Computers in the Classroom: "Pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things"

A paradigm shift, backed by the science of learning

Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden, "Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify." In a modern world with rapid technological advancement all around us, is a simple life possible? So much of life comes down to needs and wants. A concept full of gray areas and blurred lines. Here is the key question in my mind when it comes to wants versus needs: Can aspects of life, which may be classified by some as wants, distract us from fulfilling our basic needs? From my perspective, yes.

I think about this a lot when it comes to learning in my classroom. What do my students truly need to learn? What do they need from me to change their long term memories? Is anything beyond these needs simply window dressing, distracting and draining our limited cognitive resources from real learning? Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction provide a model framework for what students need from their teachers in order to learn. Teacher actions like daily review, providing models, guided practice, checking for understanding, and more. These principles are in many ways a learning “needs” checklist. But what else do students need?

Computers are a polarizing part of the learning puzzle. In the last decade or so many classrooms around the world have been shifted away from teacher-centered instruction to screen-centered instruction. Article to read? Here’s the link. Notes to take? Here’s a Google Doc. New concept to introduce? Here’s a YouTube video. Skill to practice? Here’s an app.

This brings us to the central question. Do students need computers to learn? Do teachers need computers to influence learning? Are any of Rosenshine’s principles easier to uphold because of computers? Based on what I know about how we learn, I would answer a definitive no to all of those questions. Are computers really just a want which makes it harder to accomplish what we need to do for students to learn effectively and efficiently? I strongly believe, yes.

The truth is the science of learning supports computers being a net-negative for learning. Everyone’s role in the learning process, teachers and students, becomes easier without computers. Decades of research proves this to be true. Is that not how teachers best influence learning? By removing as many barriers to learning as possible? Computers are a barrier to learning. Therefore, they need to be removed.

So, I’m making a shift. Next year, I’m ditching classroom computers entirely. This will not be a monumental change in my classroom as I have made my teaching less computer-based gradually over the course of the last few years. But now it is time to finish the job.

Of course, this is a claim. As I teach my students throughout the school year, you can claim anything you want but support it with relevant evidence and strong reasoning. Well, here is my “Computers are a barrier to learning” claim-evidence-reasoning (CER). Agree or disagree as you see fit.

1. Better Long-Term Retention with Handwriting

Evidence: Mueller & Oppenheimer (2014) found that handwriting notes leads to deeper processing and better long-term retention than typing.

Reasoning: Typing often leads to transcription, while handwriting encourages students to summarize and synthesize.

2. Less Cognitive Overload

Evidence: Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory (2011) shows that too many competing stimuli (like open tabs, notifications, and screens) can overwhelm working memory.

Reasoning: Tech-free environments reduce split attention effect and extraneous load, freeing up working memory for actual learning.

3. Fewer Distractions, More Focus

Evidence: Studies (e.g., Sana et al., 2013) show that even a laptop in the same room can be a visual distraction for others, and that students multitasking on devices retain less.

Reasoning: No devices = no temptation to tab out, scroll, or zone out.

4. Improved Reading Comprehension from Paper Texts

Evidence: Delgado et al. (2018) found students comprehend texts better when reading on paper compared to screens, especially for longer or more complex material.

Reasoning: Paper slows us down, promotes deeper engagement, and doesn’t fatigue the eyes or invite scrolling.

5. Stronger Social and Collaborative Learning

Evidence: Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory (1978) emphasizes that learning is deeply social and occurs best through interaction and dialogue.

Reasoning: Without screens acting as barriers, students are more likely to engage in meaningful discussions, maintain eye contact, and build collaborative skills.

There it is. My CER laid out in simple terms. Decades of research and evidence which supports computers being a barrier to learning. They are a want which distracts teachers and students from what they need to learn. There is nothing computers can do that I or my students need to do to change their long term memories. Not only that, they make it harder to do what is necessary.

Guess who will ultimately be the biggest supporters of this change? Students. They will love it because the result will be experiencing higher levels of learning and success. Above all else, students want to learn. They want to feel like they are being successful in achieving our learning goals. Each day they will be taught directly and explicitly by an expert using the science of learning as the foundation for his instruction, not a computer. I will finish as I started, with Thoreau. He also said, "Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things.” Learning is a serious thing. If society needs to get one thing right, this is it. “Pretty toys” are just more wants that distract us from what we need: to learn.

References

Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmerón, L. (2018).
The impact of reading medium on reading comprehension and reading time: A meta-analysis.
Review of Educational Research, 88(5), 667–701. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654318795753

Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014).
The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note-taking.
Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581

Rosenshine, B. (2012).
Principles of instruction: Research-based strategies that all teachers should know.
American Educator, 36(1), 12–19.

Sana, F., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N. J. (2013).
Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers.
Computers & Education, 62, 24–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.003

Sweller, J. (2011).
Cognitive load theory.
Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 55, 37–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-387691-1.00002-8

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978).
Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds. & Trans.). Harvard University Press.