Concerns about smartphones negatively impacting youth often overshadow broader educational issues, particularly the exam culture in Ireland. Teaching has largely become driven by the exam system, where effective educators are seen as those who can maximize students’ exam scores, sidelining creativity and critical thinking. The focus is on constant monitoring and predictive grading systems, which detract from genuine learning. Since the author’s teaching began in 1992, technology use in classrooms has significantly increased, initially with positive discussions about its benefits.
