Big tech has transformed the classroom – and parents are right to be worried | Velislava Hillman
Commercial education technology is rapidly entering UK classrooms, promising personalised learning while harvesting data and turning teaching into a market. Parents' concerns are rooted in real risks to privacy, equity and child development, yet policy and school funding continue to push digital to…
A quiet but profound shift is taking place across British schools: commercial technology is being woven into daily lessons, often without public scrutiny or robust evidence of benefit. From the near‑ubiquitous presence of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 to newer AI‑driven platforms such as Century Tech, ed‑tech companies market "personalised learning" while simultaneously gathering massive amounts of student data and turning education into a series of monetisable widgets and digital badges.
What the classroom looks like today
In practice, the promised revolution looks less like a futuristic overhaul and more like a steady stream of screens and apps. Children spend class time creating PowerPoint slides, answering quizzes on Quizlet, or practising language on Duolingo, often chasing streaks, coins or leaderboard positions. Pop‑up adverts and cookie‑consent banners appear between activities, opening the door to surveillance and profiling. Teachers receive dashboards from platforms such as Arbor, NetSupport or ClassDojo, where pupils are reduced to scores, traffic‑light indicators and gamified points. These tools are marketed as time‑saving, but many educators report that they add to workload, limit professional autonomy and exclude teachers from curriculum decisions.
Data harvesting and commercial motives
Every click, answer and pause is logged, creating detailed behavioural profiles that can be sold to third‑party advertisers or used to refine algorithms that keep children engaged. Apps like Times Tables Rockstars reward correct answers with virtual coins; Kahoot! employs countdown clocks and competitive leaderboards; Blooket turns quiz‑taking into a game of chance. These design choices mirror the psychological levers used by social‑media platforms to maximise screen time, raising concerns about the impact on attention spans, sleep patterns and overall wellbeing.
Critics compare the tactics of ed‑tech firms to those once employed by big tobacco: sowing doubt about harms, funding research that downplays risk, and lobbying against regulation. The result is a market where uncertainty is presented as progress, and responsibility for potential harms is shifted onto parents and teachers.
Equity and the illusion of democratisation
Proponents often tout "democratisation" of education, claiming that low‑cost apps give every child access to high‑quality resources. In reality, a growing divide is emerging. Mass‑market apps deliver uniform, app‑based instruction to the majority, while affluent families can still afford private tutors and bespoke learning experiences. Photomath, with over 300 million downloads, instantly solves equations but eliminates the dialogue and feedback that deepen mathematical understanding. A recent study suggested that to achieve the equivalent of a single GCSE grade improvement, a pupil would need to spend hundreds of hours on a single maths app in a year—without clear evidence that the approach narrows attainment gaps for disadvantaged students.
Policy, funding and the push for AI
UK public funding continues to support classroom digitisation, and recent government calls encourage the use of AI even in early‑years settings. Schools feel pressure to showcase "innovation" to satisfy inspection frameworks, despite limited evidence that these tools improve learning outcomes. The National Education Union reported that standardised curricula delivered via commercial platforms are now commonplace, yet many teachers say the promised workload relief never materialises.
Privacy policies that merely meet data‑protection legislation are insufficient. Experts argue for enforceable obligations: regular independent audits, public reporting of data use, and clear accountability for any adverse effects on child development. Without such safeguards, "digital rights" remain empty promises.
What parents and educators can do
While technology cannot be wholly excluded from modern education, stakeholders can demand that it serve pedagogical goals rather than commercial profit. Parents are urged to question why gamified behaviour‑design tools are standard, to push for transparent evidence of efficacy, and to join teachers in lobbying for stronger oversight of ed‑tech contracts. By raising their voices, families can help ensure that learning remains about knowledge, critical thinking and personal growth—not just data points and digital badges.
Velislava Hillman, an academic, teacher and consultant on educational technology, summarises the challenge: "Learning is not a commercial transaction, and childhood is not a market opportunity." Her forthcoming book, Taming Edtech, outlines practical steps for schools, policymakers and families to reclaim education from unchecked corporate influence.
Why it matters
The unchecked spread of commercial ed‑tech threatens student privacy, widens inequality and may undermine core educational values.
Key points
- Ed‑tech tools collect detailed data on every student interaction, often without clear consent.
- Evidence of learning gains from most classroom apps is limited or industry‑driven.
- Gamified designs can increase screen time and affect wellbeing, mirroring social‑media tactics.
- Public funding and policy pressure push schools toward digital solutions despite weak proof of benefit.
- Parents and teachers must demand transparent audits, accountability and evidence‑based adoption.
Frequently asked questions
Are education apps like Photomath and Duolingo proven to improve exam results?
Research shows modest gains at best, and significant improvements often require hundreds of hours of use, with no clear evidence that they close gaps for disadvantaged pupils.
What data do ed‑tech platforms collect from students?
Most platforms log clicks, response times, accuracy, location data and sometimes biometric information, creating detailed behavioural profiles that can be monetised or used to refine algorithms.
How can parents influence the use of ed‑tech in their child's school?
Parents can request transparency on contracts, demand independent impact assessments, join teacher unions in lobbying for stricter oversight, and push for clear data‑privacy safeguards.
Is there any regulation that currently limits ed‑tech data collection in UK schools?
Existing data‑protection laws like GDPR apply, but they lack specific enforcement mechanisms for education technology, leaving a gap that experts say requires dedicated audits and public reporting.
