Natalie Wexler in MIT Technology Review has indicated that at an international study of millions of students “do a lot worse in most learning outcomes” when placed in front of computers or using tablets. Eight-graders who took Algebra I online “did much worse that those who took the class in person.” Fourth-graders who used tablets in the classroom scored a full grade lower in reading than those who did not.
All indications indicate that a highly effective teachers have a greater impact on student learning than machines.
Schools that serve disadvantaged students have turned to technology to close the educational gap. “Who Will Teach The Children? Recruiting, Retaining & Refreshing Highly Effective Educators” indicates that schools/districts are having difficulty finding qualified educators to put into classrooms.
Schools cannot produce highly-skilled graduates unless they have highly-effective teachers in classrooms and in school front offices.