Classrooms Reinstate Traditional Textbooks over Laptops as Primary Learning Tools

Classrooms Reinstate Traditional Textbooks over Laptops as Primary Learning Tools

Title: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again?) of Laptops in the Classroom: Balancing Technology and Learning

Date: May 2, 2025 | Author: Evelyne Hoffman

Category: Education | Comments: 0

Over the last decade, schools have welcomed laptops, tablets, and other digital devices with open arms, considering them essential instructional tools. However, a growing body of research indicates that these tech toys may inadvertently hinder student performance when used during lessons. Now, countries and educational institutions are reevaluating their policies to prioritize student well-being, engagement, and academic success.

Here's a breakdown of current trends:

• Madrid discovers that less is often more: Plans are underway to limit computer and tablet use in primary schools to a maximum of two hours per week, starting September 2025. Teachers will not be able to assign homework requiring screen time, and infant and primary students will not work individually with digital devices, with outside-of-school screen use also restricted.
• Sweden takes a step back: Improving basic skills is the focus, with an emphasis on printed books, handwriting, and quiet reading over digital devices. Politicians and experts are addressing concerns about technology overuse, with plans for increased book purchases and a return to traditional learning methods for children under six.
• Denmark puts a ban on smartphones and tablets: Following the education minister's announcement in February 2025, smartphones and tablets will not be allowed in Danish schools, whether during lessons or breaks.

We delve into fascinating research findings on how laptops shape educational experiences and ponder if this approach contradicts the aims of digitalisation.

Caught in the Web: How Laptops Affect Concentration

While laptops provide rapid access to materials, collaborative platforms, and tools, they also create openings for multitasking and off-task behavior.

Mounting evidence suggests that laptops lead to lower test scores and decreased focus. One of the conducts that studied this issue was the randomised controlled trial carried out at the United States Military Academy by Carter, Greenberg, and Walker (2017). Their research revealed that students in classrooms with laptop access scored significantly lower on final exams, with a decrease of around 0.2 standard deviations, compared to those who utilized only paper and pen.

A similar study by Sana, Weston, and Cepeda (2013) demonstrated that even students nearby laptop users were affected, with their comprehension test scores dropping by 17%, showing that the distractions caused by visible screen activity are not confined to individual users.

The reasons behind this performance dip were uncovered by Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014). Their research, published in Psychological Science, demonstrated that students who wrote their notes by hand retained information more deeply and performed better on conceptual questions. This was attributed to the fact that handwriting requires compressing, summarizing, and fully processing the content, whereas typing encourages literal transcription.

Large-Scale Trends: Insights from the OECD PISA Data

At a broad level, data from the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) underlines the conclusion that overuse of technology in classrooms doesn't always enhance achievement. The 2015 OECD report Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection stated:

"Students who use computers moderately at school tend to have somewhat better learning outcomes than students who use computers rarely... But students who use computers very frequently at school perform significantly worse in most learning outcomes, even after accounting for social background and demographics."

This implies that balanced use supports learning, while excessive exposure may erode it.

A New Path Forward for Digital Learning

The findings provided above challenge assumptions about technology's benefits, but do not inherently contradict digitalisation goals. Instead, they highlight a discrepancy between quantity and quality of digital use.

The aim of digitalisation in education is to improve access, equity, personalization, and future preparedness. Such objectives remain valid, but for digitalisation to complement rather than hamper learning, implementation must be intentional. For instance:

• Adaptive learning platforms that provide individualized feedback are effective.
• Enhanced learning opportunities can be offered through virtual science labs and collaborative wikis.
• Structured note-taking formats (e.g., using guided templates) may minimize shallow processing.

AI and the Next Generation of Digital Learning

Findings from 2020's Artificial Intelligence in Education and Schools article by Göçen and Aydemir echo these concerns. Although AI and smart systems can help personalise learning and decrease teacher workload, there are concerns that their uncritical use can foster mechanical learning and erode human connections.

In conclusion, the question is not whether to go digital but, rather, how to go digital with purpose.

Rethinking Integration Strategies

Evidently, laptops and digital tools can disrupt academic progress, deep learning, and focus if used without a clear pedagogical rationale. Nevertheless, this does not imply that schools should abandon technology. Instead, it highlights the need for smarter integration:

• Limit device use during lectures or notetaking unless it's pedagogically justified.
• Invest in teacher training to guide effective technology use.
• Prioritize digital tools that stimulate engagement, differentiation, and access—not just convenience.

1. As technology continues to evolve, artificial intelligence (AI) can play a crucial role in the next generation of digital learning, offering personalized learning experiences, minimizing teacher workload, and fostering better educational outcomes.
2. In light of research findings suggesting decreased educational performance when laptops are overly relied upon during lessons, there is growing emphasis on the integration of technology with a clear pedagogical rationale, focusing on enhanced learning opportunities, structured note-taking, and adaptive learning platforms to support students' success and facilitate deep learning.
3. Education and self-development in the digital age requires not just the integration of technology but also the prioritization of well-being, engagement, and academic success for students, as countries and educational institutions aim to balance AI-driven advancements with traditional instructional methods to create an effective and inclusive learning environment.

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