Schools are catching on to Big Tech’s playbook

You can now choose to teach critical thinking about technology instead of just how to use it.

Natasha Singer's new book, "Coding Kids," reveals how tech companies have historically influenced school curricula to promote their products and skills, a strategy now being replicated with AI. For years, companies like Apple and Microsoft provided curriculum and tools, pushing coding skills as essential for high-paying jobs. Google became a dominant platform with its Chromebooks and Classroom app, further embedding its technology in schools, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofits like Code.org also amplified this push with celebrity-backed campaigns like "Hour of Code." While initially met with little resistance, this approach has faced growing criticism, with some graduates feeling unprepared for the job market and research questioning the impact of classroom technology on learning. Now, as AI companies adopt similar tactics, there's a noticeable pushback from parents and school districts, with New York City and Los Angeles implementing bans on AI use in classrooms. Singer suggests a shift toward curricula that foster critical thinking about technology's influence and empower students to use tools productively and question their design.

The historical strategy of tech companies embedding proprietary tools and curricula into K-12 education is resurfacing with generative AI, raising concerns about whether lessons from past tech cycles will inform current AI rollouts. While previous efforts focused on coding skills and platform adoption like Google's Chromebooks, the current AI push mirrors this by offering AI tools and educational resources. However, unlike the past, there is a more immediate and vocal pushback from parents and school districts, exemplified by recent bans in New York City and Los Angeles, indicating a potential shift in how educational institutions approach new technologies.

This evolving landscape suggests a move away from simply teaching students to use proprietary tech toward cultivating informed digital citizens who can critically analyze and question the technology they encounter. The emphasis is shifting from product adoption to pedagogical approaches that empower students to understand the underlying mechanisms and societal impacts of AI, rather than just its functional application. Future educational technology discussions will likely center on fostering critical engagement and safeguarding against undue industry influence, potentially reshaping the relationship between tech companies and schools.