Carroll ISD is pushing for students to use less technology in the classroom and instead focus on fundamentals.
“The Carroll ISD Board of Trustees, in partnership with the district, decided this past school year to de-emphasize the use of technology in the classroom, opting to shift to more traditional education methods,” said Carroll ISD Board of Trustees President Cam Bryan in a statement to Texans for Excellence in Education (TEE).
“The board believes that reducing a student’s screen time will help develop a stronger foundation in these areas. Several recent studies from reputable entities have suggested excessive screen time can negatively impact a student’s education, particularly in the early formative years,” Bryan said.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Keller ISD’s school board recently voted to essentially ban students from using cell phones during the school day outside of lunch and passing periods next school year.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics has released numerous … studies showing too much screen time could adversely impact attention span, cognitive development, and social skills,” Bryan told TEE. “While technology will remain a resource on our campuses, curriculum selections, such as a recent adoption for our K-5 students developed by HMH, will be geared more toward the focus on teacher-to-student direct hands-on instruction.”
According to J-PAL North America, there is growing evidence that providing computers and internet access alone to students in grades K through 12 does not improve student outcomes but only improves computer proficiency.
In a move similar to Keller ISD’s, Richardson ISD is expanding an experimental program that locks up student cell phones to minimize distractions during classroom instruction, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“Based on teacher feedback, cell phones were a major distraction,” Richardson ISD Superintendent Tabitha Branum said, according to Fox 4 KDFW. “85% of teachers said they got more instructional time back with cell phone-free environment.”
In a statement to The Dallas Express, Bryan said:
“As a board, we believe in striking a balance between technology and traditional methods of learning. While technology offers some useful learning tools, we are de-emphasizing its use in the classroom to ensure that our students develop critical thinking, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills without relying solely on digital devices.
“We want to re-create an environment where students are engaged and focused enabling them to better connect with the subject matter, each other, and their teacher. Research has shown young students learn best from traditional reading and writing methods not dependent on technology.”