That smartphones and other smart devices, including smartwatches, are harmful to brains, and especially to children’s brains, is already in the public domain and few dispute it. There is also an emerging consensus that it is a good idea not to allow these devices in schools.
But the problem is actually much wider and more serious. A series of studies compiled by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt show that virtually every deployment of computer technology in schools leads to a deterioration in the quality of teaching. All those smart boards and interactive programmes and I don’t know what. Every time new technology is deployed, kids either know less or their brains are in worse shape (no study measures both at the same time). Those studies don’t hide the fact that there are positive aspects to it. It’s just that no one has yet figured out how to make the positive aspects outweigh the negative aspects. “There’s clear scientific evidence that digital tools impair rather than enhance student learning,” Haidt concludes.
So yes, the primitive blackboard and white chalk lead to better results.
Taxpayers in various countries are spending billions and billions on the internet for schools and all sorts of electronic devices, and it’s to no avail. I am not accusing anyone of a crime or a targeted effort to destroy education. It just happened. We didn’t know enough 10 or 15 years ago; we know enough today. And of course the marketers have played their part, because electronic boards make higher profits than blackboards. But now we need to get it out of schools as quickly as possible.
The rational thing to do would be to allow access to smart devices from the age of 18 or 21. They have been proven to cause more harm than alcohol or pornography. And if one learns to think and solve problems in the physical world, the electronic stuff will catch up in a few weeks. But that’s a long way off.