Computer technology is constantly evolving and changing. Computer programs that have been taught in school are likely to become obsolete as learning tools in the near future. Time must therefore be constantly dedicated to learning the most modern programs, and that time is taken away from the core subjects that students would normally learn. Unfortunately this problem leads to children focusing more on computer programs and less on the development and mastery of the essential academic and social skills required for progression through middle school and high school.
Teachers must monitor individual activity on the computers to prevent improper usage, which takes focus off of teaching the whole class. The teacher's attention is also often diverted by the computer itself while teaching lessons, which detracts from the students. Traditionally students would focus more on books and writing notes by hand while listening to the teacher and watching presentations. Low school budgets force school systems to choose between issuing traditional textbooks for each subject and providing computers. If students have difficulty understanding their teacher and they aren't given textbooks to study for clarification, they won't gain full comprehension of the subjects. Children need the opportunity to learn from different credible sources firsthand -- factual books rather than the opinion-based book interpretations often found online. There is also less focus on reading aloud when students study on personal computers at their own pace, which hurts auditory learners. Children in elementary school can become confused by the myriad information sources. Without the ability to discern the validity of sources, students run the risk of becoming misinformed.
Computer technology is expensive, and you cannot teach computer skills effectively without the equipment. Computer system upgrades and training for instructors is also costly. Children in elementary school may be less responsible with the expensive equipment than older students, and they are typically more accident prone than older children and teenagers. When computers are in elementary school classrooms they will need replacement often.
When each student in a classroom is working on a computer all day, students miss out on the opportunity to interact with each other and sometimes the instructor. This affects the social development that normally takes place in the classroom between peers. Traditionally, students learning at a faster pace help the students who learn at a slower pace. This teaches fundamental tutoring skills to faster-paced students, and cooperation with peers to accomplish educational objectives among all students. Team activities are also limited in the technological classroom, as students are working on more individual units separately.