WASHINGTON — A new report from the American Psychological Association warns that student engagement with educational technology is not the same as learning — and that generative AI tools pose particular risks by improving students' immediate performance without building their underlying knowledge or skills.
The APA Expert Report on Children's and Adolescents' Learning with Educational Technology argues that students' ability to apply new knowledge outside of an app or screen is a much stronger indication of learning than how much time a child spends on a screen, and that parents and educators working with children and young people ages 5 to 18 should be wary of marketing claims that run ahead of scientific evidence.
The report stresses that even if a student is paying close attention to an app, such as by clicking frequently, responding to animations or interacting with rewards, that engagement does not necessarily mean that the student is learning.
"Educational technology has the potential to profoundly advance students' learning and abilities, but parents, teachers and school districts need tools that are safe, supported by evidence and can genuinely help students learn," said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. "These recommendations, based in psychological research, can help determine whether EdTech tools actually produce the learning outcomes they promise."
Compiled by a multidisciplinary panel of cognitive and educational psychologists, learning scientists and EdTech experts, the report synthesizes evidence across a wide range of technologies, including educational apps, games, intelligent tutoring systems, generative AI tools and digital learning platforms. It offers 10 evidence-based recommendations to help families, educators, policymakers and developers ensure that technology promotes meaningful learning.
Drawing on research from psychological science, the report recommends that schools, families and developers prioritize tools that build durable knowledge and skills that students can carry into other contexts, instead of evaluating apps based on flashy features. Additional recommendations include making adult involvement a significant part of EdTech implementation and investing in research that can keep pace with rapid technological change.
Educators should exercise particular caution when introducing generative AI tools into learning environments, said Nicole Barnes, PhD, APA's executive lead psychologist for education.
"AI can help a student produce a better essay, but the improved final product does not necessarily mean the student has become a better writer," Barnes said. "Just as we need to separate engagement from learning, we will increasingly need to separate performance from learning."
Rather than trying to prevent children and adolescents from using AI tools altogether, the report recommends teaching students to actively evaluate AI-generated responses. Students should learn to question chatbots' assumptions and identify gaps in chatbots' reasoning, compare responses against other sources and consider how answers might change under different circumstances. In this sense, students should approach AI less as an answer machine and more as something they are continuously testing, challenging and learning from.
The report stresses that primary responsibility for ensuring that EdTech products are supported by evidence lies with the companies that develop them and the institutions that choose to adopt them. Developers should be prepared to demonstrate that their products improve learning, while schools and districts should expect credible, independent evidence before investing in educational technology.
APA also offers simple advice to parents: look and ask.
- Spend a minute watching the app and pay attention to what is happening on the screen — if much of the experience involves dressing a character, selecting accessories, collecting rewards or responding to flashing images, it is reasonable to question the app's educational value.
- Ask a teacher, principal, early childhood leader or school board whether there is credible, independent evidence showing that the app leads to learning.
NOTE: The link to the report will be live at 12:01 am EDT, September 3, 2026: https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/children-adolescent-learning-educational-technology
