Post-Pandemic Learning: Teachers, Students Struggle to Reconnect in Tech-Driven Classrooms

By Branden Melton-Kielbowicz, Carly Itzel, Alex Kling and Tayanna Massey

Years after the COVID-19 pandemic upended traditional classrooms, teachers and students are still navigating the lingering effects of remote learning and rapid technological adoption.

The pandemic accelerated a shift toward technology in American education, but many teachers say it came at a steep cost. Remote instruction limited social interaction, disrupted developmental learning, and widened existing academic gaps.

“I feel that students missed out on some social skills and development skills during that time,” said Danah Frens, a kindergarten teacher in Baton Rouge. “Once we returned to the classroom, it was challenging to get them caught up with where they needed to be.”

The transition from social, in-person instruction to an internet-based model proved unnatural for students and teachers alike. Schools were unprepared for remote learning, resulting in decreased engagement and lower test scores.

“Zoom school was really hard,” said Mila Kelly, a student at Riverbend School in Natick, Massachusetts. “It was distracting being home all the time.” Many students found it difficult to concentrate while surrounded by phones, gaming consoles and social media.

Before the pandemic, students regularly wrote essays by hand, received in-person corrections and engaged actively with lessons. Now, teachers are noticing a shift in student abilities.

“Many students cannot write more than a paragraph because they type their answers most of the time,” said Kyria Moore, a former teacher and current parent instructional coordinator in Texas.

Moore, once a pre-med biology student, said she unexpectedly found fulfillment in education. Today, she works to adapt to post-pandemic changes while trying to hold students’ attention in increasingly tech-saturated classrooms.

“We are competing for our students’ attention because they are accustomed to things changing rapidly,” Moore said.

She’s seen increased reliance on features like autocorrect, calling such tools “a crutch, not a teaching aid.” Students recognize their mistakes, Moore said, but aren’t learning how to avoid them.

Loss of Critical Skills

Before COVID-19, it was standard for students to put away their phones and focus in class. Since returning, that dynamic has shifted.

“These students have become so dependent on their computers,” said Jeffery Maiore, an English teacher at Cranford High School in New Jersey.

Maiore, known for his strict classroom style, bans technology in his classroom and regularly administers grammar quizzes to reinforce retention.

“I want everyone I teach to be the best version of themselves,” Maiore said. “If that means handing out quizzes or being tough when grading, it is only being done to help them.”

College senior Ashton Ochs, who is studying early education, said she still finds it

difficult to stay off her phone.

“After a while of not writing everything, it felt awkward and like I forgot what to do,” Ochs said.

New teacher Shannon Vath has observed how much classrooms have changed since her own school days.

“Walking around the hallways of schools, I would peek into classes filled with students on their phones or laptops,” she said.

Online vs. Paper Testing

As testing increasingly moves online, educators are weighing the benefits of speed and convenience against student focus and comprehension.

Digital testing may produce faster results, but students often face more distractions and struggle to stay engaged.

“We need to ensure a balance of the resources and materials we use to support student learning,” said Jennifer Bordelon, assistant principal at Dutchtown High School.

Reflecting on her own experience in Louisiana schools, one student noted the transition from paper to digital tests using platforms like Illuminate and DRC Insight. While efficient, they were also overwhelming.

“On paper, it feels real and accessible,” she said. “I can fully read the question and listen to my own thoughts without seeing the abundant tools and temptation of the internet.”

Bordelon agreed. “Students tend to engage better with pen and paper,” she said. “They are more likely to annotate and see more of the text at once. The same applies with math — they prefer to work the problems on paper.”

Parent Involvement

Teachers say parental engagement is crucial as schools continue to adapt post-pandemic.

“Parents show up during fun events, but the attendance should be greater at informational events,” Moore said.

She led a third-grade parent workshop in Texas, giving families tools to understand and support their children’s learning at home. This semester, she expanded it to include critical thinking skills for gifted students.

“Sometimes, it’s a battle to prove I know what's best for my students,” Moore said.

Frens agrees that parental involvement can both help and hinder.

“As a parent, I made it a point to get to know my child’s teachers,” she said. “In doing so, I feel that it opened up the communication.”

But not all parent-teacher interactions are positive. Frens recalled a tense conference with a parent who refused to accept feedback about her child’s academic struggles.

“She was getting angry with me and was threatening me,” Frens said. “For future conferences, I made sure that there were other teachers nearby, just in case.”

Lingering Systemic Challenges

Teachers say their voices often go unheard when it comes to education policy.

“We have too many non-educational people making decisions about education,” Moore said.

She worries that ever-changing curricula confuse parents and frustrate teachers who aren’t trained in new methods. “Steps are needed to ensure students understand math concepts and not just memorize information,” she added.

Frens said Louisiana administrators are trying to base reforms on the latest research, but efforts are slow-moving and bogged down in red tape.

“The education system is bogged down with a lot of paperwork,” she said. “It makes it difficult for teachers to have the energy to teach.”

Kyle Chamberlain, a teacher at Oak Meadow Montessori School in Littleton, Massachusetts, said one of his colleagues left the profession entirely.

“She loves teaching, but she’s leaving education,” Chamberlain said. “She’s going to manage a Pilates studio because it’s more money and there is a better quality of life. So, I think there is definitely a burnout that happens.”

Some teachers, like Frens, are even rethinking public education altogether.

“I am a huge advocate for public school systems,” she said. “However, due to the state of the education system these days and the changes being made, I would prefer to homeschool my children.”

While technology is not inherently harmful, many say the relationship between devices and education remains uneasy. As students, parents, teachers and administrators adjust post-COVID, balance may be the key to restoring engagement in the classroom.

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As of 2025, more than 20 states have implemented some form of school cellphone ban, reflecting a national trend toward limiting technology in classrooms. States like Florida, Indiana, Georgia and California have enacted policies restricting non-academic phone use during school hours, citing concerns about focus, mental health, and learning retention. New Jersey is now joining that wave. In January, Gov. Phil Murphy proposed a statewide K–12 ban on cellphones during instruction and school events. The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate. Still, pushback remains—especially from parents who worry about reaching their children during emergencies.