this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2026
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In 2002, Maine became the first state to implement a statewide laptop program to some grade levels. Then-governor Angus King saw the program as a way to put the internet at the fingertips of more children, who would be able to immerse themselves in information.

By that fall, the Maine Learning Technology Initiative had distributed 17,000 Apple laptops to seventh graders across 243 middle schools. By 2016, those numbers had multiplied to 66,000 laptops and tablets distributed to Maine students.

King’s initial efforts have been mirrored across the country. In 2024, the U.S. spent more than $30 billion putting laptops and tablets in schools. But more than a quarter-century and numerous evolving models of technology later, psychologists and learning experts see a different outcome than the one King intended. Rather than empowering the generation with access to more knowledge, the technology had the opposite effect.

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[–] Manjushri@piefed.social 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That is brought up near the end of the article.

While teachers may be intending for these tools to be strictly educational, students often have different ideas. According to a 2014 study, which surveyed and observed 3,000 university students, students engaged in off-task activities on their computers nearly two-thirds of the time.

Horvath blamed this tendency to get off-track as a key contributor to technology hindering learning. When one’s attention is interrupted, it takes time to refocus. Task-switching also is associated with weaker memory formation and greater rates of error. Grappling with a challenging singular subject matter is hard, Horvath said. For the best learning to happen, it’s supposed to be.

“Unfortunately, ease has never been a defining characteristic of learning,” he said. “Learning is effortful, difficult, and oftentimes uncomfortable. But it’s the friction that makes learning deep and transferable into the future.”

Sustained attention to a singular subject is anathema to how technology today has been deployed, argues Jean Twenge, San Diego State University psychology professor studying generational differences and the author of 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World. More time on screens isn’t just ineffective in facilitating learnings; it’s counterproductive.

“Many apps, including social media and gaming apps, are designed to be addictive,” Twenge told Fortune. “Their business model is based on users spending the most time possible on the apps, and checking back as frequently as possible.”

[–] kshade@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Learning is effortful, difficult, and oftentimes uncomfortable.

It doesn't have to be. Rote memorization always is for me, but that's not really learning. And you can focus on just about anything when the alternative is a shitty textbook poorly explaining something that just won't click with you. Look out the window, doodle, count the ceiling tiles, daydream about not being stuck in school, ...

[–] SorryImLate@piefed.social 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Be careful not to conflate effortful with boring. Learning can be fun but fun doesn't mean easy or lacking in effort. Fun just makes it easier to remain motivated.

[–] kshade@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Learning can take effort and be fun, that's true. Same goes for difficult. But if you put those two in with uncomfortable then I hear that it's meant to be painful, essentially. Goddamn kids need to sit still and learn, and they can not do anything else for hours, or else!

[–] lemmyseikai@lemmy.world 6 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

The burden of proof is on you for your claim.

Why does learning not need to be effortful or not difficult or not oftentimes uncomfortable?

[–] kshade@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Why does learning not need to be effortful or not difficult or not oftentimes uncomfortable?

From the context the combination of these three words sounded to me like they are demanding kids sit still and focus for hours, and that if they fail then that's a lack of effort, determination or intelligence. You can work through a problem slowly and deliberately because it's hard to understand, that can feel very rewarding even if it's hard. But you can also be forced to mentally strain yourself for hours, not because of the subject itself is difficult but because the environment, the provided material, the pressure, ... make learning in and of itself take a lot more effort than it needs to.

[–] Jiggle_Physics@quokk.au 6 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, I have literally never gotten better at anything without effort, difficulty, and sometimes being uncomfortable. These things are ingrained to mastering any skill.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago

I think if it as no difference than lifting weights.

Do hard things till they get easy, then do harder things.