Are classroom screens making children less cognitively capable? Experts are divided
Jared Cooney Horvath says screen-heavy classrooms are making children less capable, pointing to declining IQ scores since 2000. Not all experts agree, with some citing benefits of moderate screen use.
Jared Cooney Horvath, a neuroscientist and former teacher, claims that classroom technology is harming children's cognitive development, according to a report from The Guardian. His new book, The Digital Delusion, suggests that progress in health and education has stalled since the 2000s, coinciding with children gaining access to screens.
Some researchers warn that screen habits before the age of two have developmental risks. Despite steady or increased school time, IQ scores in Western countries have dropped. Horvath attributes this to the rapid growth of educational technology, now worth $400 billion in the U.S. alone. He points to Pisa testing data showing that students who spend over six hours a day on screens perform worse than those with no screen time.
However, other experts disagree. Rose Luckin, an emeritus professor at UCL, acknowledges Horvath's concerns but notes that moderate device use correlates with better outcomes. Dylan Wiliam, an education assessment expert, states that current research only shows correlation, not causation. Daisy Christodoulou, of No More Marking, remains optimistic about the potential of educational technology.
The debate isn't whether screens should be in classrooms, but rather how and when they can be beneficial.
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