Another expert has come out against the educational value of on screen rather than on paper learning. This time distinguished neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, in a book that has just been published, declares that screens and other forms of technology used in classrooms mean that children are less cognitively capable than any previous generation. His book is called the Digital Delusion and the thrust of the argument echoes other research and reports about the failings of reading from screens, the failure of comprehension when reading digital text and so on. Studies from across the world have all found printed books to be better for understanding, learning and education in general.
It will not stop developments in technology – AI is heading for the classroom as surely as it is heading for every aspect of working and resting life. In his book Horvath points the finger at Covid. It encouraged a switch to using screens, tools such as Teams and research via Google. But there has been no swing back of the pendulum towards printed books. And scores in tests have been falling. Like the tobacco industry, the argument is that other factors may be at play and causing the cancer that is blamed on smoking. That argument held back action to limit consumption of harmful tobacco products for decades.
That cannot be allowed to happen again. Most in politics do not want to turn the clock back to the 1950s let alone the 1850s, but the wheels of policy turn slowly. Because if this is true for children and their ability to learn and think, it will also be true for adults, hitting our ability to think and learn. Again this is known by most on an instinctive level even without the data. In print we should tap into this latent awareness. Not only is digital causing more environmental damage than its supporters let on, the screen in the classroom has become a barrier to effective learning. We need to demonstrate that study after research, academic paper after book, show ink on paper to be the better choice.
Smarter kids read books to learn
Another expert has come out against the educational value of on screen rather than on paper learning. This time distinguished neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath, in a book that has just been published, declares that screens and other forms of technology used in classrooms mean that children are less cognitively capable than any previous generation. His book is called the Digital Delusion and the thrust of the argument echoes other research and reports about the failings of reading from screens, the failure of comprehension when reading digital text and so on. Studies from across the world have all found printed books to be better for understanding, learning and education in general.
It will not stop developments in technology – AI is heading for the classroom as surely as it is heading for every aspect of working and resting life. In his book Horvath points the finger at Covid. It encouraged a switch to using screens, tools such as Teams and research via Google. But there has been no swing back of the pendulum towards printed books. And scores in tests have been falling. Like the tobacco industry, the argument is that other factors may be at play and causing the cancer that is blamed on smoking. That argument held back action to limit consumption of harmful tobacco products for decades.
That cannot be allowed to happen again. Most in politics do not want to turn the clock back to the 1950s let alone the 1850s, but the wheels of policy turn slowly. Because if this is true for children and their ability to learn and think, it will also be true for adults, hitting our ability to think and learn. Again this is known by most on an instinctive level even without the data. In print we should tap into this latent awareness. Not only is digital causing more environmental damage than its supporters let on, the screen in the classroom has become a barrier to effective learning. We need to demonstrate that study after research, academic paper after book, show ink on paper to be the better choice.
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Prayers for the future of the print industry
Prayers for the future of the print industry