Beyond screen time: What makes educational technology effective, with Nicole Barnes, PhD

Educational technology (EdTech) requires careful evaluation to distinguish between tools that foster genuine skill mastery and those that merely provide superficial entertainment. Effective EdTech should be assessed based on clear instructional goals rather than flashy features or screen time metrics. Dr. Nicole Barnes, APA’s Executive Lead Psychologist for Education, emphasizes that parents and educators must look beyond engagement to determine if a tool promotes deep thinking and independent reasoning. When integrating AI, caution is necessary to ensure students remain responsible for their own learning processes rather than relying on technology to produce final products. Furthermore, data privacy remains a critical concern, necessitating scrutiny of how much information apps collect and why. Ultimately, technology serves as a supportive resource, but it cannot replace the essential role of teachers in observing student progress, providing emotional support, and facilitating complex reasoning.