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Schools are urged to embrace AI—and ban phones. Can we resolve the tension?

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:58:04 +0000

Educators have a lot of questions about AI. Well, when I want practical insight on ed tech, I frequently turn to the ever-thoughtful Michael Horn—lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, co-founder of the Christensen Institute, co-host of the Future U podcast, and author of many books, including Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools. As we navigate big talk and dire warnings about what AI means for schools, I reached out to Michael for a reality check. Here’s what he had to say.
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Rick: Michael, evangelists are touting AI’s transformative promise in schooling. At the exact same time, schools are being urged to ban phones, limit social media, and reduce screen time. These strike me as contradictory takes on the role tech should play in classrooms—one fueled by optimism, the other by a growing backlash.

You’ve thought about these tensions more deeply than almost anyone. How should we make sense of them? Is this situation less contradictory than it appears, or are the schools racing to embrace AI simply repeating the mistakes of the recent past?

Can AI support student learning? Depends on who you ask?

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:59:35 +0000

In “Straight Talk with Rick and Jal,” Harvard University’s Jal Mehta and I examine the reforms and enthusiasms that permeate education.

In a field full of buzzwords, our goal is simple: Tell the truth, in plain English, about what’s being proposed and what it means for students, teachers, and parents. We may be wrong and we will frequently disagree, but we’ll try to be candid and ensure that you don’t need a Ph.D. in eduspeak to understand us. Today’s topic is deeper learning in the age of AI.
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Rick: Jal, not long ago, we discussed the joys of coaching. Our conversation got me thinking about a point you made several years ago in your book In Search of Deeper Learning. You noted that the best teaching and learning is frequently found not in core academic subjects but in the arts and extracurriculars. That’s where you see models of intensive coaching and mentoring.

Do phones make students less able to focus?

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:59:57 +0000

TikTok. Instagram. Constant notifications. Many worry that phones are destroying students’ ability to pay attention and, in turn, their ability to learn in the classroom. Indeed, even many adults say that they have trouble reading books because of the constant stream of distractions their phones provide.

But what does the research say? Are students actually less able to pay attention as a result of their phones?

On this episode of The Report Card, Nat Malkus discusses these questions and more with Dan Willingham. Daniel Willingham is a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and the author of several books on education. His recent article Pay Attention, Kid! explored the link between technology use and students’ ability to focus.