Hi, readers! I am Lily Searcy, a student majoring in English Subject Matter with a Focus on Linguistics and a Minor in Teaching English as a Second Language at California State University, Northridge. This blog was created for my English Subject Matter Capstone class (Hi, Dr. Overman! ☺) I will be graduating this Spring of 2026 and moving forward with earning my Teaching Credential for elementary school. I love literature, language, linguistics, reading, and all things teaching!
Come talk to me and tell me your thoughts on my posts!
My first thoughts are on technology and its role in classrooms.
I believe that technology, specifically screen-based attention-grabbing technology, is very powerful and should therefore be used mindfully and sparingly in the classroom. I believe that, ideally, only the occasional low-stimulation smartboard activity should be used and technology should be kept as a group or class activity rather than an individual activity.
Screen-based activities can be tempting for schools to implement as they are able to so effectively capture the attention of children, getting them to sit still and quietly for long periods of time. Children also tend to be enthusiastic about these screen activities, making it seem like a win for both educators and their students. However, screen time among today's children is already very high without educators adding to it, and it does not come without consequences. When children are tethered to screens all day, they often suffer from difficulties interacting and socializing with others, along with an increase in emotional volatility and weakened impulse control. This makes these children harder to teach and less likely to be ready to learn when they are not on screens; these issues only make behavior management even more difficult, which in turn increases both student and educator reliance on screens.
Screens also stand in between teachers' and students' ability to connect with one another. If a student completes a lesson on a computer and receives a bright and colorful "Good Job!" message sent to them by an algorithm, their entire lesson and its rewards were devoid of human connection (and not to mention highly addicting). Children are also often rewarded by their teachers via a screen, being sent digital points and "badges" like a "Good Listener badge" rather than being verbally praised. When screens are implemented, students are also less likely to goof off and talk with their friends, which is convenient for behavior management but terrible for their social development. Overall, a routine reliance on screen time in the classroom creates a lonely and isolating experience for students.
Even though it may seem less convenient for us as educators, children are better off snickering with their friends during a lesson while we try to get their attention than they are silently staring at a screen all day. Our children deserve to be loved, educated, and rewarded by humans, not an algorithm programmed to steal their attention. This is why we as educators should aim to lessen the screen time of children in order to promote their mental and social well-being.
What do you think about technology in classrooms?
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