‘Our children are less cognitively capable,’ says neuroscientist who wants to cut screen use in schools

Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath is sounding the alarm about the effects of educational technology in schools. In his book, The Digital Delusion, he argues that the use of screens and digital tools in classrooms is harming children's cognitive development. "Our children are less cognitively capable than we were at their age," he states in the book.

Horvath points to the rise of educational technology, particularly after the year 2000, as the reason for a decline in IQ scores and international test performance. In the UK, the educational technology market was worth about £6.5 billion annually, while in the US, it was a $400 billion industry woven into every aspect of schooling.

The use of laptops in schools took off in earnest in 2010-12. With the onset of the Covid pandemic, Horvath suggests that schools pivoted to digital learning as a necessary measure. However, many schools continued to rely heavily on digital tools even after Covid, with 88% of US school districts now having one-to-one computers.

Horvath's research shows that the more time students spend on screens at school, the lower their test scores tend to be. Those using computers for more than six hours per day scored 66 points lower than those who didn't use them at all. While some experts, such as Rose Luckin and Daisy Christodoulou, acknowledge the potential problems with certain educational technologies, they remain cautious about attributing the decline in performance solely to screen use.

They argue that the evidence is mixed and that more research is needed to fully understand the impact of educational technology on learning.