A new approach to educational technology challenges the dominance of digital badges, points, and animations. Instead of focusing on simple engagement, developers now create software that requires students to sit with the tension of being stuck.
What Happened
Nigel Nisbet of MIND Education, the organization behind ST Math, argues that the goal for edtech is productive struggle. In a recent interview, Nisbet described an experience-first model that avoids digitizing traditional worksheets. Students manipulate visual mathematical concepts before using formal notation. This language-independent approach removes the cognitive load of reading and vocabulary, which often acts as a barrier to high-level math. Nisbet contrasts this with extrinsic gamification, stating that true learning occurs when a student faces a non-routine problem, makes a prediction, and experiences constructive friction.
The Bigger Picture
The move toward productive struggle aligns with educational research. Structured inquiry where tasks are connected, cumulative, and challenging builds student autonomy and competence. However, modern tools present new hurdles. The integration of generative AI threatens to eliminate this friction. When students rely on AI to deliver instant answers, they fall into a safety gap—bypassing the processes required to build durable knowledge.
While developers promote language-independent instruction to support multilingual learners, the long-term results remain mixed. A review of 101 preschool mathematics interventions found that while 90 percent of early interventions yielded positive outcomes, only 7 percent demonstrated far-transfer. Students often struggle to apply practiced skills to novel concepts.
Educators also face the task of verifying efficacy claims. Districts are shifting away from internal company data toward rigorous standards. Organizations now use Outcomes Based Contracting, a model where software providers are paid based on measurable student growth instead of upfront license sales. As we previously reported, states like Tennessee are rolling back elementary edtech usage to prioritize teacher-led instruction.
What This Means for Families
Approximately 80 percent of K–12 students use devices at school. Parents must distinguish between software that challenges a child and platforms that keep them occupied with rewards. When a student uses an educational app at home, immediate success is not the goal. If a platform intervenes too quickly to correct an error, it deprives the child of the opportunity to recognize their mistake and adjust their reasoning. Teachers must monitor students to ensure productive struggle does not devolve into unproductive frustration.
What You Can Do
- Focus on process over answers: When reviewing homework, ask your child to explain how they arrived at a solution rather than checking if it is correct.
- Look for informative feedback: Evaluate whether your child's learning apps simply mark answers wrong or provide visual proof of why the logic failed to help them self-correct.
- Ask your school about efficacy: Request information on whether the district's software relies on randomized controlled trials or Outcomes Based Contracting to ensure the tools improve learning.