On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Is education technology actually helping students learn?

Oct 14, 2025
In this discussion, Antero Garcia, an education expert from Stanford, and Katie Akerage, a dedicated high school teacher, dive into the complex world of education technology. They explore whether tech truly enhances learning or simply distracts students. Katie shares her hands-on experiences with Chromebooks while Antero questions the effectiveness of narrow assessments and calls for prioritizing teacher input over software. The conversation also touches on the inequalities introduced by tech and the need for systemic changes in education.
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INSIGHT

Huge Spending Without Clear Learning Gains

  • Schools spent billions on ed tech yet learning outcomes remain flat or declined since 2020.
  • Massive spending has not produced clear evidence of improved national achievement.
ANECDOTE

Supplementing The Odyssey With Podcasts

  • Katie Akerage uses podcasts, videos and songs to supplement the Odyssey for ninth graders.
  • She says these multimodal texts better reflect what students read and enjoy daily.
INSIGHT

Tech Should Supplement, Not Replace Core Texts

  • Using technology exclusively can denigrate deep learning and student thinking.
  • Katie argues tech should support but not replace core reading and analysis of seminal texts.
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