What parents need to know
“Countries that have invested less in introducing computers into schools have improved faster, on average, than countries that have invested more.” The evidence is backwards: less technology spending = better outcomes.
Full Citation
OECD. (2015). Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection. OECD Publishing, Paris. [Specific finding from the broader report]
Publication Type
Finding from major OECD international research report analyzing PISA data
What They Studied
As part of the comprehensive 2015 OECD study, researchers specifically examined whether countries that invested more heavily in school technology saw greater improvements in student achievement compared to countries that invested less. The analysis tracked technology investment levels and changes in PISA scores over time across 70+ countries.
Key Findings
- “As the OECD itself noted, ‘countries that have invested less in introducing computers into school have improved faster, on average, than countries that have invested more'”
- “Results are similar across reading, mathematics and science”
- This finding represents one of the most counterintuitive and important discoveries in the entire report
- Countries that spent less on technology and maintained more traditional teaching methods saw better academic improvement
- The relationship suggests that technology investment may actually divert resources from more effective educational interventions
- The pattern held true across all three core academic subjects tested by PISA
- This evidence directly contradicts the common assumption that educational progress requires substantial technology investment
- Some of the highest-performing education systems globally have relatively modest technology integration
- The finding suggests that “digital divide” concerns may be misplaced – having less technology access may actually be beneficial for learning
