Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator

Devices Down is the Wrong Goal

2026-06-02T21:38:09.355-04:00

The AFT’s new 10-point plan, “Devices Down, Eyes Up, Hands-On,” gets some things right. Students do need more active, human, hands-on learning. They need career-connected experiences, civic engagement, collaboration, movement, and opportunities to solve real problems.

But the “devices down” frame points schools in the wrong direction.

The problem is not the device. The problem is passive learning, poor infrastructure, weak support, and policies that confuse classroom management with meaningful instruction.

In my latest piece, Devices Down Is the Wrong Goal, I respond to each of the AFT’s 10 points and explain where the plan gets it right, where it falls short, and why preparing students for the future means teaching them when technology helps, when it gets in the way, and how to use appropriate tools well.

Sometimes devices should be down.

Other times, devices should be up.

The goal is not more technology or less technology. The goal is better learning.

Webinar: Why Digital Well-Being Must Be at the Center of AI in Schools

2026-04-17T05:38:00.000-04:00

As schools move from talking about artificial intelligence to actually using it, the real challenge is not just access. It is building the conditions for technology use that is thoughtful, supportive, and responsible. That means clear expectations, strong partnerships, coordinated staff support, and a culture where educators feel confident and students are protected.

This Brisk Innovators webinar explores what that looks like in practice and how, as district leaders, my colleagues and I are approaching digital well-being as a foundation for responsible AI use in schools. You can check it out on the Brisk webinar page.

Reverting to Pen & Paper Won’t Improve Learning. Better Learning Design Will.

2026-03-11T06:55:00.000-04:00

Some educators believe that better learning occurs when we remove laptops and go back to pen and paper.

But that raises an important question. Are we confusing easier classroom management with better learning?

In my latest Tech & Learning column, I explore why blaming laptops for declining learning outcomes misses the bigger issue. The problem was never the devices. It was the learning model we built around them.

The article examines why the paper vs. screens debate is often misunderstood, why arguments about the “primary use” of technology oversimplify learning, and why schools must help students learn to manage attention, choose the right tools for the task, and operate responsibly in a digital world.

It also looks at how this same debate is already emerging again with AI.

Read the full article at Tech & Learning.