovation is knowing when to step back.

Authored by: Dr. Jennifer Beasley

Jennifer Beasley has more than 25 years of experience in education as an elementary school teacher, gifted facilitator, and university professor. After receiving an M.A. in Education Administration and Gifted Education, Jennifer completed her doctoral work in Educational Psychology at the University of Virginia. She is currently the Teacher Education Coordinator at the University of Arkansas and works preparing teacher candidates for today’s classrooms. She received the 2012 College of Education and Health Professions Innovative Teaching Award for her work at the University of Arkansas. In 2021 Dr. Beasley was inducted into the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy.

Dené Poth, R. (2024). 6 Ways to Unplug From Classroom Technology in Our Digital Age. Edutopia.org.
Hattie, J.A. (2009).  Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge: New York, NY.Tomlinson, C.A. (2014).  The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners, 2nd Edition.  ASCD: Alexandria, VA.