Five Guiding Principles of Technology in the Classroom

Over the past year, debates about screen time and devices have evolved into broader questions about artificial intelligence, data privacy, instructional quality and the impact on the teaching profession. .

As policymakers, school leaders, and curriculum providers grapple with these questions, one thing has become increasingly clear: We must ensure classroom technology measurably improves teaching and learning.

The pace of innovation can create pressure to adopt new tools quickly. But in education, speed alone is not a measure of progress or success. Every decision surrounding the use of technology in classrooms should ultimately be evaluated against whether or not it helps students learn and teachers teach more effectively.

At HMH, we’ve been thinking carefully about what that means in practice. The result is a set of guiding principles we believe can help shape the responsible integration of educational technology in classrooms nationwide.

1. The most important work in any classroom is human. Teachers build relationships, foster curiosity, respond to student needs, and create learning environments where students feel challenged and supported. Technology should only ever strengthen those efforts—not automate them away. 

   As AI capabilities continue to expand, it is especially important to distinguish between tools that enhance educator expertise and tools that attempt to replace it. Technology is most effective when it operates in the background, reducing administrative burdens and helping educators focus more of their time on students. And for students, technology should support reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. It should not encourage learners to outsource the cognitive work that education is designed to develop. In short, use of devices and any other student-facing technology should be judicious, guided by a teacher, and driven by specific instructional needs met by proven educational tools.

2. Evidence of efficacy should guide technology use in the classroom. The most promising technologies are proven. They are grounded in research, tested in authentic classroom environments, evaluated on whether they improve instructional quality and student outcomes, and continuously improved based on evidence of what strengthens teaching and learning. Importantly, excitement about potential benefits should not substitute for evidence of actual impact. Policymakers and educators deserve transparency about what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
3. A high-quality, coherent curriculum is foundational to student success. Too often, educators are asked to navigate disconnected platforms, competing systems, and overlapping tools. When you introduce technology that is disconnected from high-quality curriculum and coherent instructional goals, complexity increases while effectiveness declines. Research points to the impact of instructional coherence in accelerating student achievement.—that’s why technology should reinforce coherence rather than introduce additional fragmentation. Technology should work in tandem with content, pedagogy, sequencing, and standards, helping educators implement HQIM with fidelity while preserving flexibility to meet the unique needs of every learner.
4. Every student should be able to access grade-level content. Access and opportunity matter greatly—and technology can play an important role in helping every student engage with rigorous, Tier 1 instruction. This is particularly true for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and students who may need additional support. The best tools help educators identify barriers to learning and provide targeted supports without lowering expectations. Used thoughtfully, technology can make high-quality learning opportunities more accessible while preserving the rigor all students deserve.
5. Student data can strengthen instruction and deserves the highest standards of protection. Technology generates unprecedented insight into student learning. That information can help teachers identify misconceptions, respond more quickly to student needs, and make more informed instructional decisions. But with that opportunity comes responsibility. Technology should help educators and administrators turn formative assessment data into clear, actionable guidance that supports faster and more informed instructional decision-making. But educators and families should also have confidence that student information is being used responsibly, transparently, and securely.

In other words, student data should only be used in ways that directly support learning and instruction, and it must be protected through strong privacy safeguards and compliance with applicable laws, including FERPA and COPPA.

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that these principles reflect a broader conversation taking shape across education. In a recent edition of Policy in motion, Keith Krueger argued that leaders should move beyond simplistic measures like screen time and instead focus on whether edtech is instructionally designed, evidence-based, and aligned to learning goals. 

Andrew Rotherham similarly highlighted the importance of coherence, noting that lasting improvement depends on aligning tools, curriculum, professional learning, and implementation around a common vision. Lastly, Richard Culatta recently cautioned in The 74 against broad technology restrictions that fail to distinguish between distracting uses of technology and tools that support teaching and learning. His point echoes a growing consensus across the field; the question is not whether technology belongs in education, but whether it is being used purposefully, responsibly, and in ways that demonstrably improve student outcomes.

This is ultimately the lens through which HMH approaches edtech. Innovation can be a powerful force for expanding opportunities and strengthening instruction, but providers have a responsibility to demonstrate efficacy, protect student privacy, and earn the trust of educators and families through transparency and evidence. And as AI becomes increasingly embedded in learning environments, policymakers and education leaders have an opportunity to move beyond either/or debates about technology itself and focus instead on the conditions under which technology drives academic growth.

Innovation matters, but in education, innovation is not the end goal. Helping every child reach their full potential is our ultimate aim.

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