by Mac DeKoch (Posted on May 13, 2026 @ 10:10 a.m.)

Technology is an important tool used to help students learn in thousands of school districts. It allows students to access many different types of work and information without having to carry dozens of books with them. It also allows them to work outside of school without having to physically pick up the assignment. While it may come with many positives, if it is not regulated, then it can actually lead to many problems. One of the main problems it comes with is distractions.

Stealing Work Time

Since so many distractions are accessible, students can easily access them any time of the day they want, and this wasted time stacks up quickly. According to baca.org, “Students spend an average of 30–60 minutes daily on non-school-related platforms.” That is nearly one-seventh of the average school day. This shows how time-consuming these technological distractions are.

What Are They On?

Students seem to divide their time on non-school-related activities between different platforms. According to an article posted by WSJ , it seems students are spending 15–30 minutes on their site daily, while spending the rest of the time on gaming websites. The variety can be a problem because if a site gets blocked, they can quickly switch to another.

What Causes This?

There are many reasons students play games, but one is more common than others. Mr. Sheppard states, “I think the reason students play games is because they are simply so bored. They are so exposed to technology outside of school that they become somewhat addicted to it.” This is a challenge for teachers since they cannot interfere with their technology habits outside of school, so they have to do it inside of it.

How It’s Dealt With

Since students have to have limits with technology, teachers have to discipline them. Coach Olvetti states, “If a student is on a site, I can simply just ban the site through Lightspeed, the school’s technical security browser.” While if the problem persists, Mr. Sheppard states, “This can result in bigger problems, such as students not being allowed technology or getting a call home to their parents.” Doing these things helps ensure students are using school technology properly.

Hopes For The Future

Since the internet cannot always function properly, some teachers want some changes. Mr. Sheppard stated that he hopes there can be a healthy balance between paperwork and digital work, so if the Wi-Fi goes out, there can still be an alternative. This gives students the ability to function in both worlds: paper and technology.