A lot of studies have been conducted over the last couple of years looking at the differences between how we process information read via a screen, compared to reading off the printed page.
There is a common perception that millennials live their lives predominantly through digital platforms. However the thread running through a lot of these studies indicates that when it comes to study or needing to read to gain solid information and understanding, text books or printed articles are the preferred medium.
A study from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development suggests that schools need to rethink the value they place on saturating the classroom with technology and look at traditional methods of learning through writing, note-taking and reading from books rather than laptops or tablets.
When you think about learning, typically you envision students at their desks putting pencil to paper, or listening to a teacher in the front of the classroom. Today along with pencil and paper, there are a variety of tools that support learning and literacy, many of which include digital technology.
Interestingly, recent research and local experience shows learning and retention limitations to using digital technology as a study tool in the classroom when compared to pencil and paper. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a recent international report, Students, Computers and Learning [1]. Commenting on the report the education chief of the organisation, Andreas Schleicher, stated that "the reality is that technology is doing more harm than good in our schools today. [2]"
Findings from the worldwide survey show that “students who used computers moderately at school had somewhat better learning outcomes than students who used computers rarely; but students who used computers very frequently at school did a lot worse, even after accounting for the students’ socio-economic status.” Consequently, countries which have invested heavily in education technology have seen no noticeable improvement in their performances in results for reading, mathematics or science.
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