​

• The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development studied millions of High School students in 31 countries and found that those who used computers heavily at school “do a lot worse than those with moderate or no use for most learning outcomes, even after accounting for social background and student demographics.”  

• Multiple studies have shown that students learn more and retain more when they read on paper rather than screens.

• Meta-analytic reviews examining hundreds of studies found that traditional ed-tech applications (e.g., computer-managed learning, basic CAI) produce only modest effects on achievement — typically small effect sizes — and sometimes no meaningful gains compared to traditional methods

• Current research continues to document the detrimental impact that reading and note taking in digital formats has on the ability to build mental maps and recall information, concluding that laptop use “negatively impacts performance on educational assessments”.  

• Independent comparisons have shown that app developers inflate their promised gains by 80%.

• National assessment scores have declined, with mounting evidence correlating screen time and poor student outcomes, especially in elementary education. (Additional Studies: here and here

Online and digital products used at school increase student screen time at the risk of students’ physical and mental health.

• Recent surveys show that students spend 1-4 hours daily on screens at school.

• There is a 60% increase in psychological disorders in children who have more than 1-2 hours of screen time per day.

• Using a computer seven hours a week or more triples the risk of nearsightedness.

Online and digital products do not prioritize student privacy or safety.

• Nearly all online and digital school tech apps share students’ personal information with third parties.

• Nearly 90% of online and digital school tech products surveil or can surveil children outside school hours and “deep into their private lives.”

• 60% of school apps send student data to third-party advertising platforms, and only 14% of schools enable caregivers to consent to technology use.

• Schools and online and digital school tech companies are prime targets for cybercriminals

 

In the News Recently:

• Senate Hearing on the Impact of Technology on America’s Youth by Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd:

  • “Gen Z is the first generation to underperform across every cognitive measure”

• Utah lawmakers propose major limits on educational technology