What happens when students carry the world’s information in their pockets?
That question sits at the heart of a recent ShiftED Podcast conversation with educator, consultant, and author Lisa Green. Drawing on years of classroom experience and insights from her book Outsmarted: The Changing Face of Learning in the Era of Smartphones and Technology, Green explores how teaching and learning have evolved in a world where information is always available—and attention is increasingly difficult to sustain.
For many educators, the shift did not begin with artificial intelligence. It began with smartphones.
Green reflects on the moment when students no longer relied solely on teachers as the primary source of knowledge. Instead, they arrived in classrooms equipped with instant access to information, questions, and perspectives from around the world. This required a fundamental change in teaching practice. The traditional model of teacher as expert and lecturer gradually gave way to a more collaborative approach where educators act as guides, coaches, and learning designers.
That transition was not always comfortable.
Like many teachers, Green experimented with inquiry-based and project-based learning, creating opportunities for students to take greater ownership of their learning. Yet she also acknowledges an important tension: while students have access to more information than ever before, they often need more support to navigate it effectively. Access to knowledge does not automatically lead to understanding.
This reality feels particularly relevant in Quebec classrooms. Whether students are learning in English, French, or multilingual environments, educators are navigating a complex landscape shaped by technology, language, culture, and increasingly diverse learner needs. The challenge is no longer helping students find information. The challenge is helping them evaluate it, connect it, question it, and use it meaningfully.
Artificial intelligence raises those questions even further.
Rather than viewing AI as a threat, Green encourages educators to rethink learning experiences and assessments. If a chatbot can generate a passable essay in seconds, then perhaps the task itself needs reconsideration. Learning activities that emphasize reflection, discussion, creation, collaboration, and authentic problem-solving become more valuable because they reveal student thinking in ways that automated tools cannot easily replicate. One of the most compelling parts of the conversation focuses on the “attention economy.” Students are growing up in digital environments specifically designed to capture and hold their attention. Green argues that educators should be transparent about these realities. Helping students understand how algorithms, notifications, and social media platforms influence their behaviour is an essential component of modern digital literacy.
This does not mean rejecting technology. It means helping students develop healthy and intentional relationships with it.
The conversation ultimately returns to a simple but powerful idea: technology changes, but good teaching remains rooted in human connection. Students still need opportunities to be curious. They still need meaningful challenges, supportive relationships, and a sense of purpose in their learning.
As schools continue to navigate AI, smartphones, and emerging technologies, Green offers a timely reminder. The goal is not to compete with technology. The goal is to create learning experiences that are so engaging, relevant, and human that technology becomes a tool in service of learning—not the driver of it.
In an era of endless information, helping students think deeply may be more important than ever.
