Technology is omnipresent in Oklahoma classrooms. In turn, a coalition of parents across the state is banding together to voice their fears and frustrations about too much screen time.
The group unplugged:OK is just one of several popping up throughout the state to support the mission of reducing technology use in the classroom. Members include parents, caregivers, teachers and community members.
Lindsey Sherwood, a mom from Oklahoma City and one of the founders of unplugged:OK, worries technology is being overused in schools and reducing attention spans.
"If we don't make changes then we are going to have irreparable harm on an entire generation of children, so we have to start now," Sherwood said.
Sherwood said she is not advocating for the complete removal of technology, but for more balance in classrooms. While laws have been passed banning cell phone use in schools, screen time doesn't seem to be decreasing.
Jeremy Maker, the Project Director of Computer Science Education for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, highlighted the benefits of technology in classrooms.
"Schools are really just trying to get students access to resources, experiences and even supports that were not always possible to that degree before," Maker said.
Maker said technology by itself is a tool to aid educators – not replace them. He advised educators to determine what students need to know and ask if technology can help them get there.
The responses to the implementation of technology in Oklahoma classrooms have been a mix of excitement and caution. He says as technology – and even artificial intelligence – continues to be integrated into education, the focus remains on the parts of learning that matter most: having good teachers, doing important work and fostering critical thinking.
"The question is how is this technology being used and how does it help us get to the learning goal," Maker said. "The goal is not just to use technology for technology's sake, but to have a meaningful purpose behind it."
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
