In recent weeks, as Swedish schoolchildren returned to their classrooms, educators across the nation have undergone a transformation, placing renewed emphasis on the printed word, silent reading hours, and the practice of handwriting. Simultaneously, the role of tablets, independent online research, and keyboarding skills has dwindled.
This resurgence of traditional teaching methods is a direct response to concerns raised by policymakers and experts regarding Sweden’s hyper-digitized approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, which some believe has eroded fundamental skills.
Sweden’s Minister for Schools, Lotta Edholm, a prominent critic of the wholesale adoption of technology, expressed her reservations earlier this year. “Sweden’s students need more textbooks,” she emphasized in March, further stating, “Physical books are indispensable for student learning.”
In August, the minister declared the government’s intention to reverse the decision of the national education agency that mandated digital devices in preschools. Furthermore, the ministry informed the Associated Press that the government aims to abolish digital learning entirely for children under the age of six.
While Sweden’s students consistently score above the European average for reading proficiency, as evidenced by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), a recent assessment indicated a decline in reading abilities among Swedish children between 2016 and 2021. In 2021, Swedish fourth-graders averaged 544 points, down from the 555 average in 2016. However, this performance still secured the nation a joint seventh position with Taiwan in overall test scores.
Conversely, Singapore, which ranked first, bolstered its PIRLS reading scores from 576 to 587 during the same period, while England’s average reading achievement score experienced only a marginal dip, falling from 559 in 2016 to 558 in 2021.
Some of these learning deficits may be attributed to the disruptive influence of the coronavirus pandemic or a growing influx of immigrant students for whom Swedish is not their first language. However, education experts assert that an overreliance on screens during instructional hours may contribute to students falling behind in core subjects.
According to the Karolinska Institute, a renowned medical school focused on research in Sweden, there is “clear scientific evidence that digital tools impair rather than enhance student learning.” The institute issued this statement in August while critiquing the nation’s digitalization strategy in education. They advocate a shift in focus towards acquiring knowledge through printed textbooks and teacher expertise, highlighting concerns about the unverified accuracy of freely available digital sources.
The rapid adoption of digital learning tools has also raised alarm at the UN education and culture agency, UNESCO. In an August report, UNESCO issued an “urgent call for appropriate use of technology in education,” advocating for improved internet connectivity in schools while emphasizing that technology should never replace in-person, teacher-led instruction in pursuit of quality education for all.
In Stockholm, young Liveon Palmer, a third-grader at Djurgardsskolan elementary school, endorsed the move towards spending more offline hours at school. “I prefer writing in school, on paper, because it simply feels better,” he shared with the Associated Press.
His teacher, Catarina Branelius, has long been cautious about using tablets during her lessons. She clarified, “I use tablets in math and for some apps, but not for writing. Students under the age of 10 require time, practice, and exercises in handwriting before transitioning to tablet-based writing.”
The debate over online instruction is a contentious issue throughout Europe and other Western regions. Poland recently initiated a program to provide government-funded laptops to fourth-grade students to enhance the country’s technological competitiveness. In the United States, the pandemic led to the distribution of millions of laptops to primary and secondary students, aimed at narrowing the digital divide. However, the prevalence of this divide is one reason why American schools continue to utilize both print and digital textbooks.
Germany, despite its wealth, has been notably sluggish in moving government programs and information online, including in education. The extent of digitalization in German schools varies among its 16 states, each responsible for their curriculum.
To address the decline in fourth-grade reading performance in Sweden, the government has allocated significant funds for book purchases in schools. An investment of kr685 million (£50 million) this year will be followed by an annual expenditure of kr500 million in 2024 and 2025 to expedite the return to textbooks.
Nevertheless, not all experts are convinced that Sweden’s return to traditional methods is solely in the best interest of students. Neil Selwyn, a professor of education at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, argues that criticizing technology is a “popular move with conservative politicians” and may signify a commitment to traditional values.
Selwyn maintains, “The Swedish government does have a valid point when saying that there is no evidence for technology improving learning, but I think that’s because there is no straightforward evidence of what works with technology. Technology is just one part of a really complex network of factors in education.”
As the debate on the role of technology in education rages on, Sweden’s educational landscape undergoes a profound transformation, drawing global attention to the enduring question of how to best prepare students for the challenges of the digital age.
Source, associated press
