Classroom computers linked to lower scores

A Psychology Today article published on March 3, 2026, said two decades of classroom digitisation and computer use have been associated with declines in students' academic and cognitive skills.

The article argued that learning depends on sustained attention, working memory, critical thinking and analytical reasoning, and said those capacities require effortful, self-initiated engagement.

It cited Rogelberg (2026) as reporting that Maine launched a statewide one-to-one laptop programme in 2002, distributing 17,000 laptops in its first year and 66,000 devices by 2016. The article said later analysis found Maine's academic test scores had not improved by 2017.

The article also said neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath testified to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in 2026, using PISA and other standardised measures. According to the article, Horvath said Gen Z was the first generation in modern U.S. history to score lower than its predecessor and emphasised a strong correlation between declining academic standards and increased school computer time.

The article cited Hutton and colleagues (2020) as finding that children aged 3 to 5 with higher screen time had lower white-matter integrity connected to language, literacy and executive function. It concluded that schools should align technology use with teaching approaches that build sustained cognitive effort, physical play and structured knowledge acquisition.