Technology
What teachers say makes classroom technology work
Gallup and Walton Family Foundation data points to one lever: oversight of student device activity.
By Michael Hayes • September 18, 2026
Subject file
Technology: Gadgets, Software and Trends
Technology examines the hardware and software installed in schools: devices, displays, management systems, learning platforms and AI assistants. Each is assessed on reliability, setup burden, data handling and annual cost per student. For teachers, technology coordinators and procurement staff choosing between products making similar promises.
Technology
Tablet stylus accuracy for math and science classes
What pressure, latency and palm rejection actually do to a student's handwriting — and which platforms handle them.
By Michael Hayes • September 16, 2026
Technology
Chromebook lifecycle costs: budget for the AUE date, not the hinge
Two clocks run on every school Chromebook. Only one of them decides when the device is actually done.
By Michael Hayes • September 13, 2026
Technology
AI detectors don't prove a student used AI to cheat
Turnitin's own documentation calls its report inconclusive, and independent research finds detectors misfire most against non-native English writers and Black students.
By Michael Hayes • August 21, 2026
Technology
Classroom audio systems and hearing access: worth the spend?
Sound-field amplification has some of the best evidence in classroom technology, but only for the youngest students and only when installed well.
By Michael Hayes • July 23, 2026
Technology
What the studies on adaptive math software actually show
Adaptive math software produces small positive effects on average, with the best results tied to usage time and teacher integration, not to the algorithm.
By Marta Kowalczyk • June 30, 2026
Technology
School Wi-Fi requirements for digital testing days
Digital testing fails on three preventable things: access point density, power negotiation, and proctor devices on the wrong network.
By Michael Hayes • June 7, 2026
Technology
Assistive technology tools that survive budget cuts
The assistive technology that lasts is built into operating systems, funded by entitlement, and specified in the IEP — in that order.
By Marta Kowalczyk • May 16, 2026
Technology
The hidden costs of switching learning management systems
LMS migration costs three to five times the license fee once training, content rebuilding, and integration work are counted.
By Marta Kowalczyk • April 23, 2026
Technology
Do AI lesson-plan tools actually save teachers time?
Teachers report real time savings from AI planning tools, but independent studies find the gains are smaller than vendor claims and depend on editing discipline.
By Marta Kowalczyk • March 31, 2026