It’s the waning days of 1811. You’re an English textile worker deep into the Industrial Revolution and its social fallouts. Now, the machines are coming for you.
Under cover of night and always careful to leave people unharmed, you and your fellow Luddites embark on a mission of dismantling the machinery displacing you.
Looking back from the relative comfort of 2024, it’s evident Luddites lost their war on technology. But, some recent rethinking of the Luddites reframes their ethos. Blood in the Machine, a book by journalist and author Brian Merchant, qualifies their struggle as “not against technology per se but for the rights of workers above the inequitable profitability of machines.”
That’s a pretty different warning than the “adapt or die” refrain commonly heeded when we hear the term “Luddite.” But, for anyone concerned with educational equity, I think it’s a more urgent and informative argument.
The Concern Isn’t With the Technology
Technology is here, and like the Luddites, we must grapple with the transformation that comes with it. Destroying it at this point isn’t just impossible; it serves no one. Instead, we must center student rights above “the inequitable profitability of machines.”
Our plucky brand of modern Luddism is about dismantling the physical and economic obstacles preventing students from participating in digital learning, not the tools.
To do that, all education equity stakeholders must fully embrace, understand, and leverage three foundational technology categories that will threaten to drive more profound disparity, as the Luddites of old feared. On the other hand, it could help solve the problem of education inequity: infrastructure and access, personalized and immersive learning tools, and supportive development for educators.
Infrastructure and Access
This is the most fundamental necessity to technology-driven education: Ensuring every student can access high-speed internet and personal learning devices (PLDs).
By prioritizing infrastructure and access, education leaders can lay the groundwork for a more inclusive, equitable educational system where technology acts as a bridge, not a barrier, to learning opportunities.
1. High-Speed Internet Access
According to a report by the Pew Research Center, approximately 15% of U.S. students lack access to high-speed internet at home, and 17% can’t finish their homework appropriately. It’s a situation often referred to as the “homework gap.” If these numbers seem acceptably low, lack of access climbs to 24% as household income dips below $30,000—that’s one in four.
What’s hopeful is that students—who you might be surprised to find out want to learn—show us scalable solutions.
One in five (21%) of Black teens report using public WiFi at least sometimes to complete assignments, with 10% reporting that they often do. This points us to actionable solutions such as municipal broadband, mobile internet buses, and subsidized internet access programs to provide crucial connectivity to underserved communities.
The modern Luddite response: Advocate for and implement policies that support the expansion of broadband infrastructure, particularly in rural and low-income areas.
2. Mobile Learning Devices
Personal learning devices like tablets and laptops are part and parcel with high-speed internet access. According to the Pew study, 35% of teens say they often or sometimes have to do their homework on their cell phones. While common, this is far from ideal, and other more purpose-focused PLDs enhance access to a broader range of educational resources and facilitate personalized learning.
Initiatives such as One Laptop per Child (OLPC) and various state and local programs have shown that giving students their devices can significantly improve learning outcomes.
The modern Luddite response: Prioritize funding programs that ensure every student has access to a device for learning, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
3. Open Educational Resources (OER)
OERs are freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets useful for teaching, planning, and research.
Resources as fundamental as textbooks have become prohibitively expensive for many. What’s worse, they are static and often myopic, making them poor long-term investments for cash-strapped districts with diverse needs. Conversely, robust OERs make high-quality learning materials accessible to all districts with no budgetary commitments.
The modern Luddite response: Promote the development and use of OERs to support curriculum needs across diverse subjects and grade levels.
4. Telepresence Robots and Remote Learning Technologies
Whether it’s chronic/long-term illness, disability, or geographic constraints, some students struggle with the physicality of attending school. Given the technologies available today, that should never harm the quality of their education.
Telepresence robots and remote learning technologies can provide a lifeline. These technologies enable students to participate in real-time classroom activities, ensuring they remain engaged with their teachers and peers.
The modern Luddite response: Invest in connective technologies like telepresence robots and video chat platforms so that physical circumstances never deprive students of their opportunity to learn.
Personalized and Immersive Learning Tools
If Infrastructure and access represent an equitable foundation, this technology segment embodies the heart of education innovation.
Powerful adaptive learning technologies foster a learning environment that acknowledges and celebrates students’ unique learning styles and paces. Adding a layer of individuation based on data that updates as the student progresses makes learning more engaging, approachable, and effective. Educators can use these tools to craft lessons that captivate students’ interests and curate interactive, impactful experiences that meet students where they are.
1. Educational Software and Apps
There’s a reason standardized testing is falling out of favor. The correct notion that we all have different learning styles and preferences has gained mainstream acceptance. It’s well known now that standardization only captures a narrow band of intellects and abilities.
This acknowledgment necessarily changes the shape and application of education to accommodate this neurodiversity. Adaptive learning technologies, like DreamBox Learning, offer an inspiring solution. Using proprietary algorithms, the software can tailor content to an individual student’s learning pace and style so that they can master subjects at their own speed.
The modern Luddite response: Integrate these tools into the curriculum and encourage differentiated instruction that meets each student’s unique needs.
2. Cloud-Based Learning Platforms
A powerful partner for telepresence and remote learning, cloud-based learning platforms are accessible, flexible, and scalable.
Google Classroom, Moodle, and Khan Academy provide teachers and students with an array of tools for communication, assignment management/submission, and access to a vast library of vital educational resources. These platforms can democratize quality education materials, making learning possible anytime, anywhere, for anyone.
The modern Luddite response: Explore partnerships with technology providers to make these platforms available in schools throughout your region, especially in underserved districts.
3. Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR)
While it’s not a problem with the education system, many teachers will encounter an “experience gap” among their students.
Not all families can afford things like vacations. Not all homes are stable enough to prioritize quality time, like camping weekends. A lot of learning happens during experiences like these. While VR and AR technologies might not fix those circumstances, they can help narrow experience gaps by creating shared experiences most students can only encounter together, vis-à-vis the technology.
It doesn’t matter who went to the beach over the summer when you can use AR or VR to dive into the ocean’s depths, exploring its diverse ecosystems. How a student spent their weekend relative to another might fade away while they explore the Roman Colosseum together.
The modern Luddite’s response: Plan a virtual field trip. While the cost of VR/AR technology can be prohibitive, its potential to narrow the experience gap and build camaraderie among students is irreplaceable.
Support and Development for Educators
These enabling educational technologies, while impressive, can only be as effective as those in charge of them. If efforts are made and funding is allocated to place these technologies in classrooms, teachers have a duty to be proficient in using new tools and methodologies to leverage those technologies.
Ongoing professional development programs can equip educators with the skills to correctly integrate technology into their teaching. This includes training on digital literacy, online safety, data security, and the pedagogical use of educational technology.
1. Data Analytics Tools
As a result of an increasingly individuated approach to education, there’s valuable data to be gathered. Data analytics tools can provide educators and policymakers insights into student performance, engagement, and learning outcomes.
With this kind of data, stakeholders can make more informed decisions about curriculum, teaching strategies, and resource allocation. Learning Management Systems (LMSs), equipped with analytics features, can track progress, identify areas where students struggle, and personalize interventions to support the learning journey.
The modern Luddite response: Implement LMSs to enhance personalized learning, optimize resources, and close achievement gaps.
2. Community and Parent Engagement Platforms
Dismantling the physical and economic obstacles preventing students from participating in digital learning extends beyond the classroom. A recurring theme in my work is that education equity reform truly takes a village.
Platforms that facilitate communication between schools, students, and families can ensure education is—and remains—a community effort. Tools like Remind, ClassDojo, and SchoolMessenger help keep parents informed about their children’s education, fostering a supportive home learning environment.
The modern Luddite response: Use school communication platforms to strengthen the home-to-school connection, particularly in communities where parents may feel disconnected from their children’s education due to language barriers or lack of access.
Now, Be a Proud Modern Luddite
It’s easy to point at technology and find the problems. Some degree of skepticism is wise. When possible, accelerationism with new technology in the classroom should be avoided until we understand the full spectrum of its potential and consequences. But we’re at an inflection point on technology and its relationship to education.
Technology doesn’t have to be a great displacer. It can be a great equalizer if we use it right. Rather than with fear and outrage, let’s greet technology as a friend. Let’s reclaim “Luddite” from the resisters and those paranoid of progress. Let’s instead use technology to champion the humanity of every student.