It’s a widely held belief that “screens” are harmful to children. Faced with this persistent opinion, both teachers and parents often find themselves torn between the immense possibilities offered by interactive displays in the classroom and their desire to make the classroom a sacred space that provides a digital break.
But is this perception of the danger posed by “screens” actually justified? Have studies been conducted to support this widely shared concern? We came across the report “SCREENS”: A Real Danger for Students’ Learning?, published on the Canopé website in March 2024 and written by professors from the University of Franche-Comté. The report provides an overview of the issue and, in a way, sets the record straight.
Beware: One screen may hide another…
As in the report cited above, we have taken care to put the word “screens” in quotation marks, since the term so often criticized actually refers to a wide range of digital tools with very different uses. Is the impact of a television screen, tablet, smartphone, or interactive display the same on academic performance? The answer is very likely no.
This linguistic shortcut that lumps together a variety of digital tools under the vague term “screens” actually masks a lack of rigorous and methodical thinking on the issue, since by saying “screens,” we’re not quite sure what we’re blaming—or for what.
“In contrast to these sensationalist messages, scientific literature highlights the complexity of the relationship between digital technology and learning, and the need to adopt a detailed, contextualized analysis of findings that considers the nature of the tools (e.g., television vs. tablet), the type of use (e.g., active vs. passive), the characteristics of the children (e.g., socio-economic background), and pedagogical practices in order to identify the real benefits and limitations of digital tools for education.”
Our biases about digital tools and learning put to the test of scientific methodology
Students placed back at the center of their learning thanks to digital tools
The findings are far from what the most pessimistic might expect: the results are generally positive and encouraging, with experiments that particularly highlight the benefits of digital tools for students with special needs, “by offering differentiated learning, tailored to each student’s level, with step-by-step progress in exercises and appropriate explanations and feedback.”
Are you a teacher in a medico-educational institute ?
If you are a teacher in a Medico-Educational Institute or if you work with students with special needs and would like to share your experience on our blog, we are very interested in this topic and would be delighted to feature your story in a blog article! You can contact us at marketing@speechi.com.
“The interactivity provided by digital tools promotes exploration and the use of problem-solving strategies, and ultimately the acquisition of skills.”
* Systematic reviews “synthesize the findings of all scientific articles on a specific issue, selected based on their methodological quality.” (↑)
** Meta-analyses “provide a statistical synthesis of all data from the scientific literature and quantify the strength of the effect of a factor on a behavior.” (↑)
👉 Key takeaways
- A vast field of study remains to be explored in classroom contexts to challenge certain beliefs about “screens” and assess the real benefits and limitations of using digital tools in class.
- A digital tool is not inherently good or bad. Rather, its effectiveness depends on how it is used and how it fits into a clear pedagogical approach.
- An Interactive Display is not just another screen. It is a tool used in the specific context of a classroom, with use that is at the discretion of the teacher, depending on their pedagogical plans, sensitivity, and comfort with digital tools.
- The benefit of digital tools such as the Interactive Display for certain students with special needs is supported by both research studies and firsthand experiences shared by teachers in the classroom.
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5 articles to keep the conversation going…
Published on May 21, 2025
