Neuroscientist warns classroom technology may erode children's cognitive abilities

Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath argues in his new book, ‘The Digital Delusion’, that the rapid integration of educational technology in classrooms is undermining children's cognitive abilities. Horvath suggests that the rise of the $400 billion edtech industry correlates with a decline in IQ scores across Western nations since approximately 2000. He notes that while laptop adoption began around 2010, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a digital pivot that many schools have failed to reverse.

Horvath cites PISA testing data indicating that students spending more than six hours a day on screens perform significantly worse than those who avoid them. However, experts remain divided on the issue. Rose Luckin of the UCL Knowledge Lab notes that while edtech may have been oversold, PISA data also shows that moderate device use can correlate with better outcomes than no use at all. Additionally, education expert Dylan Wiliam emphasizes that current research demonstrates correlation rather than direct causation.