Technology has become increasingly dominant in Ontario classrooms, with many boards implementing 1:1 device programs and teachers relying more heavily on digital tools for instruction and assessment. While technology can play a role when used selectively, purposefully, and within well-defined limits, emerging research raises concerns about the extent of this reliance.

Studies link high levels of screen use to shorter attention spans, reduced capacity for deep learning, and increased risks to mental health. Frequent task-switching between digital activities has been shown to weaken sustained focus over time.

Decades of educational research show that children learn best through direct, hands-on experiences, active engagement, and meaningful interaction with educators and peers—conditions that are harder to maintain in screen-saturated environments.

Ontario’s test results reflect these challenges. Literacy and numeracy scores have shown concerning trends, and OECD PISA results indicate significant declines in mathematics, reading, and science since 2000. These patterns point to broader issues in foundational skill development during a period of rapid expansion in digital learning.

Schools are also reporting increased dysregulation, disengagement, and behavioural challenges. Teachers are being asked to supervise entire classrooms of screens while competing with YouTube, games, and social media. Tools like GoGuardian claim to provide meaningful oversight, but in practice they reduce positive teacher-student interaction and are frequently circumvented by students. At home, 1:1 device programs shift the same distractions and risks onto families, often with fewer safeguards than at school.

Beyond academics, EdTech introduces serious risks, including data collection, commercial manipulation, exposure to inappropriate content, and repeated large‑scale data breaches. As Dr. Charlotte Hepburn Moore, Medical Director, SickKids Child Health Policy Accelerator warns: “The introduction of children to the online environment is the largest unregulated clinical trial we have ever run. The results are incredibly concerning.” It is increasingly clear that these tools are not built around child development—they are built for profit. 

We call on the Ministry of Education to take immediate action:

1. Reduce excessive device use in schools

• Phase out 1:1 device programs in favour of shared, time-limited access models (e.g., computer lab-style use)
• Establish provincial guidelines on maximum daily/weekly screen use in classrooms, aligned with child-health recommendations and recognizing that some students may already accumulate substantial recreational screen time at home. Classroom screen use should be intentionally limited so school does not compound the cognitive, behavioural, and health impacts of excessive overall exposure.
• Curb the use of “edutainment”—gamified apps and digital programs that appear educational, but are built around stimulation and reward loops that undermine attention, memory, and genuine learning. These tools should be used sparingly and only when clearly justified.
• Reallocate a portion of technology funding toward evidence-based, non-digital learning tools and additional classroom supports

2. Limit technology to intentional, curriculum‑aligned learning

• Require that technology be used only when it clearly supports or enhances curriculum expectations (e.g., coding, typing, structured research, or word processing) rather than as a default or general‑purpose tool.
• No gaming, no social media, and no “free time” screen use at school. For families who limit or avoid these platforms at home, access at school undermines their efforts to manage their children’s exposure to the online environment. For students with high out‑of‑school screen use, additional access during the school day contributes to excessive overall exposure.
• Implement clear, enforceable guidelines for video platforms (e.g., YouTube), ensuring content is pre-vetted by educators or administrators, used sparingly, and directly aligned with curriculum goals. Independent student access to these platforms should be restricted, given that unsupervised browsing frequently results in distraction and heightens the risk of encountering unsuitable or off‑task content.
• Ensure that lunch and recess remain screen-free across all grades to promote healthy school environments, physical activity, and face‑to‑face interaction.

Join us in advocating for a balanced and mindful approach to technology in Ontario's schools. Sign this petition to call on the Ministry of Education to take immediate action on technology use in schools and to prioritize the well-being and success of our students.

As Dr. Jared Cooney Hovarth, educational neuroscientist and author of The Digital Delusion, reminds us, “This is not a call to reject technology. It’s a call to reclaim real learning.”

Visit Skills Before Screens for more information and to join the movement. 

Take it a step further and write a letter to your MPP: Use our customizable MPP template letter.
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