Too Risky for the Road but Safe for Schools? Rethinking Smart Glasses in the Science Classroom

This paper critically examines the rise of smart glasses in K–12 science education. We position these wearable technologies not only as tools of pedagogical innovation but as governance challenges requiring urgent regulatory attention. The vendors of smartglasses claim that their devices enhance real-time visualisation, support hands-free inquiry, and personalise activity. Yet, despite their increasing adoption and heavy promotion by vendors, these devices remain largely unregulated in education, unlike other high-stakes sectors such as transportation. Drawing on a comparative analysis of policy associated with Australia’s K-12 mobile phones and the 2023 Victorian Road Rule Amendments “New Driver Distraction Road Rules”, this study proposes that science education requires similar anticipatory governance. Whereas the road safety framework classifies wearable technologies as potential sources of cognitive distraction and provides a stratified risk profile, device-specific restrictions, and enforcement mechanisms, we illustrate a stark contrast to the comparable provisions analysed in educational policy. Drawing on Cognitive Load Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and critical pedagogy, the study reveals that smart glasses in science classrooms introduce structural risks to staff, students, and schools. Drawing on cognitive overload theory to surveillance and epistemic inequity, we argue that the risks presented by smart glasses cannot be mitigated through classroom discretion or school-based policies alone. This paper contributes to global conversations on educational justice, digital governance, and the ethical integration of emerging technologies in science classrooms.