Technology
How to read technology news without getting fooled
A skeptic's checklist for spotting hype, staged demos, and products that never ship.
By Michael Hayes • October 27, 2026
Subject file
Technology: Gadgets, Software and Trends
Technology examines the hardware and software installed in schools: devices, displays, management systems, learning platforms and AI assistants. Each is assessed on reliability, setup burden, data handling and annual cost per student. For teachers, technology coordinators and procurement staff choosing between products making similar promises.
Technology
Technology connections: Why reviewers who show their work get it right
Teardown culture rewards the one habit most quick-hit reviews skip: proving the claim before printing it.
By Michael Hayes • October 18, 2026
Technology
Technology readiness levels, explained without the jargon
A nine-step scale labs use to decide whether an invention is ready for the real world — and why the middle steps matter most.
By Michael Hayes • October 2, 2026
Technology
Technology learning: How adults actually learn new technology fast
No formal class required: the habits that separate quick learners from stuck ones.
By Michael Hayes • September 29, 2026
Technology
Technology definition: What is technology, really? A plain-English definition
The word covers stone hand axes and cloud computing. That range is why the definition keeps moving.
By Michael Hayes • September 28, 2026
Technology
What teachers say makes classroom technology work
Gallup and Walton Family Foundation data points to one lever: oversight of student device activity.
By Michael Hayes • September 18, 2026
Technology
Tablet stylus accuracy for math and science classes
What pressure, latency and palm rejection actually do to a student's handwriting — and which platforms handle them.
By Michael Hayes • September 16, 2026
Technology
Chromebook lifecycle costs: budget for the AUE date, not the hinge
Two clocks run on every school Chromebook. Only one of them decides when the device is actually done.
By Michael Hayes • September 13, 2026
Technology
AI detectors don't prove a student used AI to cheat
Turnitin's own documentation calls its report inconclusive, and independent research finds detectors misfire most against non-native English writers and Black students.
By Michael Hayes • August 21, 2026
Technology
Classroom audio systems and hearing access: worth the spend?
Sound-field amplification has some of the best evidence in classroom technology, but only for the youngest students and only when installed well.
By Michael Hayes • July 23, 2026