The realm of education has been completely engulfed by the wave of new technologies, with numerous educational institutions opting to substitute books with tablets as a means of learning. Nevertheless, this digital approach has not yielded the expected pedagogical outcomes and fails to grant families oversight over their children’s activities on the screen.
This technological revolution has sparked a parental uprising at the Hogar Escuela educational centre in the capital, situated in El Toscal, where over one hundred families have united on a common platform to voice their apprehensions regarding their children’s health and education. They are urging a return to traditional textbooks.
Families in question revealed to DIARIO DE AVISOS that “during the ESO and Baccalaureate stages, the institution has adopted a purely digital programme which entirely eradicates paper textbooks and reading materials, depriving parents of the ability to contribute to their children’s education.”
“We believe that educational institutions ought to heed the sentiments of families and reassess expert opinions. Scientific research suggests that excessive use of digital devices adversely impacts students’ physical health. Even the World Health Organization and the Spanish Association of Pediatrics have sounded alarms regarding the severe risks associated with screen usage among school-age children,” the families articulated.
The members of this platform assert that “we do not oppose the use of tablets or iPads as educational tools, but the school has not provided us with alternatives, nor has it embraced educational diversity in this aspect. We are compelled to purchase a particular model costing around 700 euros, a financial burden not all families can bear. Consequently, many are contemplating withdrawing their children from school due to this expense.”
In addition, the families have launched a campaign on charge.org, gathering over 200 signatures from across the Canary Islands opposing the “digital absolutism” prevalent in education. This movement is gaining momentum, advocating for a blend of tablets and textbooks to foster learning and “reclaim control over our children, who are increasingly becoming ensnared in the allure of these electronic gadgets,” as emphasized by the affected parties.
In light of this, they reveal that other subsidised institutions in Santa Cruz are backtracking from complete digitalisation as they have witnessed the drawbacks outweighing the benefits. “We simply urge the administration to reconsider the option of integrating books and digital tools, as provided by the institution, akin to the Primary level, rather than imposing the current plans,” they state.
Meanwhile, the institution has summoned parents for a meeting this week and circulated a survey among 5th and 6th-grade Primary students regarding the use of digital devices in classrooms. “Questions that already indicate the desired outcome,” they protest.
UNESCO’s Report Criticising Technology in Both the Classroom and at Home
A recent UNESCO publication cautions that technology usage in classrooms and at home by students can lead to distractions, consequently “impeding learning.” Tablets or mobile phones fail to replace the practice of underlining and annotating in the margins of a book, thus failing to enhance focus or memory retention.
