What do we know about technology-assisted education? Not much. Utah schools are investing millions and millions of tax payer’s dollars in technology. Yet there is scant evidence that technology can improve student learning outcomes.

The U.S. Department of Education reviewed more than 500 studies comparing online vs. face-to-face education and found that only five could be included in its analysis for K-12 students (only five!). And of those five studies, only two showed a large and positive effect on student learning.

Why is Utah spending millions of dollars on technology when there is little research showing that it improves education? Well, because parents want it — and it is cool. Also, educators love new equipment.

Parents and educators demand much even though there is no relationship to student-learning improvements. Fads are not new to our field: Open classrooms, team teaching, small class sizes are just more examples in education development that had little research before the school system decided to experiment on your children.

There is much research in education. Most of what we know about putting knowledge into students’ heads is not sexy, fun, new or very interesting. It is a very slow slog through a swamp of ignorance. Who wants to do that? Well, apparently not the Utah Department of Education.

Jeanne Whitmore is the founder and CEO of American Fork charter school Aristotle Academy and an education columnist for the American Fork Citizen. You can learn more about Aristotle Academy at aristotleacademyk8.org or on Facebook.