Inquiry: Technoference
The following inquiry lesson asks students to explore the role of technology in relationships, with a focus on “technoference,” that is, how technology interrupts interactions between a parent and child.
The lesson focuses on research findings and determining the extent to which they support or challenge the claim that technoference negatively affects a child's development.
You should assign students the following textbook chapter.
Provocation
This provocation uses one short film and a PSA.
Before watching the first film, ask students to brainstorm how phone use may be influencing human relationships. Ask them to give specific examples. After watching the film, ask them what they might add to their pre-film discussion.
Before watching the PSA, ask students how they think that modern phone use may affect child-parent relationships.
Film 1. I forgot my phone
Film 2. Switch off!
Teaching
The following presentation asks students to consider the findings of several studies and how well they support the claim that technoference negatively affects child development.
Potential responses
Slide 5: Myruski et al. (2018)
The mothers received instructions to become unresponsive. The study cannot separate the influence of the device from the influence of losing the caregiver’s attention. In addition, it demonstrates an immediate emotional response, rather than lasting developmental harm.
Slide 7: Reed et al. (2017)
The experiment supports a causal explanation for an immediate learning effect because researchers manipulated the interruption. However, a short laboratory task cannot establish how everyday interruptions affect vocabulary development over months or years.
Slide 9: McDaniel and Radesky (2018)
Following families over time helps establish the order of events, but self-reported associations cannot prove that one variable caused another. Other family circumstances may influence both.
Slide 10: Toledo-Vargas et al. (2025)
The associations shown are generally small. Child screen time has the largest absolute point estimate on this graph (+0.23). However, the outcomes draw on different subsets of studies, so their apparent ranking requires caution. These correlations do not establish causation or predict what will happen to a particular child.
Slide 12: Zhang et al. (2025)
Context matters when interpreting this result. Of the 53 studies, 46 were cross-sectional, meaning that they measured variables at one point in time. Fifty took place in China. These features limit conclusions about causation and generalization. The studies measured different outcomes in different populations.
Inquiry: Investigating technoference
This is a short inquiry task that could be completed in a single period. The goal, based on the presentation, is to design a study to investigate a claim.
The slides below give them guidance. First, I randomly assign them to groups. They should complete their designs in class or as homework.
Each group will present their study so their peers can give feedback on their proposals.
Assessment
You may want to give students the following Paper 3.
There is also a student sample available here.