To the Editor:

“Rich Parents Ban Devices as the Poor Grow Reliant” (Business Day, Oct. 29) recounts concerns among parents about children spending too much time on smartphones and tablets. These parents believe that schools and educational technology companies share part of the blame for pushing the use of digital learning in schools, increasing the time that students spend with technology.

Worried parents might be surprised to learn that most experienced educational technology advocates agree with them. Thoughtful schools and companies understand that the use of digital learning must be educationally appropriate and balanced with time away from devices. Skilled teachers understand that digital resources complement classroom discussions. Computers don’t replace conversation.

Parents are rightly concerned about their children’s use of the internet. But most can distinguish between children clicking through social media for hours, compared with using school-sanctioned online tools to collaborate with other students on a class project.

John Watson
Tempe, Ariz.
The writer is the founder of the Evergreen Education Group, a company that manages the Digital Learning Collaborative.

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