In the News
In The Atlantic, Will Oremus argues that gamified education tools like Prodigy, Blooket, Gimkit, and Kahoot have become a distraction in American classrooms. His concern is valid as many ed tech tools are terrible education wrapped in a subpar game. They do little to help students master material or close learning gaps.
Here’s My Take
The real problem is structural. Schools have needed to adapt for a long time, and technology became the shortcut to attempt individualization without changing the structure of school.
The push for 1-to-1 devices, learning apps, and gamified platforms proves that the traditional classroom struggles to meet students at different levels. Teachers are reaching for personalized software to give students better pacing, feedback, and support, but the conventional school model was not built to meet each student at their level.
Some learning apps are excellent, but schools need better discernment and teacher training to use them well.
Microschools are already doing this better. Some report more than twice the academic growth of similar students.
Closing
Public schools need to adapt. In the meantime, policymakers should expand school choice so families can find learning environments that fit their children.
