What the Research Actually Says About EdTech with Adam Sparks

What the Research Actually Says About EdTech with Adam Sparks

The screen time debate is loud, emotional, and increasingly driving education policy. But what does the research actually say? Adam Sparks, former classroom teacher, Stanford-trained learning designer, and co-founder of the writing tool Short Answer, brings the receipts. In this episode, Lindy and Adam dig into why blanket screen time bans are a response to moral panic more than evidence, what John Hattie's meta-analyses actually tell us about technology in classrooms, and why lumping thousands of different tools under the label "EdTech" makes about as much sense as measuring the effect size of a chalkboard. They also get into how to evaluate EdTech efficacy, what a logic model is and why every school should be asking for one, and how Short Answer is rethinking writing instruction in the age of AI. Short Answer: https://myshortanswer.com/ [https://myshortanswer.com/]   Adam’s Substack: https://adamsparks.substack.com/ [https://adamsparks.substack.com/]  Connect with Adam: adam@myshortanswer.com [adam@myshortanswer.com] Short Answers Portfolio of Efficacy: https://myshortanswer.com/our-approach/ [https://myshortanswer.com/our-approach/]  Writing Instruction for the Age of AI Workshop: https://myshortanswer.com/professional-development/ [https://myshortanswer.com/professional-development/]

The Screen Time Debate Needs More Voices Like This: A Conversation with Dr. Michelle Eckler

The national screen time debate is loud, but is it hearing from the right people? Dr. Michelle Eckler, Director of Instructional Technology for Stratford Public Schools in Connecticut, is exactly the kind of voice that needs to be in this conversation.  In this episode, Lindy and Michelle get into what it actually looks like to use technology well in K-12 classrooms: the difference between passive consumption and creative production, why one-to-one access is really about empowering teachers, and how purposeful 10-minute tech tasks beat an hour of digital curriculum on repeat. Meet our guest: Michelle E. Eckler, Ed.D., is the Director of Instructional Technology for Stratford Public Schools, leading districtwide instructional technology initiatives. Dr. Eckler is an ISTE Certified Educator, Trainer, and Instructional Leader, as well as a GfE Certified Trainer, Innovator, and GEG Leader. Her professional contributions earned her the ISTE 20 to Watch award and recognition as a Top 10 Director of Instructional Technology 2026.  As President of the Shelton SEPTA, she is a dedicated advocate for special education. Michelle lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons. An avid reader, she enjoys family time and her annual reading challenge Resources: E-textiles and wearable technology blog post and infographic: https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/steam-up-your-makerspace-with-e-textiles-and-wearable-technology [https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/steam-up-your-makerspace-with-e-textiles-and-wearable-technology]  Find Stratford Public School’s AI policy: https://www.stratfordk12.org/documents/board-of-education/policies/6000-instruction/24173987 [https://www.stratfordk12.org/documents/board-of-education/policies/6000-instruction/24173987]  From Forest to Shore - The Stratford Public Schools Podcast: https://www.stratfordk12.org/o/tech/page/podcast-links [https://www.stratfordk12.org/o/tech/page/podcast-links]  Connect with Michelle:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichelleeeckler/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichelleeeckler/] https://www.instagram.com/drmeckleredu/ [https://www.instagram.com/drmeckleredu/] https://michelleeckler.com/ [https://michelleeckler.com/]

We Can't Ban Our Way to Digital Literacy. We Have to Teach It.

The TikTok comments came in fast. "It's too late." "That's on parents, not teachers." "Banning is the only answer." Lindy gets the frustration. But she strongly disagrees with the conclusion. Because when students walk out of our buildings and into a world saturated with technology — and they will — what did we do to prepare them? If the answer is "we took the devices away," we failed them. This episode is built around the one comment buried in all that noise: "Explicit teaching has a large place in education." Yes. That. Exactly that. Lindy makes the case for explicitly teaching healthy technology use — what it looks like in classrooms, why parents can't teach what they were never taught, why going fully analog isn't enough, and why the window to get this right is shorter than it's ever been. Part of the screen time series. Start with Episode 13 — "Not All Screen Time Is Created Equal" — if you haven't yet. Episode 13 Not All Screen Time is Created Equal: https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/13-not-all-screen-time-is-created-equal [https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/13-not-all-screen-time-is-created-equal]  ScreenPal webinar: https://screenpal.com/lindy-hockenbary-webinar [https://screenpal.com/lindy-hockenbary-webinar]

Not All Screen Time Is Created Equal

A kid creating a digital book for a real audience. A kid clicking through a digital worksheet. A kid doom-scrolling at 10pm. All three involve a screen, but they are not the same thing, and treating them like they are is leading to some really bad decisions for kids and classrooms. In this episode, LindyHoc breaks down why the screen time conversation is missing the point, what we should actually be talking about, and why the answer isn't banning devices. Book Creator: bookcreator.com Snorkl: snorkl.app Short Answer: myshortanswer.com [http://myshortanswer.com] Edtech is worth fighting for (1 of 2) by Adam Sparks: https://adamsparks.substack.com/p/edtech-is-worth-fighting-for-1-of [https://adamsparks.substack.com/p/edtech-is-worth-fighting-for-1-of]

Is AI Safe for Students? Part 2: It Depends on the Tool

In Part 2 of this conversation, Lindy builds on the question every educator and parent is asking: Is AI actually safe for students? Using new research from Stanford University, she breaks down what we know so far. The big takeaway? AI isn’t inherently good or bad for learning. It all comes down to how the tool is designed and how it’s used. Lindy shares practical do’s and don’ts for both teachers and parents, including why guardrails matter, how “guide vs. give” changes learning outcomes, and what happens when students are dropped into AI without structure. She also tackles one of the biggest emerging concerns—AI companionship—and why avoiding the technology altogether isn’t the answer. Because the goal isn’t to avoid AI, it’s to raise humans who know how to use it well. Episode 9: Is AI Safe for Students Part 1 https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/9-is-ai-safe-for-students [https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/9-is-ai-safe-for-students]  Stanford AI Hub for Education — Understanding the Evidence Base for AI in K–12 Education: https://scale.stanford.edu/research-in-action/understanding-evidence-base-ai-k12-education [https://scale.stanford.edu/research-in-action/understanding-evidence-base-ai-k12-education]    Blog post and infographic: https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/6-ai-teaching-tools-that-enhance-learning-and-keep-teachers-in-control [https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/6-ai-teaching-tools-that-enhance-learning-and-keep-teachers-in-control]  SchoolAI [https://schoolai.com/] Brisk [https://www.briskteaching.com/] Get three months of Brisk premium features!  [https://www.briskteaching.com/partner?utm_source=influencer&utm_medium=external&utm_campaign=2508-B2S&influencer=lindy-hockenbary] NotebookLM [https://notebooklm.google.com/]