Tech in Schools: Boon or Bane for Student Performance?

Large-scale international assessments suggest negative effects of excessive technology use on student performance. Despite evidence, fewer than a quarter of countries have banned smartphone use in schools. UNESCO's report highlights the distractions and negative educational outcomes linked to digital devices, underscoring the need for regulated and effective tech use in education.

A growing body of international assessment data indicates that excessive technology use could be detrimental to student performance. However, a striking finding from the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report reveals that less than one in four countries have enforced a ban on smartphones in schools.

The report, published by UNESCO, underscores that even mere proximity to a mobile device can distract students, thus hampering their learning achievements. Experts from the UN's Education team caution that while technology indeed transforms education, its role should be precisely defined to support desired learning outcomes.

Essentially, the adoption of digital technology in classrooms comes with both promises and perils. While it introduces new sets of skills and has even replaced traditional tools like paper and pens in classrooms, the inconsiderate use of such technology could be counterproductive. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden shift to online learning created both opportunities and challenges, the latter being witnessed in increased distractions and non-academic activities among students.