Sweden has begun to move away from its previously digitally innovative approach to education, instead opting for paper textbooks, handwriting, and restricted device use in classrooms. This change in tactic follows research that found heavy technology use had not improved learning outcomes and had disadvantaged struggling learners the most. The Swedish National Agency for Education's proposed digitalisation strategy was met with concern from researchers, neuroscientists, and paediatricians during consultation.
The Swedish government's own account of the shift, published in February 2024, describes a return to paper textbooks, restricted digital access for younger grades, and cellphones banned from the start of the school day. Research found that screen-based teaching weakened concentration, reduced reading comprehension, and affected basic writing skills in younger children. Handwriting, unlike typing, engages multiple systems simultaneously, while reading on digital devices made it harder for children to process information.
The decision has raised questions about South Africa's relationship with technology in education and how to ensure digital solutions complement learning. South Africa has participated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2015, 2019, and 2023, scoring below the entry level for basic mathematical understanding each time. The country's learners continue to struggle with mathematics, with a growing number opting for mathematics literacy instead.
The lesson from Sweden is not that technology has failed, but that technology is not education. South Africa's challenges are more fundamental than access to devices, including improving foundational literacy and numeracy, strengthening teaching, and closing learning gaps early. Mathematics is a particular concern, as it is a foundation for further learning and participation in a digital economy.
Despite challenges, there have been successful digital education innovations across Africa, such as Eneza Education, M-Shule, and Rori by Rising Academies. These platforms have shown how technology can be adapted to African circumstances, operating in low-bandwidth environments and reaching millions of learners on simple feature phones.
To effectively incorporate technology, South Africa should consider several principles, including that technology should serve a learning objective, not become the learning objective. A device is a tool, and its presence in a classroom tells little about whether children are learning. Age also matters, as early learning depends heavily on interaction, language, physical engagement, and foundational development.
The most successful digital interventions ask where technology can make learning better, rather than how more technology can be put into the classroom. By combining paper workbooks, age-appropriate mobile maths applications, teacher training, and monitoring tools, technology can accelerate the feedback loop and free teachers from paper-based administration, ultimately improving learning outcomes.
Key points
- South Africa's education sector is reevaluating the role of technology in classrooms following Sweden's reversal on digital learning.
- The country's challenges in education are more fundamental than access to devices, including improving foundational literacy and numeracy.
- Successful digital interventions in Africa have shown that technology can be adapted to local circumstances to improve learning outcomes.
