Technology and learning

The technological advancements and globalization of the 21st century require a broad set of skills beyond traditional subjects such as mathematics, reading, and science. Research in psychological science should inform best practice and evidence-based recommendations for teaching these skills.

Using a differences-in-differences approach, Lichand et al. estimate the effects of remote learning in São Paulo, Brazil, during the pandemic. Their findings suggest that middle- and high-school students learned only 27.5% of the in-person equivalent and that dropout risk increased by 365%.

A randomized trial in Botswana during COVID-19 provides evidence of effective distance education using ‘low-tech’ mobile phone approaches when school is disrupted. Weekly phone tutoring and SMS messages improved learning cost-effectively.

This meta-analysis of 42 studies finds that learning progress has slowed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, particularly among children from low socio-economic backgrounds and in poorer countries. Reported learning deficits were larger in maths than in reading.

Findings from an umbrella review of more than 100 meta-analyses suggest that screen time can have both positive and negative associations with educational and health outcomes for youth, but effect sizes are small.