Why more classroom technology is making students learn less (Ep 62)

Why more classroom technology is making students learn less (Ep 62)

From Chalk & Talk by Anna Stokke

January 9, 2026 · 1h 11m · Episode 62

About this episode

This episode discusses the impact of classroom technology on student learning with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath.

n this episode, Anna is joined by Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a cognitive neuroscientist, educator, and bestselling author of The Digital Delusion. They examine what decades of research and international data reveal about classroom technology, screens, multitasking, attention, and memory, and why more technology often leads to less learning. Jared explains how offloading knowledge to devices can undermine higher-order thinking, why human teachers’ expertise, and practice, remain central to learning, and when technology may help or hinder students. The conversation also tackles how schools and families can navigate an increasingly tech-saturated education system. This is a thoughtful, evidence-informed episode for educators, parents, and anyone questioning whether digital tools in the classroom are helping students learn or holding them back. This episode is also available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke Order The Digital Delusion here: https://www.lmeglobal.net/digital-delusion TIMESTAMPS [00:00:22] Introduction [00:04:50] Cognitive decline among Gen Z [00:09:14] The decline international test scores and the correlation with technology [00:11:28] Screen usage in…

People in this episode

Host: Anna Stokke

Guest: Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath

Topics covered

  • classroom technology
  • cognitive neuroscience
  • education
  • multitasking
  • attention
  • memory
  • digital tools

Keywords

  • classroom technology
  • learning
  • cognitive decline
  • EdTech
  • attention
  • memory
  • Gen Z
  • digital tools

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Digital Delusion

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