Technology is part of our lives and that is why many governments have tried to encourage its use from a young age. A few years ago it started “fad” to flood iPad classrooms and other tablets, although there is now some contrary trend.
The administrations' initial idea was to facilitate teaching with digital tools that promote creativity while teaching the use of technology and learning in other areas. Sweden was one of the pioneers and, as has already happened in Mexico, they retract.
Sweden will invest 150 million dollars in the exchange of iPads for books
The Swedish National Agency for Education has been one of the pioneers in implementing plans to digitalize classrooms. For this, large budgets have been allocated to bring tablets and computers to schools.
The initiative, as we mentioned in the introduction, had entirely legitimate objectives. From providing better digital education from childhood to making tasks easier for teachers and students with the support provided by school apps available on platforms such as iPadOS.
For 15 years, Sweden has required screens in schools covered by education laws. Today, the Swedish government itself claims that it was wrong. The reason? They discovered that screens are largely responsible for academic failure in the country.
The consequences of this change of mind are that the law will no longer require the use of devices such as iPads in schools and will force them to return to regular school textbooks. In this way, they aim to improve students' abilities such as reading comprehension and writing improvement, which have been significantly diminished in recent years due to the use of screens.
The country's education minister, Lotta Edholm, also detected a lack of critical thinking and excessive reliance on digital media. It is therefore now the one who supports the most millionaire investment in school textbooks. In total, 1.685 million crowns (around 150 million dollars at the exchange rate). In previous years they had already allocated 685 million crowns (around 60 million dollars) and by 2025 alone they already estimate that around 500 million crowns (45 million dollars) will be invested.
In USA, the battle is against students' cell phones
At the beginning of this year, a topic began to explode that for months became a common topic of conversation in educational centers and within the Ministry of Education. Following the initiative of several centers distributed throughout our geography, several regions have joined forces to promote protocols aimed at regulating the use of smartphones in classrooms.
Regardless of whether school equipment like computers or tablets is available, the idea of these protocols was to prohibit the use of cell phones by students on school grounds. In general, a total ban has been established in preschool, primary and secondary education, allowing exceptions in the latter and always in agreement with teachers. In high school and vocational training measures, its use is permitted during rest hours and areas and in classrooms provided that it is for educational purposes and approved by the teacher.
However, in most cases these are pilot projects with the idea of concluding at the end of this school year. After that, regional and national administrations will evaluate the results. Under this, a law should regulate it for all of USA. At least that’s what Pilar Alegría, Minister of Education and Vocational Training, said at the time.
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