Education technology faces evidence gaps and parental concerns in UK and US

A review by the Digital Futures for Children Centre – a partnership of the London School of Economics and the 5Rights Foundation – examined 56 research bodies covering more than 2,100 studies worldwide. It found that while EdTech can boost learning when well used, most evidence concentrates on academic attainment and is heavily weighted toward Chinese studies; fewer than 1% of the studies involve UK schools, and few address confidence, motivation, special educational needs, gender or socio‑economic factors. The report urges governments to expand research, improve safety standards and tie procurement to quality and children’s rights, and the 5Rights Foundation has written to the UK Education Secretary calling for stronger oversight.

In the United States, school and district leaders are confronting growing parental scepticism about technology in classrooms. Principals such as Rachel Edoho‑Eket (Maryland), board chair Robyn Lady (Virginia) and superintendent Jose Dotres (Florida) stress transparent communication, teacher buy‑in, policy reviews and public showcases to demonstrate how digital tools support learning and to rebuild trust.