"Before 2014, computers were in schools, they were just peripheral. After 2014, every school had to have digital infrastructure in order to take the state assessment. Utah's test score data isn't a fluke; it's part of a global trend of plummeting test scores that have coincided with the rise of easy access to computers and tablets in the classroom."
"He said that for the first time in modern history, today's generation has failed to outperform their parents on standardized assessments. In other words, Gen Z is the first generation to be less cognitively capable than their predecessors. Citing data from the Program for International Student Assessment taken from 15-year-olds around the world, more time in front of screens was associated with worse scores."
Utah experienced rising reading and math scores for years until 2014, when the state implemented SAGE, a computer-adaptive test requiring digital infrastructure in all schools. Following this implementation, standardized test scores for 4th and 8th graders began declining steadily. Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath identified this inflection point and found it part of a broader global pattern: test scores have plummeted as computer and tablet access in classrooms increased. International data from 15-year-olds shows a correlation between increased screen time and worse academic performance. Horvath testified before the U.S. Senate that Gen Z is the first generation to underperform their parents on standardized assessments, suggesting technology's adverse impact extends beyond test scores to fundamental cognitive capabilities.
#classroom-technology-impact #standardized-test-scores-decline #digital-learning-assessment #cognitive-development #educational-technology
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