We were sold an EdTech dream. Billions of dollars and pounds later, where are we? | Sophie Winkleman
Jun 12, 2025 Part 1 of 3 – Why educators must unite with parents to roll back the Phone Based Childhood and the Screen Based School Day.
A conversation about EdTech with Jonathan Haidt, Hugh Grant and Sophie Winkleman, hosted by Close Screens Open Minds.
Sophie Winkleman has been writing and speaking about the risks of screen based schooling for years. In this Introduction, Sophie is compelling. She explains how we have been ‘sold an EdTech dream’ and that computers or tablets on every desk for every class are interfering with students’ education and health.
Children are finding it harder to think and read | Jonathan Haidt
Jun 20, 2025 Part 2 of 3 – Why educators must unite with parents to roll back the Phone Based Childhood and the Screen Based School Day.
A conversation about EdTech with Jonathan Haidt, Hugh Grant and Sophie Winkleman, hosted by Close Screens Open Minds. Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist and best selling author of The Anxious Generation. In this talk, Jonathan discusses smartphone norms for schools before walking us through his research on educational technology. We find that children are learning less, they know less and they are performing worse. We have to get our next generation stronger. And we, as parents and teachers, can do something about it. Jonathan advocates for no smartphones or 1:1 devices in the classroom before age 14 (SEND excepted). We would love your help spreading the word! If you share our video, please tag us at @closescreensopenminds on YT or @closescreens.openminds on IG so others can easily find more information and join the conversation.
The Most Compelling Argument Against Tech In Schools | Sophie Winkleman
Jun 27, 2025 Part 3 of 3 – Why educators must unite with parents to roll back the Phone Based Childhood and Screen Based School Day.
A conversation about EdTech with Jonathan Haidt, Hugh Grant and Sophie Winkleman, hosted by Close Screens Open Minds.
In this Q&A with parents, schools and educators, Hugh Grant talks about the eternal, exhausting and depressing battle with screens and children. The last thing pupils and parents need, Hugh says, is for schools to give lessons and homework on devices.
We have speeches from our American friends, Emily Cherkin aka The Screentime Consultant and Julie Liddell from the EdTech Law Centre. They point out two major concerns:
1) The business model of EdTech is the same as BigTech: time on device. It is an independently unproven way to learn.
2) There are laws that protect our privacy, our property, our health and well being. Yet EdTech uses student data and sells it and, in return, our kids get a worse education.
The discussion goes onto query why EdTech is being introduced into schools and what can we do about it.
We would love your help spreading the word! If you share our video, please tag us at @closescreensopenminds on YT or @closescreens.openminds on IG so others can easily find more information and join the conversation.
