Educational technology — EdTech — has been promised as a revolution in learning for decades. From teaching machines in the 1960s to MOOCs in the 2010s to AI tutors today, technology has repeatedly been heralded as the solution to education's challenges. Is it actually delivering?

Technology has made high-quality educational content more accessible than ever. Khan Academy provides free, world-class instruction in mathematics and sciences to anyone with an internet connection. Language learning apps like Duolingo have brought language education to hundreds of millions. Online courses have enabled professionals to acquire new skills throughout their careers. These are real, meaningful impacts.

AI-powered tutoring systems that adapt to individual student learning levels and provide instant, personalized feedback represent perhaps the most exciting EdTech development. Research shows that one-to-one tutoring dramatically improves learning outcomes — and AI can theoretically provide this kind of personalized attention at scale.

COVID-19 forced a global experiment in remote and technology-mediated education. The results were mixed at best. Learning loss was significant, particularly for younger students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Technology partially bridged the gap — but it also revealed how central in-person human connection is to effective learning.

Many EdTech products are deployed with minimal evidence of effectiveness. Studies of tablet programs, educational apps, and digital textbooks show inconsistent results. When screens replace rather than supplement good teaching, outcomes often suffer. Technology is a tool — its value depends entirely on how it's used.

Technology in classrooms brings distraction as well as opportunity. Smartphones and laptops can redirect student attention from learning. Social media and gaming compete with educational content. Schools worldwide are grappling with how to manage devices in ways that maximize learning benefits while minimizing distraction costs.

Decades of EdTech investment have not changed the fundamental finding: teacher quality is the most important in-school factor in student learning. The best use of technology in education enhances what good teachers do — it doesn't replace them. EdTech that ignores the teacher is EdTech that usually fails.