All posts in Digital Learning

Sharing is Caring: How Massachusetts Districts Are Navigating YouTube Changes

Earlier in 2025, smack dab in the middle of the school year, Google made adjustments to its Additional Services, including a new parental-permission requirement for YouTube. In years past, students and staff had unfettered access to YouTube with Safe Search enabled, which still allowed significant non-academic video viewing. Continuing, Google wouldn’t sign a student data privacy agreement for these additional services, and kicked this back to school districts to get parental consent.

Google’s spring changes raised immediate questions for school districts, including my own: How should we manage student access to non-core services (like YouTube)? What role should teacher-embedded videos play, or is a complete block necessary? And how do we balance instructional needs with compliance and student safety? Read more…

Posted on:May 22, 2025 Comments: 1 Comment Categories: Digital Learning Google Apps

Why Simply Asking Parents for Consent Is Not a Fix for Student Data Privacy

As school districts adjust to Google’s updated terms for Additional Services, which significantly impact YouTube, Maps, Translate, and Earth, some educators may wonder aloud, ‘Why not just obtain parental permission and continue using it?’ I could curse Google, but I see an opportunity in what they have presented to school districts nationwide. On the surface, gathering consent for Google’s Addtional Services (i.e., YouTube) to market and collect data on students under 18 can be considered a reasonable workaround. Still, in practice, it is anything but ethical or straightforward. School leaders should focus on meeting strict privacy standards rather than requiring parents to forgo safeguards through a parental consent form. Read more…

Posted on:April 30, 2025 Comments: No Comments Categories: Digital Learning Professional Technology

What Does Equitable Technology Usage Really Look Like in Schools?

In an era when nearly every student has access to a device (or two, three, or five), it’s easy to assume we’ve achieved equity in educational technology. However, handing out Chromebooks or iPads is just the beginning. True equity not only ensures access to the hardware but also guarantees educational impact and effective use of the devices. It’s about how technology is used, by whom, and to what end.

In my work with digital learning, filtering, instructional tools, and student wellness, I’ve seen how quickly “1:1” can become “1 to lost”…if we’re not thoughtful. So, what does equitable technology usage look like? Here’s what I believe… Read more…

Posted on:April 10, 2025 Comments: No Comments Categories: Digital Learning Google Apps iPads Professional Technology

Beyond the Device: Overlooked Pitfalls of 1:1 Programs…and What Schools Must Do First

As schools across the country race to equip students with Chromebooks, iPads, and laptops, a critical question often gets overlooked: Are we truly ready?

More importantly, do we have the vision, support, and systems to ensure these devices foster deeper learning rather than become another screen in an already (deeply) saturated digital world?

Like many educators, I’ve seen firsthand how introducing more screens into students’ lives, particularly without the proper guardrails, has unintended consequences. The research is catching up with what teachers have been feeling for years. Read more…

Posted on:March 17, 2025 Comments: No Comments Categories: Digital Learning Professional Professional Development Technology

Managing Digital Distractions: Addressing the Shift from Phones to Other Devices

High school students face significant challenges with social media use during instructional time, a concern shared by educators, including teachers, paraeducators, and administrators. With social media access unblocked or lenient smartphone policies, we are losing precious minutes meant for learning. Even when a smartphone or device is out of sight, the cognitive hook for a digital distraction, luring a student away from the lesson, can take 23 minutes to recover. In short, we must protect instructional time. Protecting instructional time requires establishing clear boundaries with students, which may involve implementing or adopting new policies on 1:1 programs, device filtering, and hard stops on device use at night (among many ideas). This could also include guidelines for parental communication, especially when parents encourage their children to use social media to connect. Read more…