Teacher burnout is a technology problem as much as it is a people problem. Recently, EdTech Magazine turned to SMART's Kris Astle, manager of learning and adoption at SMART Technologies, to help explain why.
The piece digs into a sobering stat from RAND's 2025 State of the American Teacher survey, 53% of K–12 teachers report burnout, well above the 39% seen across other professions, and makes the case that IT decisions, not just salary and culture, play a real role in who stays and who leaves.
Astle was quoted throughout, speaking to how the right technology choices lighten the load teachers carry every day. She says "the best technologies are the ones that give teachers more time back. When technology is used to automate the robotic parts of teaching — such as grading, attendance or scheduling — it allows the human being in the room to focus on what matters most, which is connecting with students."
She was just as direct about what happens when systems don't talk to each other. "If a district buys a grading tool that doesn't 'talk' to the attendance system, teachers are forced into manual data entry, which is time-consuming and reduces teacher efficiency," a reminder that integration isn't a nice-to-have but the difference between technology that helps and technology that adds another chore.
The article also highlights where AI is already giving teachers time back, with Kris pointing to tools that help add interactivity to static content and generate first drafts of lesson plans built around district content and state standards. And on the everyday friction that wears teachers down — devices that won't connect, apps that won't load — she noted that strong device management lets IT push updates and apps silently, "ensuring devices are ready the moment the bell rings."
Kris closed out her contribution with a point about professional development and community: peer support networks and professional learning communities help teachers share ideas, build relationships with colleagues, and reduce the isolation that often feeds burnout.
It's a good look at the kind of thinking that goes into how we build for classrooms — read the full EdTech Magazine article for the complete picture.