The Flaws of Digitizing Education:
- Vanamaala Prasanna
- Mar 13
- 4 min read
In theory, digital education is a great idea. Learning becomes more flexible; students can access a world of information with just a click, and technology can make lessons more engaging. But in reality, shifting education online has serious downsides—ones we saw firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic. From inequality to unequal access and socialization, digital education isn’t the perfect solution it’s made out to be.
One of the biggest problems with digital education is that it assumes every student has the same access to technology. Millions of students, especially in low-income or rural areas, don’t have reliable internet or their own devices. So, when schools went online during the pandemic, many students just couldn’t attend class. Some had to share a laptop with their siblings, while others relied on slow or spotty internet connections, making it impossible to keep up with the lessons. Personally, I faced challenges even within a middle-class family, and the struggles started in 6th grade when I was working on school assignments. Unfortunately, spotty internet connections led me not to have the required skills taught. Even though the school provided a Chromebook, the issues seemed to be resolved. The problem continued to persist no matter what device I used, showing that many others struggled with the same issue. Education is supposed to teach young minds and empower them, not break them down. As evident in the world today, digital learning has just increased the divide between affluent and poor students.
Education isn’t just about memorizing facts—it’s about learning how to think on your feet and work with others. By digitizing education, students will start to become too reliant on technology. For example, taking notes by hand has been shown to improve memory, but many students now just type everything out—or worse, copy and paste from articles. Autocorrect makes writing more manageable, but that also means students barely practice spelling or grammar. Do they know the difference between “their” and “there,” or are we all just trusting autocorrect to figure it out? Many fellow peers in my class struggle with writing because they never learned how to research correctly. Instead of analyzing sources, they just google something and copy whatever comes up first. When they have to form their own arguments, they freeze—they’re so used to finding quick answers that they don’t know how to think critically. The pandemic left a massive gap in basic skills, and now, many don’t even know where to start to catch up. This is another way digitizing education won’t work out in the long run. Another issue is that digital education assumes students already know how to use technology appropriately. That’s not always the case. Many students struggled with online platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet during the pandemic. Instead of making education easier, technology often made it more frustrating.
School isn’t just about academics— it’s where students make new friends and collaborate with others. But when education goes digital, those experiences vanish. During the pandemic, students were isolated. Instead of collaborating and bouncing ideas off each other in class, they were muted on Zoom. Instead of laughing with friends at lunch, they stared at screens. Instead of hands-on learning experiences or labs in science, they clicked through assignments alone. Younger kids, especially, missed out on a crucial time to socialize with others. Many even struggled with anxiety or completely lost interest in learning altogether.
Why do we have so many instead?
If the pandemic taught us anything, digital education has significant flaws. Millions of students fell behind, and some never caught up. Many colleges made the ACT and SAT optional during this time since many students just couldn’t take the tests. While online learning may seem convenient, it doesn’t work for everyone. Technology can support education, but it cannot replace the classroom setting. Despite this, many schools and universities keep pushing for more digitalization— virtual classrooms and online degrees. But if we don’t address the serious issues that come with it, we’re just setting more students up for failure.
A public high school teacher saw firsthand why digital learning doesn’t work. “Most students learn better when they can physically write things down– it helps them remember information in a way that screens don’t. Before COVID, technology was used in many classrooms, but it was just a tool, not a necessity. Students stopped showing up, turned off their cameras, or disappeared completely. A lot of learning was lost without the personal interaction between a student and their teacher or other peers. I even felt anxious and unsure whether I was doing a good job. I stuck with teaching for two more years because I didn’t want teaching digitally to win” (Teacher, 34 years of experience, personal communication). Another public high school teacher explains, “Screens, screens, screens! Students already spend so much time on their phones, and adding more screen time at school isn’t a benefit. Writing– pen to paper– physically creates a stronger cognitive connection than typing. Technology can boost engagement and expose students to various ideas and resources. They have access to more information than ever before. But we can't overlook the importance of face-to-face conversations, peer discussions, and reading and writing on paper. These traditional methods build essential skills and encourage deeper connections.” When asked if digital methods can replace certain aspects of traditional education, they emphasize, “Absolutely. Holding a book, physically writing notes— digital tools can’t fully replicate these experiences. Learning is hands-on, and tactile activities are crucial in memory and long-term understanding. Digital learning has its place but can’t replace everything” (Public high school teacher, personal communication). Both teachers' experiences clarify that technology can help support education but should never replace real in-person classrooms.
Education should change, but not at the cost of accessibility, learning skills, or social development. Instead of replacing classrooms with screens, we should find a balance—one that actually helps students rather than leaving them behind.
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