Not much conclusive research exists to prove that ed-tech devices and software will solve problems such as poor student achievement or low engagement and enthusiasm, Cuban said.
“Research supporting the major purchase of devices and software … is simply missing in action,” he said. “So if the research pantry is empty, why do districts buy by the truckload? They purchase new technology because they want to solve these problems, and they can’t wait for the research to be done.”
But school leaders also want to buy, Cuban said, because they want to be seen as technologically innovative and ahead of other districts. Using new technology in today’s culture is equated with economic and social progress, and because voters and taxpayers fund local budgets, schools need to be seen as ahead of the game when it comes to using ever-changing technologies that will garner public support.
School leaders should learn more about what they should and should not expect from research, said Glenn Kleiman, executive director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and a professor at the North Carolina State University College of Education.
“The focus needs to begin with good educational practices, and then turn to how technology can enable and enhance those practices,” he said.
For instance, school leaders might want to personalize learning, implement Universal Design for Learning, create formal diagnostic assessments, and so forth.
“If you want to do any of those kinds of things, then you can turn to how technology can enable and enhance it. If you start with, ‘Does technology work, and what should we buy,’ you’ve started in the wrong place,” Kleiman said.
For more news about ed-tech research, see:
New guidelines for ed-tech research could help educators, vendors
On ed tech, we’re asking the wrong question
Study reveals factors in ed-tech success
Report: Ed tech has proven effective … but hasn’t realized its full potential
Chris Dede, Timothy E. Wirth Professor of Learning Technologies at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, noted that data about effectiveness is never in the top three reasons why people move forward with innovations. Those top three reasons, he said, are:
- Does it appear to be consistent with my vision for what I want to do?
- How much overhead is involved in doing this?
- Is somebody I trust, or am influence by, doing this?
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.Latest posts by Laura Ascione (see all)- Children learn best on paper: We need better technology, not less of it - July 13, 2026
- In districts, reaching readiness, retention, and success - March 5, 2026
- AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace? - January 2, 2026
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