New UK findings, commissioned by Epson among students, teachers and school IT managers, reveal a mismatch between how much technology classrooms have and how well it supports learning.

At the heart of the issue is demand from UK students for technology in lessons. 91% say they use technology in almost every part of their lives, and almost half (48%) expect extensive use of technology in classes.

UK schools have responded, with 72% of school IT managers agreeing schools have introduced more technology in the last year. In fact, the EU has invested over €23 billion in educational technology and skills.[1]

But this isn’t always translating into better attainment. Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that global performance in maths and reading has fallen significantly.[2]

Many teachers (64%) say that while technology adoption has accelerated, its effective use has not kept pace. 76% of teachers and 84% of school IT managers agree that investment has focused on devices rather than how they’re used.

Many schools are caught in a “learning technology balance gap”, according to Epson. 61% of teachers in the UK, and 64% of school IT managers agree that education has invested in technology faster than it can be integrated effectively.

Rather than rejecting technology, as some education systems have, 83% of teachers and 88% of school IT managers say there needs to be a more balanced use of technology. Where screens and traditional resources such as paper and textbooks coexist, isolated and shared learning is blended, AI and human judgement work together, and there is more considered investment in technology. 92% of teachers say better balancing the use of technology with traditional teaching methods could boost student outcomes.

To understand the extent of the learning technology balance gap, Epson asked teachers to score how well different types of technology are being introduced and balanced against more traditional forms of education. They gave the following grades where 1 is not balanced at all and 10 is perfectly balanced:

1. 5 out of 10 for the balance between individual screens and paper in lessons, with 60% saying there are too many individual screens

2. 5.3 out of 10 for the balance between individual and shared screens in lessons with 49% saying there are too many individual screens

3. 4.9 out of 10 for the balance between AI and human judgement, oversight and traditional teaching methods with 60% saying there is too much emphasis on AI

This gives an overall, combined score of 5 out of 10 (average of the above) for the balance across the three areas. Together, these findings contribute to the Educate to Empower Index.

At the same time, teachers were asked to score out of 10 whether they believe schools have sufficient technology and training availability to deliver the best student outcomes. On average, teachers scored schools 4.8 out of 10 where a score of 1 is not at all sufficient and 10 is completely sufficient. School IT managers gave a score of 6.0 out of 10.

Dr Sarah Henkelmann-Hillebrand, lead for education at Epson Europe, said: “Closing the learning technology balance gap requires a shift in thinking. Education systems must move beyond simply adopting technology and instead focus on how it is used. That means designing around learning outcomes, rebalancing digital and physical tools, creating more shared and collaborative classroom experiences, and putting clear governance around emerging technologies like AI. It also means investing in technology that supports effective teaching, not just more devices. The future of education isn’t more tech. It’s a better balance.”

These findings come from the Educate to Empower 2026 Research, commissioned by Epson.

 

About Epson 

Epson is a technology innovation and engineering company whose philosophy of efficient, compact, and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company uses technology and engineering ability to implement real-world solutions in precision innovation, industrial & robotics, office & home printing, and visual & lifestyle. 

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1.4 trillion. 

Epson’s education technology solutions support modern, collaborative learning environments with reliable printing and projection solutions for a balanced teaching and learning experience. It enables educators to deliver engaging content, streamline classroom workflows, and reduce operational costs, while enhancing student experience through high-quality visuals and easy-to-use tools. 

More at https://www.epson.eu/education 

Research methodology 

Focaldata surveyed 3,360 people across the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Poland on behalf of Epson in July and August 2026, following data quality checks. The study comprised four discrete audience surveys, fielded independently online via panel: teachers without IT responsibility (1,227), students aged 16-18 (1,219), current or recently-qualified teacher trainees (611), and school IT managers/technology decision-makers (303). Results reflect natural fallout, with no weighting applied. 

[1] European Commission, Digital skills initiatives 

[2] OECD, PISA 2022 Results (Volume I)