In a study with nearly a thousand high school math students, researchers found that while a smart computer tutor helped students get better scores on their work, it could also hurt their ability to learn. When students who used a basic version of the tutor had to do problems on their own later, they performed 17% worse than students who never used the tool at all. This suggests they were using the technology as a "crutch" instead of learning the math skills themselves. However, the study also tested a specially designed tutor with safeguards that largely prevented this negative effect on learning. The results show that we must be careful when using this technology in education to ensure students still learn critical skills.
New Technology Can Harm Learning
Using creative technology can help with homework, but it may hurt students' ability to learn for themselves.