Technology in the science classroom should do something a worksheet cannot. Used well, it deepens understanding; used carelessly, it is an expensive distraction.
Simulations over screens for screens' sake
The best digital tools let students manipulate systems they could never otherwise touch — the inside of a cell, the orbit of a planet, the motion of particles. That is worth the device; a digital worksheet usually is not.
Tools for creating, not just consuming
Presentation and modeling apps let students build and explain their thinking. When students make something — a model, a slideshow, a short explanation — the technology becomes a vehicle for understanding rather than a babysitter.
Research and digital literacy
Middle schoolers need practice judging sources, not just finding them. Short, guided research tasks build skills that matter far beyond our standards.
Ask one question of any edtech tool: does this help students understand something better? If not, the paper version is fine.