While Romania is struggling to bring technique, technology and digitization to schools, other countries are already taking the step back. Sweden and Spain, for example, have decided to limit the access of students to the screens and to straighten the children – in the learning process – to the traditional books and the topics done with the pen in hand, not buttoning the tablet.
Classic textbooks and handwriting practice thinking and imagination. Archive
Over time, psychologists have found that excessively exposed students do not give in school. Children who use both at home and during the hours, for educational purposes, phones, tablets, laptops, different interactive platforms or other devices and gadgets, have concentration and memory problems. “The digital textbooks used in excess can be very misleading, often offering only an illusion of learning”, explained for the “truth” the psychologist Mihai Copăceanu.
Sweden returns to traditional textbooks after 15 years of digitization
Authorities in Sweden have come to the conclusion that excessive use of school screens is the main cause of lowering students’ performance. The specialists have carried out several studies and research over time, and the conclusion they have reached is unanimous: beyond a certain limit, the technology is harmful to children. This is the reason why the Swedish authorities are now trying to brake this way of teaching in the classroom, but also of deepening knowledge. The specialists said that all the classic, traditional textbooks, the books in physical format are more indicated.
In many schools abroad the tablets and PCs have gradually replaced the textbooks. These devices allow students to access information online, watch documentaries and participate in interactive activities, such as quiz or online topics. However, these technologies come in pack and disadvantages. “Screens can be a major source of distraction for students, especially for those who already have difficulty maintaining concentration. In addition, studies show that reading on a retroiluminated screen is more tiring than on paper, affecting the ability to understand and memorize the content, especially in the case of students of a young age ”, The education experts from Sweden said.
They now draw a great alarm signal, in the context in which in the last 15 years the students in this country have been systematically encouraged to use the screens instead of the classic textbooks. Many schools have even offered children tablets and laptops to help them in the learning process. Basically, from searching for online information to writing themes and making reviews on PCs, technology has become a central element in the education of Swedish students.
But what is too much spoil, and now you are trying to return to the traditional system. The reason? Over time, parents have noticed that students can no longer focus, they are no longer as careful, they no longer have memory capacity, they are very distracted by online games, movies, music, while, in fact, they should learn for school.
Thus, the Swedish government announced a plan to return to school textbooks, allocating substantial funds for this approach. Last year, 60 million euros were invested, and in the coming years another 44 million euros will be added to ensure a manual for each subject.
In Spain schools students will have access to tablets only two hours a day
And Spain has taken similar measures. Madrid authorities have announced that they want to limit the use of computers and tablets in the primary schools in the city and around, in an effort to combat the risks associated with the early, intensive and inadequate use of information technology, according to The Guardian. The time spent by children on such devices for learning is to be limited to two hours.
The proposed rules stipulate that primary school students and young children will not have permission to work individually on digital devices, and their teachers will not be able to give them topics that involve the use of tablets, computers, mobile devices outside the school program. The measure would be applied from the beginning of the future school year in September.
Psychologist Mihai Copăceanu. Archive
Psychologist: “Excess technology also leads to addiction”
Psychologist Mihai Copăceanu told “Adevărul” that there are a number of educational, cognitive and intellectual benefits of using traditional textbooks in the school environment and should not be ignored.
“The attention and concentration are otherwise kept when the students read on a paper support compared to the digital tools. If in Sweden and Spain the authorities have adopted these decisions, they certainly considered the interest of children and the benefits associated with the risk of using the screens. digital tables or other devices. But the key word is here “with measure”, that is, balanced “, explains the specialist who draws a great alarm signal: the excessive use of online technology is harmful, even if we have an educational justification.
The harmful effects of excess technology are well known and can be observed cognitive, emotional, psychological but somatic: “From fatigue, eye pain and head, to decreased attention and concentration. If, for example, a student is exposed to screens between four and seven hours at school, then on the same day in his free time he uses another six, seven hours, then we are already talking about an excess, of risk of addiction, but also of mental health and physical health. ”
Handwriting practices our thinking and imagination
Even if they are much more attractive, much easier to use and respond to students’ speed, digital textbooks come with risks and can cause damage: “In the learning process, both at the level of higher and high school or high school levels, digital textbooks or Power Point presentations are very ineffective and misleading, giving the impression of proper learning, when, in fact, it is just an illusion of learning,” explains the psychologist. The reason? “Often, the content is difficult to assimilate and remember, even if, at first glance, it does not seem. It is also the reason why the students, after a few days, do not remember much about what they learned. ”
As for writing on the paper sheet, solving themes, but also exercises in class with pencil in hand help children practice their thinking: “Using writing in the learning process, using effective learning techniques through pencil and paper has the advantage of practicing thinking. We, when we write, think, use our imagination, which does not happen in the case of using devices ”said the psychologist Mihai Copăceanu.
He confessed that in the interaction he has with the students he prefers direct contact with them: “Without calling for devices and rarely using digital board. Unfortunately, what I have found very often is that students are difficult to express themselves freely, to collaborate with each other and, moreover, to keep their attention for 45 minutes without calling on the mobile phone. ”
The psychologist recommends teachers to connect and interact human and authentic, emotionally and rationally with students, without using the mobile phone or laptop: “The purpose is to have not only young people with high skills and skills, but mentally healthy young people.”
Psychologist Keren Rosner. Archive
Specialist: “Children have to learn to think alone”
The phone, the tablet, the computer, the laptop, the interactive board, the projector are used more and more often in the schools in Romania. Devices are used for educational purposes, when the teacher considers them useful in the process of teaching subject and assimilating knowledge. Which is fine up to a certain point. It is the opinion of psychologist Keren Rosner who does not recommend this method of teaching either.
“In the classroom, the student should first use his brain, be left and learned to think alone. It should activate its ability to associate, analyze, synthesize. If we took the subjects that are studied at school one by one, what would a student need a computer? It would need, perhaps, to read a book. But this does it at home, not during the hours in Romanian. Students have to use their own brain, develop ideas, make connections, force the mind to work a little ”, explained the psychologist. “If we talk about mathematics, learning to do calculations is not just a tiring activity. Mathematics draw some roads, some mental maps.”said the specialist.
Daniel David announces the introduction of artificial intelligence in schools
Contrary to the tendency of schools in Europe, the Minister of Education, Daniel David, decided to launch a pilot project to use artificial intelligence both for optimizing the activity of teachers and for improving the learning process for students and students.
“We already have employed a massive digitalization process In the educational units in the country, and the framework plans include compulsory disciplines (associated with information technology) and optional (including artificial intelligence) associated with the technological revolution we go through, aspects that create the premises for the more complex use of artificial intelligence in the educational environment. Attention, however, in my vision, artificial intelligence is an instrument of the teacher and the student/student, not an alternative to the teacher or an instrument that “lazy” the student/student, and, very important to understand, is an instrument that must always be ethical-moral monitored. Various countries have already started such projects, probably the most recent example being Estonia, which already wants it at the level at the level the whole education system, So I don’t want Romania and our educational system to stay behind”, Explained the Minister of Education.
